On an overcast dark summer's afternoon, we arrived at the National trust's Downhill Demesne and Mussenden temple. Located at the town of Downhill not to far from Coleraine in Northern Ireland, we parked nearby the entrance. Well wrapped in our wetgear, we entered the National trust estate. We walked along a grassy lane towards the ruins of Downhill house which once was an amazing 18th century mansion built by the eccentric Earl Bishop. And it is not hard to see why this location was choosen by the Earl to built this magnificent house. Located on the top of the seaside cliffs, the views from the estate towards Downhill beach are just breathtaking . The only things which remain of the house are the walls, but it is brilliant fun for the kids to discover the many roofless and windowless rooms of the house, a perfect location to play hide and seek. Having walked through the house, our attention was diverted to the beautiful Mussenden temple which stands literally on the cliffs edge. Back in the day when it was built, it was possible to drive a horse and carriage around the temple, nowadays it just balances on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Atlantic. But don't fear, cliff stabilization work was carried out to protect the temple from falling into the sea. And if you are looking for a special location to get married, the temple has a licence to hold wedding ceremonies. At the car park, we wanted to warm ourselves with a coffee, so we headed over to Al's coffee. We were greeted with a big smile by Al, and after a great chat and a nice cup of coffee and a quick pose for another picture, we headed through the apple tree garden to the dovecot and icehouse. The dovecot once housed many pigeons, pigeons which would have been kept for their feathers, their meat and ther dung which was a great fertilizer.
We enjoyed the afternoon, even with the persistent rain.
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Derry city, Northern Ireland's second largest city, is located along the banks of the Foyle. We found ourselves in this cultural hub on a Sunday morning. Having parked the car along the banks of the Foyle, we were excited to discover this flourishing city which has received a major makeover since it's stent as UK city of culture in 2013. And for anybody who thinks about Derry's troubled past, it is nowadays a thriving artistic hub where tourism is booming. First exciting structure we noticed during our walk is the fabulous peace bridge, a cycle and foot bridge built across the Foyle which symbolizes a handshake of peace across the river Foyle. Next were the Derry walls, the intact 17th century enclosure around the city which makes Derry the only fully walled city in Ireland. Walking on top of the ramparts, you get to see the city from a birdseye perspective allowing you to absorb the cheer size Derry city has grown into over all those years. We entered the walls from Butchers gate, one of the 4 original gates in the city's walls. Informative signpost explain the history behind the historical buildings you pass along the walk, it explains in detail the area and the history. These informative signs are a great addition to an already fabulous walk. The walk is also great for kids, especially the canons will be of great interest to any kid. And at each Bastion, you can find these imposing canons. As it was Sunday, the streets were quiet, but the wall itself was busy with the many tourists around. Passing St Columb's cathedral, we made our way over towards the Guildhall. On the first floor, you will find the main hall where you will be mesmerized by the huge stained glass windows which are the main feature in the room together with a huge organ. Making our way back to the car after a bite to eat in one of the restaurants, we continued are trip towards the Causeway coast. One thing we can say is that we are eager to go back to Derry and explore it in more detail, see the museums, sample the food, discover some of the shops and just enjoy this artistic tourist hub along the Foyle. Derry has surprised us in many ways, but all of them being positive. The Guildhall, which is located at the main city square in Derry, is an imposing building. Built in a neo-gothic style out of red sandstone, the end result is a striking building. Walking into the building, you find a tourist information desk where we were welcomed with open arms and received a lot of useful information about Northern Ireland and Derry. On the groundfloor of the Guildhall, you will find a great exhibition which explores how the plantation shaped Derry's history.
This interactive exhibition is brilliant for kids and adults alike. You have many games/puzzles which teaches you in an interactive way about the plantation, but you also have the opportunity to dress up which Dolores couldn't resist.
On an overcast day in July, we found ourselves in Roe Valley Country Park. Leaving, the car park of Roe Park resort, we headed down a small lane into the Country Park. Located nearby the town of Limavady in County Derry, the park is located along the river Roe. A variety of paths exist through the forest and along the river, all of them well maintained. The area is rich in flora and fauna, and we watched playful squirrels jumping in and out of trees during our walk. On this particular day, it was quiet in the park and allowed us to enjoy the beauty of the Roe valley. After having walked past a weir, along farmland and through forests, we reached Dogleap Countryside Centre where a cafe, public picnic areas and riverside walks attract a good few number of visitors. Here , you also find Green Lane Museum where you can step back in time and discover life during the linnen and agricultural industrial era's from a bygone age. The area around the visitor centre is wheelchair friendly, and there is even a wheelchair friendly jetty allowing wheelchair users to fish in the river Roe. The visitor centre is also an educational centre where you can learn about the local flora and fauna. And best of all, the park is free for you to enjoy .
Hezlett House is one of Northern Ireland oldest surviving buildings and is currently owned by the National Trust. The current structure hides the original timber frame of the house, but the beautiful white walls are in stark contrast with the tatched roof. We paid the entrance (£ 25.10) into the house which i thought was a bit on the steep side for a family of 5 and 2 pensioners (no discount for pensioners) , but luckily it also included entrance to the nearby Downhill Demesne. Where we had a brilliant time in Northern Ireland, I find the National trust charging prices which are too high. Their yearly membership seems to be good value, but for the tourist who is only in Northern Ireland for a couple of days and buys tickets at the entrance, they are steeply priced. A similar story goes for Giants Causeway, where if you are in the know you can enter for free if you avoid the visitor centre which is build in such a way as to capture tourists into paying an entrance fee, but later more on this. Back to beautiful Hezlett house, where we entered the house and found ourselves in the kitchen. The house is furnished with mid-Victorian furniture. Behind the kitchen was a small washroom which had a stair to the top floor. On the top floor is a bedroom under the roof. What we noticed is that all the beds are very small, and it was explained to us that in those early days, people used to sleep in an almost upright position. The next room was the room where the farmworkers used to sleep, some of them being as young as 14 years old. The room, which didn't have any windows, would have been very dark. Comfort was far to be sought, bags on the ground being the beds. The next room showed us a deeper insight into how the roof was built. The exposed cruck-truss roof construction is a piece of art in itself. Heading back downstairs, we found ourselves walking through the tiny rooms , one being a nice living room with the child's bedroom beside it. The old pictures in the room gave us a feel for what life must have been like back in those days. After the house, we wandered through the gardens and into the stable, one of them being converted into a children's playroom where you had pages to draw on, a play farm,... a perfect location to play with the kids when it rains. So, Hezlett house is worth a visit especially with the nearby Downhill Demesne included in the ticket price.
We decided to go to Co.Fermanagh, one of the six counties of Northern Ireland. We crossed into Northern Ireland at Blacklion and followed the signposts to the Marble Arch Caves. We had seen these spectacular caves before, so rather than visiting them again we decided to visit Cuilcagh Mountain Park. which is located approx. 1km past the Marble Arch Caves carpark. There is ample carpark space at the start of the Cuilcagh Mountain Park, there are even toilets provided. Cuilcagh Mountain Park was founded in 1998 and focussed on restoring the damaged peatland, to conserve blanket bog and raise awareness of bogland habitats. Last year also saw the opening of the new boardwalk/stairwell which makes it much easier for walkers to reach the summit of Cuilcagh summit (665m) . Setting of on our walk, first advise is to be prepared. If you want to reach the summit of Cuilcagh mountain, you will have to walk approx. 12km along the lineair walkway. So it is advised to bring a snack, drinks and wear some decent shoes and jacket. The weather can change rapidly, and what might be a sunny day at the start of your walk might quickly turn into a rainy one. The first 3.75km is a wide bogroad which gradualy makes it's way towards Cuilcagh mountain. Setting off from the carpark, the landscape changes quickly from limestone/grasland to bog. Along the route are small signs telling you the distance to the new boardwalk. Halfway towards the mountain is an educational boardwalk which takes you through some conserved bogland. The bogcotton is abundant and waves in the wind, birds are hiding in this historic landscape and water runs through the many streams. Following on from this boardwalk, the bogroad starts gradually rising further up the mountain opening up views as far as Co.Leitrim and Enniskillen. After approx 3.75km we had reached the new boardwalk. Where the old path ran straight through the bog, now you can walk very comfortable along the boardwalk. The boardwalk was installed to protect the rare blanket bog from erosion.
After having followed the boardwalk, we reached the stairwell. We must say it is spectacular, the stairwell has been constructed straight up the mountain, making it very easy (although still some effort is required to climb all the stairs) to reach the summit. After having reached the summit, we decided to head back the same way. But if time is no constraint, you can follow the cuilcagh hikers trail towards Florence Court. This is a very popular walk since the boardwalk was installed, so weekends can be busy. So our advise is to walk the Cuilcagh Legnabrocky path during the week. |
About the AuthorWe are Peter & Dolores De Bie. We love the great outdoors, discovering new parts of the world and writing about our adventures along the Wild Atlantic Way and further afield Categories
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