Transformed from the Troubles
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Discoveries Dunluce Castle “The green hills and glens end in rocky cliffs, now hit harder by the Irish Sea rolling in from the Atlantic beyond, funnelled by the Scottish mainland whose closest point is only 11 miles distant” Northern Ireland: Transformed from the Troubles As the Troubles recede into history, Norman Wright finds Northern Ireland buoyant and beautiful during an action-packed weekend coach tour M Discoveries Clockwise from top left: The Antrim coast route is even better by coach; The stunning White Rocks beach at Portrush; My Heart Will Go On but it isn’t Kate Winslet outside the amazing Titanic Belfast building; How would you like to be adrift in icy waters in a Titanic boat? One of the exhibits at Titanic Belfast; The Giant’s Causeway D N A L E R I . N R E V O C S I D D D N N A A L L E E R R I I . N N R R E E V V O O C C S S I I D D M HERE CAN be few drives the Scottish mainland whose closest point flight from Birmingham and had time to Europa Hotel. An icon during the streets are being redeveloped into more Belfast, there is regeneration and the anywhere that can match is only 11 miles distant. explore the city centre in the afternoon. If Troubles, it was the HQ for journalists modern housing areas, and with the promise of a better future. Down by the Antrim coast route in Soon you are looking down on the you can fly into the George Best City from around the globe and is famed as the demolition have gone some of the wall the waterfront, the gigantic shipyard gantry Northern Ireland, and it’s ant-sized people edging their way across Airport rather than Belfast International, world’s most bombed hotel, surviving no murals and outward demonstrations of the cranes of Harland and Wolff are reminders even better when you can the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge as the you are only a few minutes by taxi from fewer than 28 attacks. sympathies of their residents. of a more glorious past, although Belfast’s enjoy the ever-changing seascapes from the waves race below their feet. Your coast the centre. Our coach took us on a tour of the West The peace lines dividing the newest tourist attraction commemorates elevated viewing platform of a luxury coach. journey ends at the basalt columns of the The Botanic Gardens, including the Belfast areas that dominated the news of communities remain and the sight of the most infamous moment of the city’s TLeaving Belfast, you soon hit the sea Giant’s Causeway that edge out to sea Victorian Palm House and the nearby the Seventies and Eighties. The 25ft metal barriers between streets and shipbuilding heritage. road. The coast is gentle at first but as you headed for their counterparts on the Queen’s University, make a perfect Republican area around the Falls Road estates is still chilling. Triumph in building the world’s biggest head north it becomes increasingly craggy. Scottish island of Staffa. evening stroll and before that we visited and the Loyalist strongholds of the It is a fascinating tour, however, and if ship RMS Titanic quickly turned to The green hills and glens end in rocky Northern Ireland offers many the Titanic memorial in the gardens Shankill have begun to change radically you are not on a coach trip there are disaster when she sank in the icy North cliffs, now hit harder by the Irish Sea rolling highlights for a holiday, the first being that surrounding the impressive City Hall. since I was last in Belfast six years ago. several bus offerings as well as specialised Atlantic on her maiden voyage. in from the Atlantic beyond, funnelled by it is so close. We took a short lunchtime From there it is a short walk to the Many of the back-to-back terraced black cab tours available. Everywhere in Titanic Belfast is a fitting tribute to the M 36 CHOICE MAY 2014 MAY 2014 CHOICE 37 Discoveries M city and people who built her and a Clockwise from main: The Basalt rock memorial to RMS Titanic , the era of the columns at the Giant’s Causeway; transatlantic passenger liners and Britain’s Typical Antrim beach and superb rocky shipbuilding industry. seascape; New visitor centre at the The striking mirrored building, shaped Bushmills whiskey distillery; The little like four prows of liners jutting high above harbour at Ballintoy the dockside, sets the standard. Inside on six floors is a comprehensive, beautifully designed presentation of the Titanic story from the explanation of ‘Boomtown Belfast’ which created the ability to build such a revolutionary ship through to the operation to find and D explore the wreck of the vessel. N A L E R In between you can take a ride on a I . N gondola that flies you around the shipyard R E V O during construction, see the launch and C S I explore the luxurious interior, then find D out about the tragedy and its aftermath. walk and across the road the equally salmon fishermen to bridge the chasm This is a classy example of a lovely coast. between the mainland and a small island. modern, purpose-built museum that has After Ballygally the road continues Now you can either watch from this quickly become one of the most visited alongside the narrow stony beaches but viewpoint, walk the glorious coastal path attractions in Ireland. with the green slopes of the glens or test your courage by edging across Heading from here out on to the coast becoming steeper as you travel north. the bridge itself. road provided a complete contrast but was Sometimes the road cuts through at the Northern Ireland’s most visited just as impressive as the sparks and bottom of low cliffs. Across the water on a attraction is just a few miles west along the furnace glow of the recreated shipyard. clear day the Scottish coast is in view and, coast, the six-sided basalt columns that The route visits Carrickfergus and the as you round Torr Head and Fair Head to make up the Giant’s Causeway. ferry port of Larne before we stop for travel west along the top of the province, The National Trust looks after the site lunch at the Ballygally Castle Hotel. This the Mull of Kintyre is clearly in view just which has a new £18m visitor centre and was a difficult place to leave. Indoors is a 11 miles away. the Causeway Hotel where we stayed cosy world of armchairs and good food. Closer still are the rocky cliffs of Rathin overnight. From the visitor centre you can Outside is a quiet garden with a riverside Island as you drive through Ballycastle stroll down to the sea and clamber on towards Ballintoy. You can pull in to the the causeway. Take care, especially car park half a mile short of Ballintoy and when the tide is in: two of our party were look down over the cliff edge to the soaked by an unexpectedly large wave Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, erected by and taken off their feet. Just a few scrapes D N A L E R I . N R E V O C S I D M 38 39 Discoveries Clockwise from left: Belfast City Hall was designed by Alfred Brumwell Thomas and built in Portland stone, completed in 1906; The Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge; View inside the city walls from one of the ancient gates of Derry/Londonderry Passport to Northern Ireland Getting there I Coach tours to Belfast and Northern Ireland have increased following the D N opening of the Titanic exhibition and A L E R I new visitor centres at the Giant’s . N R Causeway and Bushmills. Dozens of E V O C coach companies which are members S I D of the Coach Tourism Council operate M holidays to Northern Ireland, generally and bruised pride were involved as well as famous whiskey is made and, better still, using ferry connections from Liverpool ruined iPad and mobile phones. there’s a tasting at the end. and Holyhead to Dublin or from There’s a minibus service to take you up Clinging to the cliff top overlooking the Cairnryan, on the south-west and down if you don’t want to walk. We wide bay above Portrush is the 14th coast of Scotland, to Belfast. walked down and took the bus back, and century Dunluce Castle. It’s the way a They can be found on the website: spent time in the visitor centre which reveals proper castle should look and is in the (www.findacoachholidav.com) the history of these ancient rock structures most romantic of settings. I Package prices for tours to Northern as well as the mythical explanation. From there we drove past the famous Ireland offer great value for money with There’s another treasure a little further Portrush golf course through Coleraine to short breaks of five days/four nights along the coast, the Bushmills Distillery the shores of Lough Foyle and followed starting from around £300 per person. All generally include half-board hotel that is the oldest Irish whiskey distillery in the wide River Foyle into accommodation, excursions and of Ireland since the first licence to make this Derry/Londonderry as it is now known. course travel by coach from England, ‘water of life’ was granted in 1608.