Northern Ireland Visitor Guide Discovernorthernireland.Com CONTENTS
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Northern Ireland Visitor Guide discovernorthernireland.com CONTENTS The variety of our small country is amazing – from rolling landscapes and hazy mountains, intriguing towns and villages to some of the most vibrant, cultural and history-rich cities. Contents Map of Tyrone & Sperrins 18 Find a place to stay 42 Northern Ireland 02 Fermanagh Lakelands 22 Information On The Go 46 Welcoming You 04 (Networked Visitor Armagh 26 Information Centres) Belfast City & Greater Belfast 06 Mourne Mountains 30 Travel Information 48 Causeway Coast & Glens 10 Strangford Lough 34 Fermanagh County Derry~Londonderry 14 Lough Neagh & its Waterways 38 Walking at Lough Navar Forest, Forest, at Lough Navar Walking 01 distance BELFAST between 103 DUBLIN 165 40 80 ARMAGH towns 65 123 262 158 234 CORK 405 253 374 miles 83 108 52 214 ENNISKILLEN 133 173 83 342 kilometres 23 126 64 284 106 LARNE Y 37 202 102 454 170 10 94 31 253 74 36 LISBURN 16 150 50 390 118 57 73 140 70 275 61 72 72 LONDONDERR 117 230 112 440 98 115 115 31 86 40 244 92 54 26 99 NEWCASTLE 49 138 64 390 147 86 42 158 38 66 18 224 70 61 29 88 27 NEWRY H 61 106 29 358 112 98 44 141 43 68 110 36 241 27 73 59 34 78 54 OMAG 109 176 58 386 43 117 94 54 125 86 61 160 66 294 97 54 62 39 92 99 70 PORTRUSH 98 256 106 470 155 86 99 62 147 158 112 202 98 180 128 206 225 193 242 191 163 213 258 ROSSLARE 323 157 288 205 330 360 308 387 306 261 341 413 211 132 188 77 168 234 202 221 206 178 203 243 140 SHANNON 338 211 301 123 269 374 323 354 330 285 325 389 224 125 133 93 208 42 148 116 84 133 111 68 120 198 136 SLIGO 200 213 149 333 67 237 185 134 213 178 109 192 317 219 = = = = Sperrins Driving Routes = Visitor Information Centres = Seasonal Visitor Information Centres 2014 02 Map for illustration purposes only © Tourism Northern Ireland 2015 03 discovernorthernireland.com Made for Golf Glorious Gardens Northern Ireland is made for golf and our & Houses home-grown talent in Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy is testament to this. We aren’t afraid of a bit of rain here – it’s what It really is the playground of champions. Perfect makes our gardens grow – and we have plenty your technique on the superb world-class links of exciting locations to choose from. There are of Royal Portrush and Royal County Down grand gardens, walled gardens, woodland (which played host to the Irish Open in 2012 and gardens – even Japanese gardens. The Antrim 2015 respectively), consistently ranked in the Garden Trail includes a mix of public and world’s top 20 courses or hone your skills on a private gardens. diverse range of parkland and seaside courses. Learn more: We have over 90 great courses to choose from. www.discovernorthernireland .com/gardens Welcoming you Don’t miss the Irish Open’s first visit to Lough TV & Film Many locations across Northern Ireland have Erne Resport in County Fermanagh in 2017. been used in TV & Film productions, Learn more: Fabulous Food showcasing our wonderful natural landscapes www.discovernorthernireland .com/golf Northern Ireland is a great destination for and hosting global production companies like lovers of good food and drink. From sea-front HBO and Universal Pictures. Northern Ireland is restaurants along the Causeway Coastal Route home to world-famous names – such as Liam Historical to seafood bars at the foot of the Mourne Neeson, Jamie Dornan, Liam Cunningham, Mountains, contemporary city restaurants, Northern Ireland Michelle Fairely, Ian McElhinney, James and hearty pub grub in beautiful rural spots. Nestbitt, Conleith Hill and Bronagh – as well as Whether it’s Saint Patrick and Christian The quality and authenticity of our local playing a temporary home to international Heritage, RMS Titanic or our historic cities – produce is undeniable too – with a number actors including Sir Ben Kingsley, Sean Bean, there’s something for everyone. Our 92-mile of recent world-wide accolades. Visit in 2016 Gillian Anderson and Colin Farrell whilst filming Saint Patrick’s Trail allows you to follow Patrick’s during Northern Ireland’s Year of Food, with here. Various productions have been filmed in footsteps and his legacy. Belfast has an lots of great foodie events plus new trails Belfast including BBC’s ‘The Fall’, ‘Good impressive industrial heritage, not least its and experiences. shipbuilding. Then there is Londonderry Vibrations’ and Oscar-nominated, BAFTA- (also known as Derry), a city with an eventful Learn more: awarded short film ‘Boogalaoo and Graham’. 1,400 year history and 400-year-old city walls www.discovernorthernireland .com/food Oscar-winning short film ‘The Shore’ was among the best preserved in Europe. Join us in filmed in Killough, County Down. September during European Heritage Open An Adventure ‘Game of Thrones®’ features many stunning Days, when our wonderful historic sites throw locations from across Northern Ireland – the open their doors to the public – for free. Playground perfect setting for the epic story, with its rugged Learn more: We have activities for all skills and preferences. coastlines, historic castles and breath-taking www.discovernorthernireland .com/history Paddle along canoe trails, surf or body board on scenery. Experience ‘Game of Thrones®’ in www.discovernorthernireland .com/ehod waves coming from the roaring North Atlantic Northern Ireland with self-guided and guided or head to the Mourne Mountains, which you location tours, immersive experiences, replica Unmissable Music can walk, climb, mountain bike, horse-ride in costumes, themed menus and If ever there was a time to experience Northern Ireland, the foothills or even experience through the interactive adventures! then this is it! Come join us and experience it all. We’ve no Love music? Then check out a scene that is adrenaline-pumping world of wet bouldering Learn more: vibrant, exciting and cutting edge. Traditional at Bloody Bridge. Fermanagh is perfect for doubt that when you have visited – you will want to return. www.discovernorthernireland.com/nifilm sessions in local pubs, global superstars in cruising, canoeing and all things water-based. www.discovernorthernireland.com/ concert, the next big thing in a local rock venue Multi-activity centres are a great way to pack in gameofthrones Here’s a taster of what makes Northern Ireland so special. or great festivals in wonderful settings – you’ll several activities in a day and try something see it all in Northern Ireland. Unearth the rich new – caving, sailing, parachuting or white music heritage that attracted MTV to stage the water kayaking. Less extreme, cycling is one of EMA here or take a musical bus tour of Belfast the best ways to take in idyllic areas such as the and see the city that influenced Van Morrison, Sperrins, with off-road family routes to more Snow Patrol, Ruby Murray and many more. challenging mountain bike trails. The Legend of Titanic The Giant’s Causeway & Learn more: Learn more: www.discovernorthernireland .com/music www.discovernorthernireland.com/activities Only in Belfast can you follow Titanic’s remarkable Causeway Coastal Route www.discovernorthernireland .com/adventure journey from the drawing board to the slipways, or stand on the vast floor of the dock where she The Giant’s Causeway is a spectacular natural attraction and Literature was fitted out – her last footprint on land. Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to visit Genealogy – the world-class visitor centre. Are the basalt columns the work of & Theatre Learn more: Page 6 giant, Finn McCool or Mother Nature? You decide. Explore the full Northern Ireland is home to Nobel Laureates Trace Your Roots Mountain Biking – www.discovernorthernireland. com/titanic Causeway Coastal Route, a road trip recognised as one of the Top 5 and award-winning playwrights. Tour Heaney Northern Ireland’s rich migration history has drives in the world. Its many attractions include The Gobbins, an country in Magherafelt and gain an insight created a diverse population and culture at Embrace the Mud exhilarating coastal path first enjoyed by the Edwardians and into the landscape that inspired the late, home and an extended family the world-over, Widely regarded as one of the world’s fastest recently reimagined for the 21st century. world-renowned poet Seamus Heaney. with millions of people boasting a direct family growing adventure activities, mountain biking Enjoy a new play by local writers including Learn more: Page 10 connection to the region. Visit Northern Ireland has well and truly landed in Northern Ireland. Marie Jones and Owen McCafferty, classic www.discovernorthernireland. com/causeway in search of your roots or retrace the footsteps We have over 100km of official purpose-built works from internationally-acclaimed of your ancestors and gain a deeper insight trails, with four new trail centres opened in 2013 Brian Friel, or touring productions at into your own family history. at Rostrevor, Davagh Forest, Castlewellan and world-class theatre venues including the Barnetts Demense (outside Belfast). These MAC in Belfast. Maybe even take in one of our Learn more: give enthusiasts additional cross-country and excellent literary festivals or summer schools. www.discovernorthernireland.com/ancestry downhill routes making Northern Ireland a Learn more: must visit mountain bike destination! Come www.discovernorthernireland.com/literature and enjoy the full beauty of our landscape – two wheels and endless possibilities! Learn more: www.discovernorthernireland.com/ mountainbiking Images: (top left) Benone Beach County Londonderry, (bottom left) Titanic Belfast, Belfast, (bottom right) The Gobbins, County Antrim Images: (top right) The Dark Hedges, County Antrim – ‘Game of Thrones®’ filming location.