Consider Northern Ireland (As We Did)

[LAURENCEAUX]

It's coming into holiday time again and this reminds me of ours to come this year (Keswick and France), but if you're still thinking, may I urge you to consider Northern Ireland on a TDM, which me and member Riggers (and others) did last year. From Yorkshire we stayed overnight in Dumfries in a very biker friend place (see pics) and then to Stranraer for the 2 hour ferry to Larne and a short drive to our first N.I. 5 night B&B stop (see pics).
 
The A2 coast road is a fantastic ride from end to end and the springboard for our daily rides but, as they say, things can only get better; and they did, with a fantastic break in Derry/Londonderry (as none of the many locals we talked with call it). This place really has everything. It's a small town stuffed with character, history, local attractions, friendly locals and fantastic pubs and food. From this base we had a need for Euros as you can be over the border several times on a journey (and you'll need grub and juice).
 
Following on from Derry/Londonderry we headed for Belfast, a big town with a big future (in tourism I think), which had it's attractions, but for me was a little too commercial. As a base from which to explore countryside Belfast is perfect, but of all the reasons for being there on your bike, get yourself around Strangford Lough and into the nearby Mourne mountains. Breathtaking TDM mileage at its best.
 
From Belfast to the Larne for the Stranraer ferry and another overnight in Dumfries, brought our N.I. trip to its end and our return to Yorkshire (truly God's own county). Consider a Northern Ireland trip for a change and you will not be disappointed.
 
P.S. A thankyou to member Riggers for organising this visit for his (lazy) thankful mates.
     These are my Tripadvisor reviews of the places we stayed.

 

 https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserRe...tland.html


 https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserRe...eland.html
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This post was last modified: 20-12-2021, 10:06 PM by LAURENCEAUX.

[Matlock]

One of the best rides I ever had was one evening after the NW200, riding the A2 back to Belfast to catch the Liverpool overnight ferry. Incredible road, incredible scenery and it was virtually empty.  :good:

[Riggers]

Thanks for the report Steve. It brought it all flooding back! What a fantastic holiday it was. Here are some more of the highlights:-

 

- Old Bushmill's distillery tour and sampling the goods :-)

- Joey Dunlop's pub at Ballymoney

- Lovely Portstewart

- Horn Head on a very fresh day

- The walls of Londonderry/Derry (which no one calls it as you say).

- The Titanic Museum and dock yards

- Calingford Lough and post card Carlingford village.

 

.....to name just a few!

 

Riggers.

[tullyhubbert]

Kind words about my home thanks. Like everyone else does I expect I take what's on my doorstep a little bit for granted. 

 

Derry/Londonderry lol. The unionists amongst us (Of which I'm one) only started calling it Londonderry after the mainly Nationalist dominated council changed it's name from Londonderry to Derry city council    A local radio presenter from Derry (The late great Gerry Anderson) dubbed it Stroke City, as in Derry //// Stroke //// Londonderry and that has stuck with many of us  :good: 

This post was last modified: 25-07-2019, 09:55 PM by tullyhubbert.

[LAURENCEAUX]

"Stroke" City will be my abiding memory of our NI trip purely because of the friendly predisposition of everyone we talked with during our week there. A drunk even serenaded us on Magazine street and most of the taxi drivers could be in the entertainment / storytelling business!. If you're planning a trip in East Yorkshire feel free to call me or member Riggers.