Northern Ireland 'must-visit' recommendations wanted

[JumbleDuck]

I've done as Pagoda said. Stay in Ballycastle and bus to Bushmills, the same bus on the way back passes the Giants Causeway and the Cartick a Rede rope bridge. I thought the Giants Causeway was a bit of a waste of time, it's quite long walk down to it and once I got there I thought it was interesting for about 5 mins.

A few years ago I had to visit the area for work, and while the causeway is impressive at first, the fourteen thousandth basalt column has lost some of the freshness and excitement of the first few hundred.

Apropos of nothing, I highly recommend the walk from Giant's Causeway to Carrick a Rede included in "Coast: The Walks", available from all good book shops.

 

[SAMYL]

Merci beaucoup. I like to do a bit of sailing and then a bit of exploring - it suits my youthful crew - so Plan A (winds with some north) is Clyde - Strangford, play about, Strangford to IoM, play about, then on where the wind takes us.

As a supplementary, where would the panel suggest leaving a boat in Strangford while going away for the day. I trust my CQR, but would need somewhere secure for the dinghy. Marinas not objected to if necessary.

Probably Portaferry Marina where you could get a bus or ferry to Strangford village and bus there. Many more places to stay/anchor but not easy access to bus routes. Good food at Portaferry YC at weekends.

Good yacht clubs at Quoile, East Down, Ringhaddy, SLYC at Whiterock and your dinghy should be safe at them but they are off the bus routes.

Killyleagh might be your best bet if you want to anchor/use dinghy/catch bus. Good pubs and eateries especially the Dufferin Arms up near the castle.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Probably Portaferry Marina where you could get a bus or ferry to Strangford village and bus there. Many more places to stay/anchor but not easy access to bus routes. Good food at Portaferry YC at weekends.

Good yacht clubs at Quoile, East Down, Ringhaddy, SLYC at Whiterock and your dinghy should be safe at them but they are off the bus routes.

Killyleagh might be your best bet if you want to anchor/use dinghy/catch bus. Good pubs and eateries especially the Dufferin Arms up near the castle.

Many thanks - much appreciated.

 

[Pete7]

Probably Portaferry Marina where you could get a bus or ferry to Strangford village and bus there. Many more places to stay/anchor but not easy access to bus routes. Good food at Portaferry YC at weekends.

Can you still moor up along side the wall on the Stranford side and dry out?

Giants Causeway probably easier to do by dinghy, the seabed is mainly rock with patches of sand and kelp.

Carrick a Rede worth stopping for with a nice sandy bottom, caves can be snorkled at low water if its calm.


Pete

 

[Sybarite]

I've done as Pagoda said. Stay in Ballycastle and bus to Bushmills, the same bus on the way back passes the Giants Causeway and the Cartick a Rede rope bridge. I thought the Giants Causeway was a bit of a waste of time, it's quite long walk down to it and once I got there I thought it was interesting for about 5 mins. I thought Belfast was the most worthwhile stopping point, the marina is almost right in city centre.

As the good Dr Samuel Johnson said, the Giants Causeway is worth seeing, but not worth going to see.

 

[SAMYL]

Can you still moor up along side the wall on the Stranford side and dry out?

Giants Causeway probably easier to do by dinghy, the seabed is mainly rock with patches of sand and kelp.

Carrick a Rede worth stopping for with a nice sandy bottom, caves can be snorkled at low water if its calm.


Pete

I think you can still dry out against the east wall but there is a pontoon attached to the west wall now charging £10 for a short stay, or was the last time I was there. Controled by the Cuan Pub