Memories in the North
Shauna McCrudden speaks to travellers from the Republic of Ireland about their fondest travel memories in Northern Ireland
According to Tourism NI’s Annual Review published in 2018, Republic of Ireland residents took 221,000 overnight trips to the North between 2017 and 2018. This is due to the popularity of tourist attractions around the region, such as Titanic Belfast, Game of Thrones® attractions and scenic trips, which visitors from the South are more than willing to visit. One visitor from the Republic of Ireland who knows about the appeal of Northern Irish sites is Áine Croarkin from Co Dublin.
“I have been to Northern Ireland a few times and every time I’ve visited, it’s been a lot of fun and I manage to do something I have always wanted to do,” says Áine. “It’s always great to go shopping up North due to the good exchange rate at the moment and all the great shops not located in the South.”
Áine had travelled around Northern Ireland and done some of the big tourist activities in Bel- fast such as Titanic Belfast, which she had always wanted to do. She says she also took a day trip to the Causeway Coast. But she says her fondest memory of Northern Ireland is her most recent trip in July 2018.
“I went with my mother and sister to do the Cuilcagh Legnabrocky trail, which is about 13km long. That is something I’ll always remember. I wanted to do it because I had seen so many photos of the trail and thought it looked beautiful.
“I already planned to do three days of the Wicklow Way in August that year, so I felt I needed some practice. Cuilcagh offered the perfect training ground.”
The Cuilcagh Legnabrocky Trail is a linear route up the Cuilcagh Mountain and is part of the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark in Co Fermanagh. The Legnabrocky Trail is part of the overall Cuilcagh Mountain Loop Walk. The trail is based along a quiet farmland track before traversing along a wooden boardwalk and then a steady climb to the mountain face.
The Trail can be tough to complete but Áine had planned her trip by researching beforehand on different websites. Her mother also offered advice as she had tried the trail beforehand, however she had not completed it. “My mother was so happy that she completed it with us last year, because she didn’t finish it the first time she tried it! The trek took about three hours altogether, but it was definitely worth it. We saw the magnificent landscape and the views of the mountain. It was demotivating when we stopped at one point to look at all the stairs we had to climb to get to the top. There were so many! But we got through it and reached the end which was a real accomplishment for us.”
Áine recommends going to the bathroom before you start the three-hour trek because there are no bathrooms on the route unlike in the Marble Arch Caves themselves.
“Also make sure to bring some water or a sports drink with you and then snacks for when you reach the top. One of the best parts was eating dinner when we came back down. Food always tastes better after finishing something like that.”
After her achievement on the mountain, Áine says she has plans to do even more activities in Northern Ireland.
“My friend and I are hoping to walk the highest peaks in each province in Ireland and we’re starting with Slieve Donard in Co Down. I can’t wait!”
Touring the North
“I love visiting Northern Ireland as it’s so beautiful and the history is so fascinating,” says Warren Patton from Co Cavan. “Anytime I go to the North, I seem to do a tour of some kind. It’s a great way to get around a city and see the attractions in a day or two.”
Warren travels to Northern Ireland a few times a year either to explore the area or do some shopping. Last year, he visited Belfast twice and took a few tours to really delve into the city. “Belfast is one of my favourite cities in the world. I enjoyed doing a Black Taxi Tour there, which gave me the chance to explore the political history of the city. We got to see stories of Belfast’s troubled past and got to see the famous murals. It was definitely a trip to remember.”
But Warren’s fondest memory was driving along the Causeway Coastal Route in 2017 with a few friends to experience the incredible views and activities on the way. The 212 km (130 mile) route, going from Belfast to Derry is filled with beaches, fishing villages, mountains and clifftop paths along the way. Warren managed to visit the Giant’s Causeway and Dunluce Castle.
“I had always wanted to travel down the Causeway Route and summer seemed like the perfect time. We did it in about three days, stopping along the way to see the main attractions. We saw the Gobbins, walked across the Carricka-Rede rope bridge and we took a tour of the Bushmills Distillery, as we are big fans of the whiskey.
“But the biggest part of the trip for us was the Game of Thrones® sections. We did the Dark Hedges tour which was really exciting, and we visited a lot of the filming locations like Castle Ward and Ballintoy. All we wanted to do was recreate our favourite scenes!”
Warren says that he had so much fun on his road trip adventure that he’s already planning more excursions in the coming year.
“It made me want to have more adventures. I’m thinking about doing something physically challenging such as canoeing or hiking up one of the mountains. The Mourne Mountains seem to have good walking trails. I’d also like to see more from other counties I don’t visit much, such as Co Tyrone and Co Down. There are so many places I want to see, so 2019 will be a busy year.”