TRIP WAS PLAINSAILING
Travelling to Northern Ireland with P&O ferries is a stress-free way to enjoy the area’s natural splendour with all the family WE’VE all been there. Airport security with two kids in tow can be a hellish experience.
It’s not quite up there with a jam-packed soft play centre when the schools are off and it’s pouring outside but it’s not far off it.
Standing in slow-moving queues with no toys to amuse themselves or device to play with – that’s after you’ve checked in and ditched the bags.
Then comes the inevitable delay, which means more futile attempts at keeping them occupied.
At times, it can dampen the pre-holiday excitement.
So you might be interested in an alternative that can save you the hassle – especially if you’re planning a family trip to Northern Ireland.
The ferry crossing from Cairnryan to Larne with P&O couldn’t have been any simpler for myself, my wife Debbie and the children Grace, five, and Elise, two.
From Glasgow, you can drive to the ferry port in 90 minutes and, from there, it’s a breeze.
In terms of checking in, you don’t even have to get out of the car.
With priority boarding, we were on the European Highlander in jig time with the bags in the boot and the girls as happy as Peppa and George on Grandpa Pig’s boat.
We booked into the Club Lounge on board which, at £12 a head, is worth it.
A code gets you into a private area on the ship with your own table, a TV, the papers and free snacks and drinks.
So you can relax with a glass of wine if you’re not the designated driver (I’m still waiting on Debs returning the favour) while the kids are looked after with juice, fruit, crisps and biscuits.
And if you want a bit of lunch while on board, you can order it in the lounge and it’ll be brought straight to your table.
It’s definitely the way to go and the beauty of it is that you can come and go as you please.
As well as having a shop, cafe/ bar, restaurant and amusement arcade – the boat also has a separate children’s room.
They’ll play DVDs on the telly as well as having a staff member help the kids with arts and crafts.
It was a major bonus which ate up the two-hour sailing time before we pulled into Larne.
Again, there were no security checks or hold-ups getting off – we were straight in the car and on our way to Limavady for a two-night break.
You might not automatically think of Northern Ireland as the place for a short holiday.
But the simplicity of P&O’s operation might make you change you mind. And when you’re driving along the country’s coastal route, you won’t be disappointed.
Quite rightly, we like to boast about our scenery, hospitality and grub. But seriously, this place can give us a run for our money.
We stayed at the Roe Park
Resort, which was a stunning base. The 18-hole golf course, driving range and spa were all very appealing.
But obviously I wasn’t interested in any of that stuff (I’m still raging I didn’t have my clubs).
No, my only concern was making sure Grace and Elise were sorted. And that’s where Roe Park exceeded all expectations.
As well as the swimming pool, the hotel had entertainment on for the kids every night for two hours between 7 and 9pm.
Very few resorts would cater for children like this. But the mini-disco, party games, balloon maker and face painter made their trip. They loved it. The scran wasn’t bad, either. The Coach House restaurant, naturally, has a cracking kids’ menu.
A 40-minute drive from Limavady takes you to Ballycastle, where you’ll find a gorgeous marina.
Grace and Elise had a ball at the Watertop Farm, where their pony trek and ride on the Paddywagon were the highlights.
For lunch, the Central Bar in Ballycastle might not look like a fine dining eaterie from the outside. More like your friendly local boozer.
But the food served up was absolutely top quality. A good Vienetta normally does for me but the caramel and meringue roulade was off the scale.
Thankfully, I managed to walk off my dessert at the Giant’s Causeway the following day.
This year, one million people will travel to see Northern Ireland’s most popular tourist attraction and now I know why.
We were worried the girls would get bored too easily. But Grace, in particular, was fascinated by the whole experience.
From listening to the Causeway’s story on her wee personal listening pad, to climbing up the rocks and watching the waves crash in, she loved it.
And for Elise, it tired her out so much that she kipped in the car all the way back to our brilliant family room at Roe Park.
Before we knew it, we were back on the European Highlander, outside on deck waving cheerio to Northern Ireland.
The late sailing was even quieter so getting aboard was even more seamless than before, with no baggage restrictions whatsoever.
And the best bit of all? We had the club lounge all to ourselves. Hopefully I’ll get to try that vino one day...