Vespa World Days – Game On!
There’s no denying that Game of Thrones dominates Northern Ireland and quite literally in the case of this year’s Vespa World Days venue.
Stan’s continues his guide to the finest spots in Ireland (by scooter) with another top tip in his ongoing series for the build up to VWD.
Although most of Europe seems eager to exploit some sort of connection to the global success that is Game of Thrones, only Belfast can claim to be the show’s true home. Whether you love, hate or are totally apathetic to adventures of the Seven Kingdoms, there’ll be no escape for visitors to Vespa World Days. Look up from the Vespa Village and it’s almost impossible to miss the Titanic Studios where many of the show’s indoor scenes are filmed. Thanks to its international audience Game of Thrones is big business in Northern Ireland, but there’s no need to pay for one of the many tours on offer. Most of the locations are within easy riding distance of the Titanic Quarter and each of them features a notice board explaining its Game of Thrones identity.
One of the most photographed Game of Thrones landmarks is the Dark Hedges on Bregagh Road near Armoy. Originally planted around 200 years ago as the entrance to a local estate, the trees have grown into a twisted and bleached avenue that’s quite menacing on a dark day. Their dramatic appearance found them cast as The Kingsroad, catapulting them from near obscurity to prime tourist attraction. Unfortunately by October 2017 the volume of traffic was at risk of damaging the trees root system and vehicle access is now restricted to agricultural and emergency vehicles only.
Given its proximity to the studios it’s unsurprising that several of the show’s locations can be found along Antrim’s stunning coast. If time allows Dunluce Castle, or The House of Greyjoy, is a 10 minute ride west from the Giant’s Causeway and would form a stunning backdrop for any club photograph. My own favourite, for no other reason than it’s inaccessible to coaches, is Ballintoy Harbour. More familiar to viewers as The Iron Islands, it’s an unbelievably pretty little harbour and a fantastic backdrop for Club photographs. There’s a pleasant little tea room on the jetty with beautiful views of the harbour, but if homemade cakes and pastries are more to your taste, the Red Door Tea Room at the top of Harbour Road is the place to visit.
Visitors to the province will find that there’s no shortage of cafes, pubs and restaurants keen to exploit even the most tenuous connection to the show. However there’s only one place where it’s possible to guarantee meeting a cast member and that’s at Forthill Farm, Tandragee. Here Kenny Gracey and his wife Jennifer farm rare domestic animals including a collection of Iron Age pigs that were especially bred for the show. The farm’s also home to two of the show’s longest running cast members, Joey the donkey and Suzie the goat.
If you’re planning a trip to VWD one thing’s for certain, Northern Ireland’s full of surprises! www.discovernorthernireland.com/ gameofthrones
If you’re planning a trip to VWD one thing’s for certain, Northern Ireland’s full of surprises!