Driving in Ned Stark’s footsteps
Eoin Murphy swings into battle in Game Of Thrones country
It is not every day that you get an invite that meshes the rollercoaster fantasy juggernaut Game Of Thrones and golf. But when Tourism Northern Ireland decided to theme the annual Writer Cup in such fashion I added a broadsword and a flask of mead to the golf bag and headed up north to Ballygally.
HBO’s award-winning TV series was filmed in the areas surrounding Ballygally Castle. With the final season about to hit our screens in May, and sterling at a rather pleasant and affordable rate, GOT fans can really revel in this beautiful area.
On our epic voyage towards the Kingsroad we stopped off in Belfast to water our horses and play our first match against the Northern Army – a rag-tag rabble of Northern Ireland journalists.
The battle field was Belvoir Park, (pronounced beaver, don’t start me) and the stakes were as high as any Red Wedding scene.
After a hard slog, the men from the south were found wanting and we retreated to camp to lick our wounds and prepare for the epic final battle of Cairndhu the following morning.
Our journey took us towards Larne, and the stunning scenery within the Causeway Coast and Glens, which was used to represent everything from Winterfell to the Kingsroad, the Iron Islands to the Stormlands.
You can stand on the spot where Lannisters schemed, stroll in the footsteps of Starks and gaze on grasslands crossed by the Dothraki horde, although I only spotted a number of piebald ponies.
Our digs for the night were steeped in GOT lore. Just 40km from Belfast and close to Larne, the Ballygally Castle faces the soft, sandy beaches of Ballygally Bay. The castle dates back to 1625 and is reputedly haunted by a friendly ghost. Brave guests can visit the ‘ghost room’ in one of the towers to see for themselves.
The castle is also home of Door of Thrones No.9 – one of 10 intricately carved doors, depicting moments inspired by the series and placed in 10 locations around Northern Ireland.
The door that marshals the restaurant depicts a snarling wolf’s head over an upturned torso of a man with two angry guard dogs on either side – a homage to the Stark household.
You can also enjoy locally sourced GOT-themed meals including a Westeros tomahawk steak served on a wooden platter with a knife forged from ‘Valyrian steel’.
From your bedroom you can look out over the coast to be immediately transported to a number of scenes – including most of those involving the Iron Islands – that have played out in the series.
For a fan of the series like me, I was giddy all night, wandering the hotel’s winding corridors and checking out the strategically placed TV paraphernalia.
As a result I was a bit jittery the day of the big match. As our bus took the rocky road to the golf club, I had a feeling that I can only imagine John Snow felt as he waited for the Wildlings to attack.
For a start, Cairndhu is a superb parkland course designed by JFS Morrison, incorporating more than 200 acres of mature woodlands and rolling hills.
You will want to rent a buggy as this is a serious test of fitness and the opening tee shot is tantamount to lashing a ball up the side of a hill.
This is the most scenic golf course I’ve ever played, with unsurpassed views of the Scottish coast and islands, and headlands leading to the renowned Glens of Antrim.
It can be hard for a GOT fan to focus on golf when you’re walking and playing on a live movie set – but that is the charm and beauty of the area.
In the end, a lot like the series, the men from the north proved too strong that day and they secured the Writer Cup for the first time in six years.
But as we head into the summer months and as the men from the south regroup, surely they must know that a comeback is inevitable and that winter is most definitely coming.