Belfast
Our
final two days were spent in Belfast and with a late night flight back to
Stansted, it meant we could really make the most of our time there – which was
good, as we were driving from Galway!
We
left Galway fairly early, as it was a bit of drive across the border and
decided to stop en route. Looking at the guidebook, we were drawn to
Enniskillen – which was slightly underwhelming and it’s fair to say we didn’t
stay long!
Upon
arrival in the Northern Irish capital, we checked in to the hotel before
walking to the city centre. We just had a general wander and saw the City Hall
and St. Anne’s Cathedral before stopping at Pizza Express for dinner (which was
adjacent to the cathedral and we were blessed with a window table!). By this
point, I was getting tired, so we made our way back to the hotel – stopping at
the Victoria Square shopping centre, as Ash wanted to buy a jumper. On the
shopping centre’s top floor, there’s an observation platform, offering
360-degree views. Unfortunately, being late at night, we weren’t able to see
too much, other than the shops’ reflections but I imagine during the day, it’s
much clearer (but busier).
Today
we walked 7.7km.
The
following day, our first point of interest was Titanic Quarter and the Museum.
This is definitely a must-visit when in Belfast and the experience was really
interesting – enhanced by interactive elements and plenty of video/sound bites.
I had never seen the film all the way through (don’t judge – I have seen it
since our return!), so I learnt a lot. And working in the cruise industry, I
loved all the aspects of the ship building, decor and facilities just as much
as everything else. With our tickets, we could have explored the SS Nomadic –
but time wasn’t on our side with everything else we wanted to fit in and I was
already tiring from all the walking.
Our
next stop was Belfast Castle and we didn’t spend too long there, as there wasn’t
too much to see – without exploring nearby Castle Hill. Some of the gardens
were closed off, but the central point with the fountain was a popular photo
opportunity and was lovely in the sunshine. Out of all the castles we saw,
Belfast’s was one of my favourites.
With
several hours until we needed to be at the airport, we drove to the Giants
Causeway, which was well worth it – although I am desperate to go back when I’m
not pregnant. It was a bit of walk from the car park and visitor centre to the
stones themselves and we decided to walk rather than pay £1 for the bus. The
Causeway Coast was really beautiful and the weather definitely helped. However,
when we got to the base of the natural wonder, I was unable to climb the
Shepherd’s Steps as they were steep and uneven, so I stayed at the bottom while
Ash saw it all and took photos. There were many Causeway trails to embark on,
but obviously we didn’t do any of those! Like I say, I’d love to go back to
experience more.
Today
we walked 8.1km.
Where we
stayed
Again, we lucked out with
the location as the hotel wasn’t too far from the city centre and all the major
sights. I love the Radisson chain and like other locations, I wasn’t
disappointed: the room was a great size with the comfiest bed, the buffet
breakfast was extensive and great value, the staff were so helpful and couldn’t
have done more for us – including giving me a free parking token when I checked
out and they realised I was pregnant! The only negative was that we had a large
bath – but it had no plug. Luckily, we managed to improvise!
Love,
Lucy xx
This sounds great, I really want to go to Belfast! No idea how you managed so much walking so heavily pregnant! Xx
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