First Days in County Down

 It was a grey and cloudy morning when we set off for the ferry at Cairnryan, just outside Stanraer but the sea was calm and the crossing to Belfast was smooth and uneventful. As we approached Belfast Port I could see the Harland and Wolff cranes, Samson and Goliath from a distance..an iconic sight in Belfast.

Arriving in Belfast Port

After a speedy disembarkation we collected our youngest daughter Sarah and husband Orlando from an agreed pick up point a couple of miles from the port- they had flown into Belfast earlier in the day. A 45 mile drive south then took us towards the seaside town of Newcastle in County Down for a quick shop to pick up food supplies before we carried on for another 10 miles to our cottage that was located off a rural road, sandwiched between the mountains and the sea. Our host, Paula, met us and introduced to the cottage which had thick granite walls so was warm and cosy. Paula also left us a with bottle of wine and a large bag of Taytos (to the uninitiated - an iconic brand of crisps made in Northern Ireland) to welcome us for our stay. Before leaving Paula also introduced us to our nearest neighbours, two donkeys called Peggy and Sue who were in the field behind us. Fortunately we had some carrots in our groceries  and next morning went out an fed them their daily treat. This was to become part of our routine.

Our cottage in the Mournes

Our nearest neighbours...Peggy and Sue

The landscape around us was a mixture of houses, farms and fields divided by distinctive dry stones walls, constructed from large blocks of granite. The only sound was birdsong and cows mooing in the nearby fields (and the odd barking farm dog). After unpacking and settling in we decided to head to the nearby village of Annalong for fish and chips. Paula had recommended 'The Galley' and advised us that people queued up as the fish and chips were so good...and we are glad we followed her recommendation. There was a queue but it was worth the short wait. The fish and chips are cooked to order so everything was fresh, piping hot and very, very tasty. We sat eating our delicious food with legs dangling over the harbour wall watching the waves shimmering as the late evening sun cast its rays over the water. 

Annalong harbour-a good place to eat fish and chips...

After eating all we could manage and wrapping up the rest for another day (the portions were generous) we walked a short way catching the last of the sun, crossing over the Annalong River and passing an old corn mill before walking a little way along the coastal path. As we were all tired from a day of travelling we returned to our cottage to make plans for the next day and have an early night. 

Northern Ireland has had something of a tourist boost in recent years - as a result of Game of Thrones. There are many places that were used for filming locations for the TV series but it all started at Castle Ward - a National Trust property on the shores of Strangford Lough. It was a 50 minute drive to Castle Ward an 18th century mansion set in a large estate.

The contrasting sides of Castle Ward

It was built as a home for the Earl of Bangor (Bernard Ward) and his wife Anne but they couldn't agree on how to decorate it. They couldn't compromise so one half of the house is a classical palladian mansion to reflect the Earl's tastes and the other is a gothic and more whimsical design reflecting Anne's tastes. Only a few ground floor rooms were open but we were able to get a sense of their contrasting styles. The standout room was, in my view, Anne's boudoir with an unusual Moorish influenced ceiling that mimicked the billowing cloth of a tent - and in the next room there was a showcase of stuffed squirrels - arranged to tell the story of a boxing match. 

The Earl's classical entrance hall

Lady Anne's boudoir

Stuffed boxing squirrels!

By contrast the grounds were more typical of an 18th century estate with landscaped grounds sweeping down to Strangford Lough. We followed a trail picking ripe blackberries that were growing in abundance before arriving at the Georgian farm buildings that were used as Winterfell in season 1 of Game of Thrones. As we arrived a group of tourists were having the full GOT experience, dressed up and waving fake swords. Our walk through the grounds took us to Audley's Castle, a three storey 15th century tower house overlooking the lough. The adjoining fields were also used for GOT filming and there are information boards dotted around that tell visitors which scenes were filmed in each location. By season 2 the series had become so popular that they had to recreate Winterfell on a large studio in Belfast. 

Audley's Castle

Castle Ward Farm...aka Winterfell 

After a lengthy walk and with a couple of bags of blackberries, we returned to the car having dismissed the food options at the National Trust cafe which appeared to be limited to offerings of three under cooked sausage rolls and a few tired looking cakes. A couple of miles away is the attractive village of Strangford where a ferry crosses to the other side of the lough to Portaferry. 

Strangford

A takeaway attached to the pub came to the rescue as other lunchtime dining options were limited. Sarah and I shared a tasty goats cheese pizza sitting by the lough and with all of us suitably refreshed we ambled around the village before driving on, taking a coastal road back towards Newcastle. We stopped at an empty beach to stretch our legs and indulge in a bit of beach combing. The coastal scenery was beautiful.

Our last stop was in Newcastle for another spot of beach combing and a wander down the main street.

More beach combing

Its a popular seaside town with a mixture of tacky shops, a community cinema, some upmarket dining options, a lovely old pub and an expansive beach and harbour area - with the Mourne Mountains making for a dramatic backdrop.

Mural by the community cinema in Newcastle with a few monsters...

After a full first day we had already packed a lot in - but the next day was going to be even more action packed, particularly for Mrs B and Sarah.

In the past year or so Sarah has taken up wild swimming and now regularly swims in lakes. Prior to our trip we had watched a TV documentary that featured a ladies swimming session at Newcastle harbour and as this was only a short drive from the cottage she was keen to take the plunge during her short time with us....and drag her Mum in with her. I had conveniently forgotten to pack my swimming trunks so gallantly offered to stay with Orlando and look after their clothes whilst they were in the water.

After a light breakfast on a warm but cloudy Saturday morning, and having checked the tide was in, we headed off to Newcastle harbour where a slip way slopes down onto sand. As we arrived we could see other people in the sea, so this was really a thing and not just something created for TV. Without too much delay Sarah and her Mum went into the water. It looked chilly to me but they said it wasn't too bad and both had a short swim before returning to the slipway feeling refreshed and definitely wide awake. Dry towels were provided and they changed into clothes before we returned to our cottage for warm drinks. I have never been a strong or confident swimmer but I have to say I admired Sarah and her Mum for their bravery in plunging into the Irish Sea. 

After lunch I suggested we go to the nearby Silent Valley - a popular walking spot in the Mourne Mountains. An access road leads to a car park with loads of walking trails. The valley has two reservoirs built in the 1930's to supply water to County Down and Belfast. I proposed a walk that followed the Silent Valley Reservoir from its dam along a tarmac road up to the Ben Crom reservoir and back, a walk of about 6 miles. It was an easy walk, with only a gradual climb until we reached the foot of the Ben Crom dam where wooden steps climbed up to the top of the dam wall - which we walked along to the end. 

The Silent Valley and Ben Crum Dam

Sally Lough 

The valley had stunning views which got better as we gained a little height, and it was actually silent thus deserving its name. There were a handful of sheep, (silent ones) and surprisingly little noise from birds and the sheltered landscape mean there was little if any noise from wind. All around us the Mourne mountain summits revealed themselves and on our return we detoured (and added an extra mile) along the wall of the Silent Valley dam and followed another trail, spotting mushrooms growing in the woodland, that eventually took us around a small lake, Sally Lough, that revealed views of the imposing rocky summit of Slieve Blinnian above the trees, towering 650 meters above us. 

It had been another full day and one that involved a fair bit of exercise, but our first few days in Northern Ireland and in County Down had been wonderful. We'd had dry and warm weather (always a bonus and not to be taken for granted in Northern Ireland), tasted first rate fish and chips, and seen some fabulous places all within a short distance from our cottage. We had one more day to spend with Sarah and Orlando before they left us for their own mini adventures. We planned to spend this in Belfast where they had booked a hotel for a few more days but that was for the following day and another journey of discovering something new and different.