N.Ireland - Belfast,Derry, plus?
 

My daughter and I will have one week (driving Dublin to Dublin) in Northern Ireland. Our list currently includes: Belfast, Glens of Antrim, Giant's Causeway, Derry, Omagh for Ulster American Folk Park. Should we add Enniskillen for Castle Coole? Any suggestions on route or bed/breakfasts? Should we get tour guides in Derry, Belfast? She's a history major at Trinity College in Dublin, so we want culture, history, and nature.

On the way to Belfast you pass close by Newgrange & Knowth; I am sure you have heard of them.

Near to Newgrange is Monasterboice, famed for its Celtic crosses.

Just north of Dundalk you can divert right to visit the scenic Cooley peninsula and visit the medieval town of Carlingford -- good buildings there, including a castle and an abbey, both partly ruined but still worth seeing.

Near Belfast, Carrickfergus and its castle might interest a history buff.

Enniskillen is a nice town of moderate historical significance in a very good setting, and it's not a major diversion, so you might as well see it. There was (I haven't checked recently) a tour boat that goes on to Lough Erne and allows you visit Devenish Island, an early monastic site. A very nice trip on a sunny day.

From Enniskillen back towards Dublin you travel on the N3. It's a small diversion to visit Trim to visit the castle there, and an even smaller diversion to visit the Hill of Tara, seat of the high kings of Ireland.

Plenty of history in that lot! Now she'll tell you that she wants a week off, and no history at all, just ceol agus craic.

Make sure you stop at the Glenarif Forest Park and take the Waterfall Walk, it's magical. We stayed at the Meadows B&B in Cushendall and loved it as well.

Dunluce Castle makes a nice quick stop and stunning views just a short ways from Giant's Causeway.

Our family had a guide for a tour of the Derry walls and bogside murals...it was very interesting (she shared lots of personal stories/memories) and I highly recommend it. Be sure to request murals because she noted that most groups just do the walls but since we were a small group she deviated from the usual walk.

I second the suggestion for Newgrange and Hill of Tara (especially wonderful if you get there early and get some private moments).

We enjoyed our visit to Enniskillen last summer; toured both Castle Coole and Castle Enniskillen (more distant history than Castle Coole).

If open, you might also enjoy the Ulster History Park near Omagh. It looked wonderful, but was unfortunately closed when we went to see it.

We stayed in a cottage near Moneymore in the Sperrin Mountains. Very beautful and central to all your stops, but drives are longer than they appear on a map due to the "Irish mile".

Rosalinda,

You will find out so much more about Derry with a guided walking tour. In Belfast, the Black Taxi tours, http://www.belfasttours.com/, are an absolute treasure.

For a great B&B, well situated, on the way to Antrim coast, try Crockatinney, http://crockatinney.ndo.co.uk/. In Belfast, check out the Windemere Guesthouse, http://www.windermereguesthouse.co.uk. I stayed two nights and could have easily stayed two weeks!

Enjoy Northern Ireland, it is a beautiful area.

Slan Beo,

Bit Devine

Rosalinda, We stay at Meadowbanks which is between Cookstown and Moneymore. Very nice but you would need to see about the location. We went to Ulster Amer. Park in Oct. three years ago and wouldn't go back. It seemed like it was more towards Irish seeing how it was to come to America. Maybe because it was Oct.

Giant's Causeway is very interesting. There's a great beach near there but unfortunately my cousin was driving and I can't tell you how to get there. Port Rush is beautiful. I don't think yoyu can go wrong anywhere near the ocean. Kathie

The Ulster History Park is closed. Instead near Omagh is the Ulster American Folk Park and it is worth a couple of hours.

We wondered about that when there was no indication of it being closed certain days. Thanks for the info, IrishEyes. Out of curiosity, any reason given for the closing?