Travel: Northern Ireland's North Coast

With a weekend looming and the wife working away, my mate Sam and I decided we should go for a little travel somewhere. Travel opportunities have increased significantly for folk of Southend-on-Sea in the last year due to the expansion of Southend Airport (SEN) and Easyjet flying to a number of excellent European destinations including Amsterdam, Barcelona & Ibiza. 

Due to cost considerations and times of flights, we set our sights on a place closer to home and decided to have a couple of days driving around the northern coast of Northern Ireland an taking in the famous 'Giant's Causeway'. In fact we first thought about just visiting Belfast as a city break but thought hiring a car and driving the coast with our cameras would be much more enjoyable. 

Day 1

Our 7.10am departure from Southend Airport (a mere mile from my house) arrived in Belfast at 8.15am - which means that in time taken to get there, Belfast is actually closer than London's west end...and at approximately £25 for a single is not too dissimilar from a train ticket on the rip-off Southend to London Liverpool Street line.    

At the airport we collected our pre booked car from Hertz (Ford Focus £80 for two days including insurance) and set off towards Portrush via the coastal 'Causeway' route.

We headed to Larne and then took the Causeway route. 

Tor Head. In the background, Scotland. 

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

The 30 metre high rope bridge is one of the big tourist attractions on the coast and after having the entire coast to ourselves for the best part of 5 hours, we now shared it with coach loads of visitors, many of whom seemed to be from France interestingly. 

Giants Causeway

The Causeway, with it's natural hexagonal columns, is one of the most famous geological sites in the world. It had also changed quite a bit since my last visit in 2003 with a new swanky visitors centre. 

Day 2

After a night in Portrush and a couple of cheeky pints of Guinness, we headed west for a scenic drive along the coast, through the Roe Valley Country Park and finally along the picturesque A6 through the Sperrin Mountains to Antrim and to Lough Neagh. Then the short flight home via Easyjet back to Southend. 

  

On the wide open beach at Castle Rock

Lough Neagh

Travel: Contrasting Urban & Rural England

It really disappoints me when I hear tourists say they've 'done' a country when in fact all they have done is visit a major city, and probably for a few days at most. 

For Britain, a large proportion of tourists may just fly in and out of London, and while London is a brilliant tourist destination, Britain offers infinitely more. 

In the space of three weekends recently I have spent time as a tourist in London (to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary) and in rural Derbyshire.


London

We decided to do a couple of things we had never done before so we took the new 'Emirates Airline' cable car across the Thames from Royal Docks to North Greenwich (for the famous Millennium Dome/ O2 Arena), then took the 'Thames Clipper' commuter boat from North Greenwich up the Thames (and under Tower Bridge) to Embankment where we disembarked, had some dinner and headed off to the West End for a show. We saw 'Wicked' (About the witches from The Wizard of Oz) and jolly good it was too.

The 'O2 Arena' with Canary Wharf and Docklands in the distance.

The Emirates Airline. This was completed in time for the Olympics in 2012.

The Thames Flood Barrier at Greenwich

Tower Bridge from the Thames Clipper

     
Alfreton, Derbyshire
  

By way of total contrast, we visited rural Derbyshire last weekend as Laura was speaking at a conference. We stayed at the wonderful 'Park Farm' Bed and Breakfast, a working farm complete with geese and pigs! 

We asked owner Sue why she had decided to diversify the farm business and renovate an old barn into a 3 bedroom b&b and she cited issues of decreasing incomes (including the price squeezing by the large supermarkets for milk) and the choice between investing in new farm equipment with no reasonable return or look at a new forms of income generation. The decision to create a b&b has worked and she is now seeing a regular stream of income. She also mentioned that many farmers were having to take on additional jobs in order to survive for example as retained firemen.

It was a glorious morning when I took these photos which I think really capture the beauty of the English Countryside.

Chatsworth, Peak District

I also took a drive into the Peak District and went for a walk at Chatsworth. 

Chatsworth House, home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire

            

Travel: Highlights of the Canadian Rockies

In 2001 I spent five weeks travelling in Canada. I flew into Montreal, took a bus to Toronto, flew to Vancouver, did a 'Moose Tour' (http://www.moosenetwork.com) before meeting up with my best mate Ricki and driving to Vancouver Island and into NW USA driving through Washington (where we visited Mt.St. Helens), Oregon and North California.

Highlight 1 - Peyto Lake

When I show people the picture of Peyto Lake (above) they either don't believe it's a photo or they don't believe I was there. That's why I always show the one of me too! 

The lake is completely stunning and took my breath away. The amazing colour is apparently due to "significant amounts of glacial rock flour flowing into the lake, these suspended rock particles give the lake the bright turquoise colour" (Wikipedia).



Highlight 2 - Athabasca Glacier

Having used a video about the Athabasca glacier in my geography lessons (and copied the explanation of crevices using mars bars - I'm sure one of the students' favourite lessons!), I was excited about actually seeing it for my own eyes. Although not recommended, I even had a walk on the front of it. 

Serious face! That aside, blue ice is visible.

Not such a highlight was the evidence of glacial retreat, an event happening to glaciers all over the world. 

Left: Me in 2001.    Right: 2010

Highlight 3 - Moraine Lake & Lake Louise

Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake is a glacially-fed lake in Banff National Park 8 miles outside the village of Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada. Another couple of beautiful lakes.

Lake Louise 

The Moose Bus backpacker tour was an absolute blast spent with a great bunch of people including 'Randy' our driver. 

I was also able to meet up with my mate Mark from my New Zealand/Australia backpacker adventure. In fact I stayed with Mark in Kelowna on my birthday, a wonderful and beautiful town perched on Lake Okanagan. 

So... Highlight 4 - Seeing my old buddy Mark and him letting me drive his Porsche along Lake Okanagan, then floating along down the Penticton River Channel with a few beers 

Happy 28th Birthday to me.