November 2006 JS.pmd - The American Women's Club of Taunus

Special
Feature
by Frances Geiger
Pelles
WANTED!
Newsletter
Co-Editor.
If you’re
interested,
please contact
Julie Schutte,
06174 2939820.
26
Northern Ireland
T
ravelling along the Northern Ireland coast is the
equivalent, one can imagine, of entering paradise.
Endless stretches of lush, rolling green hills that plunge
dramatically down to the sea. Deserted blonde
beaches contrast with haunting bog lands that stretch
their wet boundaries into the amethyst coloured hills
and Glens.
From the cliff tops the spectacular views of the foaming
Atlantic Ocean pounding the contours and wonders of
the Antrim coastline makes the heart quicken. The
colours of nature have a particular intensity in this most
western point of Europe.
Forty shades of green compete with an ever changing
sky that filters through great white puffs of cloud. This
corner of the Emerald Isle will fascinate and lure even
the veteran traveller into an unforgettable ecstasy.
For those who appreciate the vestiges of ancient Celtic
and early Christian beginnings, Ireland offers several
‘court-tombs’ or ‘court-cairns’ traces of the pre-
Christian settlers burial sites. Dolmens (tombs), in stone
circles with the plain of Meagh, in South Armagh as a
backdrop, create an unforgettable megalithic
experience.
After hundreds of years of invasion and domination
from the Celts, Vikings, Normans and British, the Irish
have evolved and survived their torment. The hardship,
financial instability, political and religious turbulence,
has been replaced with a palpable enthusiasm for
peace and a booming economy.
New development and design is prolific, holiday
accommodation offers an excellent choice of recently
refurbished hotels and self-catering. The food and
service is of a very high standard and in general the
‘North’ is notably clean and packed with fantastic pubs.
Because Northern Ireland is only 5,500 square miles in
area, about the size of Yorkshire or Connecticut,
establishing a base is easy and you can see most of the
main attractions in a week without clocking up more
than 500 miles.
Join the costal route at Carrickfergus, only ten minutes
from Belfast, and home of Ireland’s best-preserved
Norman Castle and since there is no hurry, bimble along
the A2 coastal road to Portstewart. Enjoy the
breathtaking scenery as the road winds between the
hedges of wild fuchsia and honeysuckle and marvel at
the majestic ruined castles that stand proudly on the
promontories of the green Glens of Antrim as they
sweep down to the sea.
As you travel from one picture postcard village to
another its not long before you reach the ‘Highly
Commended Visitor Attraction of the Year’ at the recent
Northern Ireland Tourism Awards - the Carrick-a-Rede
rope bridge. Described as one of the most amazing and
memorable attractions in Ireland, the 20-metres long, 1
metre-wide bridge of rope and wire spans a chasm
between the cliffs and the little island of Carrick-a-
Rede. Swaying precariously, 30m above the rocky
depths below - the walk across is not for the faint
hearted.
www.awctaunus.org
Just over half way to Portstewart lies the black basalt
centrepiece of this magnificent coastline, the Giants
Causeway. In keeping with Irish myths and legends
word has it that the Causeway was the work of Finn
McCool, a giant who commanded the King of Ireland’s
armies. Finn fell in love with a lassie, also a giant from
Staffa an island in the Hebrides with similar rock
formations, and built the Causeway to bring her to live
with him in Ireland. But that’s only one version and the
Irish are well known for their tales and fantasies.
The geological truth is the 40,000 many-sided columns
of layered basalt stone were formed 60 million years
ago, when a thick layer of molten basaltic lava flowed
along the valley in the existing chalk beds. As the lava
cooled and harden it contracted creating a pattern of
hexagonal cracks and columns.
The Causeway, a Unesco World Heritage site and a
Nature reserve, attracts a steady stream of visitors
who either make the two mile circular walk from the
visitors centre down to the Grand Causeway, past the
majestic stone galleries, or take the short bus ride, to
what has been describe as the 8 th wonder of the world.
Further round the coast between Ballycastle and
Portrush is the site of the oldest (legal) whiskey
distillery in the world. Since King James I granted the
licence in 1608 connoisseurs of Irish whiskey have
made a pilgrimage to Bushmills to take a wee drop o’th
“Uisce Beatha” (Water of Life). It’s well worth the visit
and the wee drop, if only to steady the nerves after
crossing the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.
Northern Ireland is renowned for its long sandy
beaches and Portrush with its 3 km of Curran Strand will
delight surfers and young families. Atlantic rollers
pummel the wide stretch of spotless beach that runs
from the east of the town to the chalk cliffs of White
Rock.
For golfers, the Royal Portrush Golf Course is ranked
in the top twenty international fairways and offers two
excellent 18 (championship) and one 9-hole links
course.
Nightlife is buzzing and there is a wide choice of family
entertainment from ‘rock pooling’ to an indoor adventure
playground and Waterworld with spa baths, steam
rooms, water-slides and a ten-pen bowling alley.
More sedate, though equally blessed with a superb
strand, Portstewart is only a couple of miles further
west. The broad 2.5 km strand, which can
accommodate over 1000 cars on the firm sand, gives
a whole new meaning to picnicking on the beach. An
evening stroll along the pale sunlit shore is a delight that
can be long savoured after the holiday is over.
When the sun has set, turn back to base. The A26 from
Coleraine, five miles from Portstewart, links with the M2
and is about an hour’s run to Belfast. Compact and easy
to get around, Belfast is lively and great place to stay.
Massive investment has turned Belfast from the ‘bombs
and bullets’ capital of the North to a vibrant city with rich
design and some excellent places to eat.