Why Northern Ireland is one of the World's Best Kept Secrets

Confession of the poorly traveled:  when we first finalized our swap to Northern Ireland, I was excited that we were going someplace, but not particularly excited about Northern Ireland itself.  I just didn't know anything about it, except, of course, that it had been torn apart during "The Troubles" (but that we didn't have to worry any more). I supposed it might be pretty.....

So I thought of it as the place we were going because someone agreed to swap with us.

Then, as we told people about the swap, it seemed like the near universal response was an expression of hope that we would make it down to the South or especially the West for a bit, to "real" Ireland- meaning not, I think, the Republic as opposed to the North but rather the part of Ireland that felt uniquely Irish.

So I somewhat abashedly started to think of it as the place we were going instead of "Real" Ireland.

But we learned more about it, and discovered that we would be staying right next to a World Heritage Site (The Giant's Causeway) that looked lovely, and finalized a second swap to Dublin.

So I thought of it as the nice place we were going before getting down to the business of going to Dublin and the West.

I'm not proud of the above, but ignorance is ignorance, no use pretending.

But now, a few days into the trip, I have to ask:

WHY ISN'T EVERYONE TRAVELING TO NORTHERN IRELAND????!!!!!!!!!!

It is wildly, insanely, mind-blowingly beautiful up here.  

    We've been reading materials about the North the last few nights, and they universally proclaimed  that the Antrim Coastal Route (which we are on) was one of the top five driving trips in the world, and that the Glens of Antrim were amazing.  Today we had a chance to discover that for ourselves.  We were headed down to a castle and walled garden in Glenarm, but took a few wrong turns and ended up on a number of scenic routes on the way down.  I'm putting in pictures, but they are so paltry compared to the reality.  

These are photos of views we just happened upon during our drive.  The Glens were a bit wild because they were so, well, wild.  When I thought of Ireland before we actually arrived, I generally had in my mind the view to the right- various shades of green fields, neatly divided by hedges and populated with sheep.  And there was a lot of that on this drive, and it was stunning. But cresting a hill, we suddenly found ourselves in a landscape that was rugged and sparse- not exactly fierce, but surely not friendly, either!

I really wish the picture did it justice, but it isn't even close.  It isn't just the patterns of the land themselves that are so breathtaking here. It's the pattens and the wide open skies and the vastness of it all, along with the clouds rushing past, and the general dearth of other people.  I mean, where are all the people in this amazing, glorious place?  Why aren't there flocks of them everywhere?

                                

Can all this beauty exist and really still be, essentially, a secret?

We had our amazing drive and finally, after 2 hrs, arrived at the castle.  At which point we discovered that not only could we not go in the castle, which we expected since a family lives there, but you couldn't even see the castle through the trees.

Kai and Tess were so pleased at that turn of events.

But they were very good natured, and we went into the walled gardens, which have been continuously cultivated since the 1700's.  They were beautiful.   Here is just one photo, of Kai and Tess both pretending to be Mary, when she first stepped through the door of the Secret Garden.  Yes, I posed them. How could I resist?

On the way back, we took the Torr Head Scenic Road, a narrow road (sometimes very, very, very narrow) full of twists and turns that winds its way up and down the steep hills of the coast.  Here's Michael, indicating how wide the road is at one of the widest spots on the route.  It wouldn't have been all that intimidating, except that for much of the trip, there weren't open fields on either side but rather steep drop offs or dirt hills (I'm sure there's a name for them) that rose straight up immediately next to the edge of the road, constantly threatening to take off the side mirror.

    Luckily I know myself well.  So before we turned onto the road I assured Michael that, though he was about to receive all evidence to the contrary, I did love and trust him.  Therefore, when I constantly sucked in my breath, held onto the door, and leaned toward him (and away from the side of the road) as if I could avoid the branches myself, he wasn't offended.  Good partnership, there.

It was worth every bit of fear.  There was not a single second- not a single second- of the trip that wasn't by turns breathtakingly beautiful, magical, or in the case of the villages, adorable.  Here is just one of my favorite views.  On a clear day, Scotland is visible across the water.  Can you see it?

No?  Look closer.....

Still can't see it?

yeah, neither could we. Turns out it wasn't quite clear enough.

But here are Michael, Kai and Tess, having a good time looking!

    We eventually made it home and ate a quick dinner.  But it's light so late here!  It was Kai and Tess' bedtime, but instead of putting them down, we walked to a pub in town for hot chocolate for the girls and a pint for us (Harp this time- light and good!)  We caught our first bit of live, traditional music- a group of 6 or 7 older men (and one younger woman) playing fiddle, harp, flute, banjo, spoons, bohdran, Irish pipes, guitar and..ah....conga drums.  

Hey- expectations evolve!