Exploring Northern Ireland in 2 days, Part 1, The Ferry Trip and Lime Park

We arrived in Ireland on the 6th of June. I hadn't been on a Ferry since I was very young. The guys who load them really know what they're doing. 



 The ships now have certainly taken a turn for the better.  I felt like I was in the bar of the Starship Enterprise.


I don't know what it's like to travel in bad weather on the sea in a ferry, but our crossing was so peaceful that we both fell to sleep for at least and hour. 


They even have stores inside.  I bought my son, Daniel, a Guinness Shirt and baseball cap.  Guinness beer is his favorite, and of course it's a very popular beer in Ireland and Scotland.



Here's our sister ferry that docked just ahead of us. We weren't allowed to go out during the trip so this was my only shot at a picture. Look at how blue the water looks. It was that way the entire time.

We chose to take the ferry and take the car since we were going to have to fly out of Edinburgh on June 8th and would need the transportation to the airport.  As long as we stayed in Northern Ireland we didn't have to pay any extra fee to take the car. If you go to Southern Ireland--The Irish Republic there was an extra fee for insurance. 

It cost about 225 pounds round trip for 2 people and the vehicle. About $345.00.

We drove off the Ferry and headed toward our B and B, Lime park, in the Antrim area.  We  got into a discussion of whether or not Ireland looked any greener than Scotland. What do you think?



This is still Sheep country.  Every field had them in it. After they're sheered the farmers mark the ones they intend to send to market with paint. We came over the hill and one of the farmers had marked them with red paint and they all look wounded. Mitsi and I groaned aloud.  




We arrived at Lime Park in the late afternoon. At one time the complex was a working farm. The buildings there are about 300 years old. They have been converted into self-catering apartments and artist's studios.  It's a lovely- lovely place and I spent some time taking pictures of it.






        Look at the sod roof on this farm building. It's used to store feed. The owners still have horses.




Our apartment was called the Long Barn.  Which at one time it had been. We burnt peat in the fireplace at night. It was great!




This is the downstairs door to the Long Barn.It was beautiful there. Around every corner was something pretty of which to take a picture.






This is one of the back doors of the Long Barn. Each bedroom had it's own little door out into a courtyard. 




This is the little Pigs house. They call it that because it's very small with only one bedroom.



The buildings had real slate roofs. I was facinated with them.








Yes, that is a bathtub and No, I didn't catch a leprechan taking a bath in it.





This is the front door of the Long Barn.











Tomorrow we'll go to the Giants Causeway and take a train ride.

                                                                                                 Write on, Teresa R.

Comments

Jody said…
Where did you depart from Scotland to Northern Ireland? Campebelsport? Never been this route only have done the Wales to Dublin and the Fishgard to Wexford in the Republic. That car issue is a pain as we went from the Republic to the UK and we paid an arm and a leg to do it. Next would rent two seperate cars.

The Self Catering location looks lovely. And traveling by Ferries has improved greatly. First time to Skye there was no bridge and had to take the Ferry made me more nervous and I lived in the Staten Island and Seattle where ferry travel is the norm.
Absolutely enchanting, Teresa. Speaks so kindly of the Irish people and how beautiful they keep their land.

Thanks again for sharing.
Jody:
We caught the ferry from Troon and went to Larne. Then the same in reverse when we went back.
We looked into flying and renting another car and it was going to be way more.
This was a beautiful place to stay.
Teresa
Paisley:
Yes, it was. There's no other place like this in Ireland. And being an art teacher I felt right at home.
They had an indoor tennis court and a rec room with a pool table, too.
Thanks for reading the blog.
Teresa
Kelly's Mom said…
Beautiful. Your B&B in Ireland is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Simply amazing.
Amy:
It was very comfortable. And when you go to Ireland you need to stay there, though it was a little expensive.

I really enjoyed the self-catering thing much better than a B and B.
You had so much more freedom--the run of the whole house. Though a couple did have sitting rooms where you could go read. The little house we stayed at on Skye was just a couples home and they turned the whole living room over to us. But the self-catering thing allows you to feel you're at home and can get in the refrigerator and get something to eat at 2:00 in the morning if your hungry. And you can watch tv if you can't sleep. And leave the computer up and running.
Just more personal space.

If your hubby won't go with you, I will. But I know he will. You need to make it a second honeymoon.
Teresa
Susan Macatee said…
Beautiful pics! It's been years and years since I visited Ireland and our tour bypassed Northern Ireland. Most of what I remember where castles, the quaint little pubs, sheep and of course, green, green, green.
Susan:
It hasn't changed at all. Still lots of sheep and quaint little pubs. And some restaurants now.

Northern Ireland is beautiful We enjoyed seeing the sea and smelling it.
And you can see a lot of stuff just by staying on the coast road.

Glad my pictures brought back good memories.
Teresa
Teresa, what a wonderful trip you had! Thanks for sharing. Incidentally, I think Ireland is greener than Scotland. When we took a ferry, we left from England to the Republic of Ireland. Customs was so tiresome you'd have thought we were all terrorists instead of a bus tour. Fortunately for us, our customs was cut short because a bus load of Elvis fans were going to see Daniel O'Donnell's concert. Most were dressed in fifties costumes and the driver as an Elvis impersonator.
Caroline:
What a hoot about the Elvis fans!!! I loved it.

And I'm glad the disruption shortened your customes experience.

Coming back into America from Scotland at Dallas was a long enough period for me.

Teresa
Laurel Wanrow said…
Teresa,
I have seen your posts of the Scotland blog on the Clues 'n News and finally stopped in. Your travelogue is wonderful. I have set two of my YA Urban Fantasies half on the Scottish coast/Irish Sea ( a copy of Isle of Mann) but haven't been there. My husband has just gifted me a trip for my upcoming (significant number)th birthday. I'm thinking of going in the fall. How did you pick the time of year?

I have to read back and catch up. Thanks for posting!
Laurel
Laurel:
Mitsi and I did research on when the temperatures would be the most comfortable. And we wanted to go during a time when all the gardens would be in bloom. And they are at the end of May. All of them were gorgeous.

They said the fall was beautiful as well. But I wanted the flowers to be in bloom.

Plus the castles are closed sometime in October until the second week in April for some and in May for others.

We were originally going during my spring break then my son announced that he was getting married then.
I'm glad we didn't because some of the places we wanted to see wouldn't have been open.

Whenever you decide to go, you'll love it. Be sure to blog and post your pictures when you get back!!!
I'll look for them.
Teresa R.

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