Tag: Nature

Gower 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

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What to do when I have 2 days off? Have a 24hr adventure obviously! After finishing nights and having a few hours sleep, we packed up the car and headed to Swansea for a night in a cheap Travelodge. We dumped our bags and headed out for some food and a pint at Sessions by Mumbles Brewery. Unfortunately, the chef decided he fancied the day off, which meant no pizza. Luckily, the friendly staff offered to whip up a couple of delicious paninis for us instead. Santa was especially thrilled to hear it was Happy Hour, and got his second pint for free! We then returned to the car, ready to catch the sunset at Three Cliffs Bay.

We parked at the Southgate National Trust car park and embarked on a scenic cliff top walk toward Three Cliffs Bay. The natural light was beautiful, and after about 40 minutes walking, the peaks emerged before us. The seclusion of the area, thanks to the relatively lengthy walk, added to its charm, and there were very few people around. 

I took Momma and Santa down a steep and rocky path leading to the beach, which of course they were thrilled about! The golden sands and blue waters, complete with rock pools and steep cliff edges, created a perfect natural setting, untouched by cafes or shops. 
As we strolled across the beach and ventured through the triangular gap in the rock, we remained mindful of the tide gradually coming in.

After some exploration, we returned to the cliff walk to catch the sunset. It was stunning, with the colours changing every moment. Leaving was difficult, as we wished to linger and fully soak in the atmosphere and picturesque views.

The following morning, after a breakfast at Spoons, we headed back to Three Cliffs Bay, but this time parking at Gower Heritage Centre. Here you can stock up on coffee, cake, ice cream, cider and all sorts of other treats – much needed to fuel a walk to the beach. Starting the walk from this point not only provided a fresh perspective of the beach but also allowed us to take in stunning views of Pennard Castle, and a go on the stepping stones along the way.

We then headed to Rhossili Bay – a consistent favorite in Wales’ Top 10 Beaches. 
It’s backed by dunes and overlooked by 200-metre-high hills and jagged sea cliffs. There’s a large National Trust car park on the clifftop, which of course is free for NT members. As we strolled along the coastal cliffs towards the old coastguards station and Worms Head, we encountered wild horses and their foals grazing peacefully. For those who can plan their visit carefully, it’s possible to cross the causeway to the Worm, but this requires timing it within the two and a half hours surrounding low tide. Since we weren’t able to time our visit for that crossing, we took the opportunity to relax a bit and enjoy the stunning scenery in the sunshine.

Walking back along the cliff, we continued to admire the expansive three-mile beach before stopping by The View for lunch. We were fortunate to secure a bench with, as the café’s name suggests, an incredible view. The
food was absolutely delicious. Momma is already thinking about planning a trip to The Worms Head Hotel to capture the sunrise and sunset—ideal moments for photography!

We had initially planned to visit The Mumbles, but in our quest for adventure, we decided to seek out Whiteford Lighthouse, the only wave-swept cast-iron lighthouse in Britain. Measuring 13 meters tall, this decommissioned lighthouse was constructed in 1865 and is situated at the northern tip of the beach. Whilst we knew reaching the lighthouse would be a challenge, we didn’t anticipate just how much of an effort it would require. We parked in Cwm Ivy and set off through the woods, alongside the salt marsh. This area was reclaimed from the sea in the 17th century for farmland and has been protected by a sea defense that has evolved in size and strength over the years. However, in 2014, the sea wall breached, allowing the waters to reclaim the land and transforming Cwm Ivy from a freshwater marsh into a salt marsh.

We knew we would eventually need to traverse the sand dunes, and we spotted a stile that led into them, which seemed like the logical route. However, we encountered several barbed wire fences along the way. Fortunately, many had been flattened in spots by previous walkers, allowing us to navigate through. We made our way through the spiky Marram grass and finally reached the beach, which was completely deserted. Unfortunately, the lighthouse was still some distance away, and access varied depending on the tide, so we decided to take advantage of Momma’s super zoom for a closer look before we searched for a better route back to the woods. After tackling a few more fences, we ultimately found our way back to a proper path.

Once we made it back to the car, we decided that it would be ambitious to try to fit anything else into our day, so we decided to head home, reflecting on a wonderful 48 hours spent exploring Gower.

Yorkshire 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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Get ready for our adventure in stunning North Yorkshire! We set out to uncover charming new towns and picturesque beaches, alongside some favourites we’ve visited before. Join us for another action-packed itinerary and share our top recommendations for a reet good getaway!

Brodsworth Hall & Gardens Since it was a long drive, we decided to take a break and stretch our legs at this stunning English Heritage site. The country house is well-preserved, and the gardens are beautifully manicured, with seasonal flowers on display. Fortunately, during our visit, we were treated to a vibrant sea of tulips. The site first opened to the public in 1995, and extensive work has been done since then to create the beautiful attraction you see today. There are gardeners everywhere, meticulously tending to the plants and lawns and ensuring that all the bushes are perfectly trimmed. We chose to skip the inside of the house (though I’ve heard it’s worth a visit) and instead enjoyed the tea room, where I must say, we had one of the best coronation chicken sandwiches we’ve enjoyed in a long time! If you’re an English Heritage member, this is definitely a perfect stop on your journey.

Staithes This quiet and charming fishing village was the childhood home of Captain James Cook. Parking is available only at the top of the hill, so be prepared for a steep walk down and an equally long and sweaty walk back up. Take a stroll along the high street, where each side street offers another opportunity for great photos. At the end, you’ll find the harbour, which is sheltered by rugged cliffs. Be sure to visit the Cod and Lobster, a perfect spot for a well-deserved pint with relaxing views. Additionally, this village is home to Dog Loup, one of the narrowest streets in the UK, measuring just 45cm wide.

Saltburn-by-the-sea This is where we chose to base ourselves for the next three nights, in an Airbnb just a stone’s throw away from the beach to the left, and the shops to the right. It perfectly captures the essence of a British seaside town, featuring colorful chalets, fish and chip shops, and a pier, but without the overwhelming number of arcades (although I do enjoy a slotties sesh) and other typical tourist tat. One of the main events in Saltburn is the cliff lift – it uses water to move the two carriages up and down, and is the oldest cliff lift of this type operating in the UK. The other is its pier – its Grade 2 listed and is the last remaining pier in Yorkshire!

Unlike our usual adventures, we decided to spend an entire day exploring the local area without using the car at all! We began the day with a stroll along the beach to Marske-by-the-Sea, where we stopped at ‘In the Dog House’ for coffee and cake. At first glance, the place looked a bit questionable, but the coffee was excellent (and I always appreciate a complimentary biscuit), and the staff were incredibly friendly. After our break, we took a different route back along the cliff walk to get a different perspective of Saltburn. We walked through fields with very inquisitive cows, maneuvered over a few challenging stiles (which were a bit tricky for Santa and his hip), and ventured into the wooded valley of Hazel Grove. From there, we visited the viaduct and Saltburn Gill before making our way back into Saltburn itself—it turned out to be a delightful 8.6-mile walk.

We then headed to The Ship for a much-needed drink, and Santa was thrilled to discover that they had Old Peculiar on tap! The pub boasts a large beer garden, which served as the perfect vantage point to watch the surfers while Momma snapped away with her camera. Next, we took a walk along the pier, had a quick go at the 2p machine (where we sadly won absolutely nothing 😩), and admired the colorful chalets. Finally, we returned to the beach for some fish and chips and a bottle of wine.

Rievaulx Abbey  This monastery was one of England’s most powerful Cistercian establishments, founded in 1132 by just 12 monks. At its peak, it was home to around 650 residents until its dissolution by King Henry VIII in 1538. Following this, it transformed into an iron forge, where the lay brothers at Rievaulx produced their own tools, nails, and cutlery. Eventually, the forge closed down, and the land passed through generations of the landed gentry before being designated a historical monument in the 1900s. Visitors can utilize audio guides and will find plenty to explore in these remarkable ruins, easily spending hours immersed in their history. We arrived here just after opening, so had the abbey to ourselves for most of our visit, much to Momma’s delight!

Helmsley From quiet to absolutely packed, we secured the very last spot in the car park! Helmsley is the only market town within the North York Moors National Park, featuring charming old sandstone buildings that host a variety of independent shops, cafes, and restaurants. Thanks to the fantastic weather, the square was bustling with motorbikes, much to the irritation of the owner of the cafe we chose! After enjoying our mandatory coffee and cake, Momma took some time to explore The Ginger Bear, while Santa savored a beer at the brewery. Our final stop in Helmsley was the impressive castle, boasting over 900 years of history—marking our second English Heritage site of the day.

Thornton-le-Dale This pretty little village kept popping up during our research, so decided to swing by to check it out. The car park is huge, but the adjoining toilets were absolutely filthy (I just love seeing turd smeared all over the walls). Whilst the village has its appeal, a drive-through would have sufficed. However, we did enjoy a sandwich and sausage roll during our stop!

Whitby Whitby is an incredibly popular destination, and as an added surprise, it was the Goth Weekend! This event has been taking place since the mid-’90s, attracting people dressed in gothic attire and showcasing other alternative subcultures. While many attendees wore steampunk outfits, the variety of costumes was impressive and contributed to a unique atmosphere. We climbed the 199 steps leading up to the gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey, which sits precariously on the windswept cliffs, often battered by the elements. Founded in the 7th century, this Abbey fell victim to King Henry VIII, resulting in the nearly complete demolition of its south side in 1539. Not only does the Abbey possess a rich and vibrant history, but it also served as inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

After exploring the Abbey, we visited Whitby Brewery, located in the shadow of the Abbey. Santa enjoyed a Black Death stout, and we all indulged in some delicious pizza. Afterward, we strolled over to the Whalebone Arch, erected in 1853, which frames a stunning view of the town below as well as the Abbey. To finish off the day, we headed to the East Pier to catch the sunset. The streets were now empty, allowing us to admire the old cobblestones and shopfronts on our walk back to the car.

Runswick Bay Runswick Bay is a hidden gem on the Yorkshire coastline, offering a picturesque village filled with charming atmosphere. Cue more red-bricked roofs and winding streets huddled together beneath dramatic cliffs. With the tide out, we had the opportunity to explore the stretch of coastline, although we unfortunately didn’t find any fossils. However, a young family enjoying the rock pools did discover a large lobster – I think the whole of Yorkshire heard her screaming “We’ve found a lobster”. We really enjoyed Runswick! We ended up staying longer than we thought we because it was so relaxing. We would highly recommend a visit here.

Robin Hood’s Bay Another popular destination, the steep hill from the top of the village provides views of the surrounding coastline. This hill leads down to the lower part of the village, a maze of narrow, cobbled alleyways lined with charming houses at every turn. Picture Yorkshire stone houses adorned with brightly painted doors and, of course, red rooftops. Momma was in her photography element, until we got to one of the iconic houses and it was covered in scaffolding..

Historically, Robin Hood’s Bay was a hotspot for smugglers. The police would frequently raid their contraband, only to indulge in the rum and brandy themselves. It often resulted in the officers falling into a deep, drunken sleep, allowing the smugglers to reclaim their goods!

During our visit, we stopped by a little hut near the beach to grab some sandwiches to enjoy at the top of the hill while taking in the views. Unfortunately, Santa’s tuna sandwich turned out to be a cheese sandwich instead. Of course, this didn’t phase him, and he still gobbled the whole thing up. We ended our day with a drink at the Victoria Hotel, which held a bit of nostalgia for Mum and Dad as it was where they stayed during their last visit.

Flamborough Head The last place we visited before heading home was Flamborough Head, a chalk headland known for its sheer white cliffs. It features two lighthouses: one built in 1669 and the other in 1806. The color of the water here was incredible—something you would expect from a tropical island, not the windy coast of Yorkshire. The photos truly don’t do it justice. 

In addition to being an important site for seabird colonies (making it a hotspot for migratory birds), Flamborough is also home to a large population of seals. It was delightful to watch them play and lounge around the Drinking Dinosaur rock formation. If you’re a wildlife lover, this place is absolutely for you. We wrapped up our lovely few days with the most delicious ice cream before embarking on the long drive back to the Midlands.

Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

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It’s Santa’s birthday week, and he’s chosen to celebrate by spending a few days in Wales. We packed up the car and set out on the 3 and half hour drive to our Airbnb base. To break up the journey, we stopped for a stretch and a breath of fresh air at Penllergare Valley Woods, a hidden gem that lies just off the M4. This peaceful spot was once the estate of John Dillwyn Llewelyn. We walked through the winding woodland trails, surrounded by towering trees (unfortunately some of which didn’t survive Darragh) and the rushing sound of the waterfall. There’s also quaint bridges, chirping birds and scampering squirrels. The various paths and routes however weren’t well marked, making us especially grateful for our trusty Alltrails app to guide the way. 

As we arrived at our destination, we were pleased to discover that we’d found yet another quirky Airbnb. Nestled in the picturesque village of St Dogmaels, located on the scenic estuary of the River Teifi, our cozy cottage oozed charm and character. We were pleased to to find a welcome gift left by our host – a bottle of Prosecco, and some KitKats, which Santa eagerly scoffed.

St Dogmeals – we kicked off our adventure by exploring the village, and what luck it was that our first day landed on a Tuesday, because that meant diving straight into the award winning local food market! Although not as big as I had hoped, it was still bustling and sold goods such as fruit, veg, cheese and cakes. Santa tried his luck at the tombola and hit the jackpot with a bottle of delicious Welsh cider—what a delightful surprise! Just a stone’s throw away from the market are the ruins of the abbey, which was built in 1113 and upgraded to abbey status in 1120. It met its fate in 1536 when, along with hundreds of other houses throughout England and Wales with an annual income of less than £200, was suppressed by King Henry VIII. Next to the ruins lies Y Felin, a traditional working water mill that’s one of the last of its kind in Wales! There’s plenty of fresh bread and various types of flour to purchase.

Aberaeron – one of the many colourful seaside towns in Wales. It is thought that this acted as an architectural waymarker to help weary fishermen find their home long after the sun had set. Unfortunately there is a lot of construction work, meaning the views of these rainbow house are currently obscured by cranes. Instead we hopped around many of the independent shops, and enjoyed a coffee and mince pies from one of the local bakeries.

Borth – this sandy beach is the longest in Ceredigion, but the reason we were here was to try and catch the sunken forest. We carefully timed our visit to coincide with low tide, eager to witness the Pine, Oak, Birch, and Willow stumps. The scene was both eerie, reminiscent of something out of a disaster movie, and magical, filled with legend and mystery. There are so many ways to describe this place. It was an experience to walk amongst the remains of this ancient forest, which is estimated to extend twenty miles out into Cardigan Bay. The trees have been carbon-dated and are believed to have died between 4,000 and 6,500 years ago. During our visit, we encountered only a handful of other people. We ended up spending much longer here than we had anticipated because it was all so fascinating. As the tide receded further, more stumps were revealed. We concluded our day with a brief exploration of the sand dunes at Ynyslas before the rain set in. Momma’s camera was put to good use today! 

As it was Santa’s birthday, we made sure we found a restaurant with a suitable beer selection, and he was delighted to try every single one of their own ‘Dai’ craft beers. 

New Quay – the forecast for today was a gloomy one, but luckily our time in this small town was a dry one. The harbour beach is backed by steep limestone cliffs and colourful houses. We met a volunteer who counts the local wildlife, and he helped us spot Bottlenose dolphins swimming and diving as they followed shoals of mackerel into the bay. We also saw seals and a variety of seabirds. We finished our visit by enjoying a teacake that was the size of my head.

Cmwtydu – a beach we didn’t plan to visit but discovered on Google Maps, so we decided to stop by. It’s a hidden gem, offering beautiful views and the sound of crashing waves. The small pebble beach was scattered with the remains of blue lobsters! It was so quiet and secluded in the past that it served as a hideaway for smugglers in the area. There’s a coastal path to explore, but since we had more activities planned, we only managed to walk a small portion of it.

Tresaith – we visited Tresaith a few years ago and decided that seeing the waterfall cascading down onto the beach was worth another trip. Unfortunately, when we arrived, it was pouring rain, the wind was howling, and we hadn’t timed our visit with the tide properly. Although the waterfall could have been accessed by climbing over some rocks, we deemed it too dangerous given the weather, so we admired it from the beach instead. The town was clearly shutdown for the winter, as all the cafes and shops were closed. However, Tresaith is definitely worth visiting during the summer months.

Mwnt – a hidden cove with golden sand, rolling waves, and a Grade I listed church dating back to the 13th century. Unfortunately, it was not only pouring with rain but also getting dark, so our visit to Mwnt was all too brief. I decided to trek up to the top of the hill for a better view, and even on this dreary day, the sights were still fantastic.

Lantern festival – we had a message from out Airbnb host to say Cardigan was hosting their postponed lantern festival, so we decided to walk down to the town to check it out. Despite the bad weather, the turnout was great, and you could truly feel the community spirit. We were even treated to a fireworks display! It was a wonderful way to spend our last evening of the trip. Once back at the house, Santa enjoyed some port and nearly a whole block of Welsh cheese!

Poppit Sands – before we began our long drive home, we decided to take a walk along Poppit Sands. It turned out to be quite a bracing experience! The wind was fierce, sand was blowing everywhere, and the waves were crashing; we were struggling to walk, but we loved it! After that, we thought, “Why not?” and also squeezed in a visit to Newcastle Emlyn and Cenarth Falls.

The road to Doolin 🇮🇪

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After receiving recommendations from our Irish experts Becky and Sheena, we packed up our car with all our camping gear and embarked on our trip to Ireland. We are very new to camping, so a massive shout out to Rachel and Sallyanne for lending us the gear, and to my Mum for coming on the many trips to B&M and Home Bargains to help us find affordable utensils (thank god for ‘starting uni’ prices). To avoid an early start and a long drive, we stayed at a Travelodge in Holyhead the night before sailing. After a good night’s rest, we began our day with a McDonald’s breakfast before boarding the Irish Ferry. Surprisingly, we had booked the fast ferry, so we reached Dublin in just over 2 hours. From there, we drove to Doolin, one of Co. Clare’s most popular villages, where we stayed for the next 2 nights. After navigating through the busiest service station we’d ever been to, some incredibly narrow roads, a man with a big beard telling us to fuck off, and what felt like a thousand tolls, we finally arrived at the campsite.

It turns out trying to get a tent up in the wind is incredibly difficult! And as soon as we had it erected, the heavens opened, and so came the next challenge of trying to get everything from the car into the tent. Thank god for the cheap full length waterproof from Shein! It was Mark’s turn to be chef tonight, and I was treated to the driest carbonara I have ever had (unfortunately I didn’t get a photo of this glorious feast) whilst watching the Olympic closing ceremony. After a quick drink at the local pub, we settled into the tent for our first night of sleep.. and what a noisy night it was! The weather was wild, with wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. At 3am I found myself on booking.com and Airbnb trying to find any sort of alternative accommodation for the following night. We were concerned we would wake up with a floppy tent on top of us, but to our surprise, it held up well, and we woke up dry and surprisingly warm.

We had breakfast outside, and I provided Mark with an equally questionable meal of fried egg sarnie (tried to flip it.. cheap spatula = botched yolk). The weather looked promising, so we decided to visit the Cliffs of Moher. The website recommends booking for people monitoring purposes, but judging by the crowded car park, it seems they want as much money as possible! Finding a parking spot was a nightmare, with cars abandoned everywhere because there was literally nowhere to park. Thankfully, we managed to squeeze in behind a campervan and joined the crowds over at the cliffs. 

Car park queue…

The visitors centre was rammed, and so was the start of the cliff walk. The path is quite narrow (with plenty of people who don’t say thank you for letting them past – this absolutely boils my piss!) however, the crowds soon thinned out and we were able to fully appreciate the beauty of the cliffs. 

Here’s some trivia about the cliffs – they reach up to 214 meters in height at their highest point and stretch on for 5 miles. They have been featured in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Leap Year, and that terrible film Irish Wish. It is also a hot spot for flora and fauna, with as many as 20 different species of birds. We enjoyed the rugged and dramatic landscape and the jaw-dropping cliffs. We are glad we visited. However, it is far too busy, with the giant visitors complex, and the continuous 4.5-foot flagstone slabs set 15 feet from the cliff edge to stop silly people from getting too close somewhat ruins the experience. It’s ironic – a tourist complaining about tourists – but it’s true. A place that was once just like any other coastal walk is now being commercialized to the extent that its magic is being stripped away.

As the weather was still glorious, we decided to go to the beach. Lahinch’s crescent-shaped sandy beach attracts people from around the world due to its watersports and surf centre. Since neither of us can surf, we opted for a pizza and sat on the rocks to watch the pros in action. Then we continued along the coast to Spanish Point and grabbed some drinks while listening to a local musician playing the guitar. As the adults weren’t giving him much attention, he asked a group of children what they would like to hear instead.. so we were treated to the wheels on the bus! After refreshing ourselves, we went for a walk to watch the waves crashing along the cliffs. We ended the day with a BBQ, and just as the meat was ready, it started to rain! Fortunately, it was only a brief shower, so we were still able to enjoy the famous Irish beef.

It was another windy night (not just from Mark!), and we knew it must have been bad for the campsite owner to walk past the tent and say, “You survived!” Now came the task of packing away the tent and making everything fit back in the car. Luckily, it wasn’t as long and painful as we thought, so we treated ourselves to a quick look around Doolin and a coffee before the long drive to Galway.

Èze & Villefranche-sur-Mer 🇫🇷

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This morning, we decided to have one last whip around Nice before getting the bus to Èze. We walked past our favourite bus stop, down the promenade, and back up to the viewpoint, as we stupidly forgot to see the waterfall on arrival day. It was built in the late 19th century, where the medieval keep once stood. It can also be seen from the promenade below. When back on ground level, we had a stroll through the fruit and veg and flower market. In 1897, Nice opened the first wholesale cut flower market in the world, and the market today is still full of hustle and bustle, bright colours, and glorious smells.

After our obligatory visit to Maccies for our World Tour series, we checked on Google Maps for the bus route to Èze. After getting on the wrong bus (despite the driver telling us it was the right one) and him not letting us get off again, we ended up paying €30 for an Uber, as buses are unfortunately, few and far between. He drove like a bat out of hell, but it meant we got there in super quick time.. every cloud! When we got dropped off, our initial thought were, is this it 😬 it wasn’t quaint, and there were just a few perfume shops and a few bars. We decided to follow the crowd who had just got off the bus we should have been on, and luckily we did, because it was here where we found what gives Èze its charm. Winding cobblestone streets through fairytale architecture. The narrow streets are full of independent shops, vibrant flower, and tiny expensive boutique hotels. Wrought-iron street lamps hang on every building, and colourful shutters around each window. It was a total maze of dreamy alleyways to find the entrance to the exotic garden, which was totally worth the €8 entrance fee.

The gardens boast a stunning view of the Cote d’Azur, although as always, we were blessed with intermittent large clouds and fog. There are wooden sun loungers dotted around for relaxing, but we just enjoyed getting lost (a theme in Èze!) in the ridiculous amount of pathways through the garden. Another attraction is Our Lady of the Assumption Church, but unfortunately, this is undergoing a large renovation project, so the majority of the inside is covered with scaffolding.

After a quick drink in a cafe, we joined the huge group of people waiting for the bus back. Our plan was to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in Villefranche-sur-Mer – an idyllic little town just under 10 minutes by train from Nice. Luckily, we managed to get on the bus, and we set off the coastal road, all packed in like sardines. We fought our way off the bus at our stop and headed down (thank god not up, as we passed quite a few incredibly sweaty people) the 100s of steps to sea level. Just like all the other towns we had visited, we were greeted by pastel buildings and winding cobblestone streets. It was incredibly quiet with hardly anybody else about. We found a cute little cafe run by an Italian family and stopped for a latte and pastry selection before heading to Plage des Marinières for a spot of sunbathing.

The water was such a gorgeous colour, and we thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the beach, listening to the waves and taking the weight off our feet. It was much needed after our 30k a day.. our trotters were in bits! As we were just 7 minutes on the train from Nice, we decided to have some food in Villefranche as there are loads of waterfront restaurants to choose from. Unfortunately with that comes a rather cheeky price tag, so we chose the cheapest (and busiest) restaurant, and enjoyed a very tasty meal – apart from Mark’s Tiramisu, which was just pure cream, and my mousse which looked like a turd (fortunately it didn’t taste like turd).

We would have loved more days here to explore the other way, places such as Cannes and Antibes. That can only mean one thing, though – a return trip is most definitely on the cards! If you have a few days off though and are at a loss as to what to do, we would throughly recommend coming to Nice and exploring the stunning French Riveria.

Mauritius – The North 🇲🇺

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The drive to our next hotel was a soggy one, and the rain continued right up until we were a few miles away. I think our taxi driver felt bad about getting us late (that or he was finished for the day and wanted to get home) and spent the drive weaving in and out of traffic and pushing the speed limit. It’s safe to say we both felt quite nauseas 🤣 Our next hotel is part of the Lux group, and that meant 7 days of 5* luxury. We were greeted with a lovely refreshing drink, had an explanation of the huge complex, and got shown to our room. The bed was enormous, we got fluffy robes and slippers, and a large balcony with a view over the beach. We headed to the bar to get some drinks, where the conversation with the waiter soon turned to football. This however meant Mark bagged himself a free beer (we couldn’t afford all inclusive 🤣)

We spent the next two days on the sunbeds with a book in the adults only section of the hotel (because who wants screaming children ruining the ambiance 🤣). The sun was shining and we finally had 2 whole days without rain. We also played some pentaque and tennis, before heading to the enormous buffet restaurant in the evening. It had live cooking stations, foods from all cuisines, and a walk in cheese fridge. Heaven! We also got dressed up for the posh restaurant in the hotel, and the food here was absolutely divine, and totally worth the extra cost.

We were really keen to explore the capital whilst in Mauritius, so we booked a food walking tour with a company called Taste Buddies. The waiter in the previous hotel had also organised his friend to be our chauffeur for the day, to take us to the capital, and anywhere else we fancied. Unfortunately, not long after we got in the car, the sliding door flew open. He tried to quickly fix it but wasn’t able to, so between me and the driver, we held it shut for the journey for to Port Louis. We met our guide Rudi and set off to try lots of local treats. We started off with Dholl Puri – similar to a tortilla but made using yellow split peas. The queue at this vendor was huge, which is always a good sign. The wrap itself had quite a sandy texture, but the filling was spicy and delicious. We then had roti, again with a tasty filling, and lots of other treats along the way. We walked through Chinatown (which isn’t allowed outside food vendors) and saw all of its graffiti, which is interactive with an app! We finished up at the central market and had Alouda to drink. We walked through the fruit and veg, and then decided to brave the meat. This was a decision we quickly regretted, as a man was hacking away at a cows head, and the smell in the poultry section was beyond revolting. It was absolute heaven to be back outside in the fresh air. After the tour we tried to continued to explore Port Louis, but the heavens opened again and the rain was now torrential, and without an umbrella meant one thing – a local bar.

We met our driver with his newly fixed car door, and he took us to the citadel which has great views over the capital. There was even some horse racing, which we were able to watch. We then went to the Botanical Gardens, and luckily, Sunjay had an umbrella in his car we could borrow. They are the oldest botanical garden in the Southern Hemisphere and are famous for its long pond of giant water lilies. The site is huge and you could easily spend all day here. We then visited 2 local beaches before finishing our trip at the famous Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice de Cap Malheureux, or just simply, the red church.

We were meant to have eaten at the hotels Creole restaurant tonight. However, due to the weather (as its an outside restaurant), they had to close. All was good, because Newcastle were playing and the hotel has a huge cinema that plays PL games. Unfortunately, the storm meant that the connection was terrible, the WiFi went down and we were unable to watch the game, or even keep up with the score!

Our lovely friend John (1/4 of the Sweden Survivors) has friends all over the world, and at the start of our trip, linked me up with his Mauritian friend, Pliny. Today, we took a taxi to the next town, Grand Baie, to meet Pliny and his partner Jay. We had a fabulous time, trying more local food and finding out more about the country and their culture. Jay’s mum had even made us some treats because today was Diwali. As the weather was beautiful again, we explored the beaches of Grand Baie and watched the hustle and bustle within the village. We then headed over to McDonald’s 🤣 and it was here that I got an email from Air Mauritius – your flight home on Tuesday has been cancelled and rebooked for Wednesday. All the thoughts were going through our heads… we now needed to organise an extra night at the hotel, we needed to rearrange the transfer, etc. Luckily, it was all quite easy in the end! And it meant an extra night in paradise.

We had been told by various people that the best thing to do during Diwali is to get a taxi to a town half hr away called Triolet. They have a large community who celebrate and therefore decorate their houses with lots of pretty lights. We contacted the driver who had taken us to Grand Baie that morning, and he drove us through lots of little villages (who also celebrate) on the way to Triolet. Unfortunately, this seemed to be an incredibly popular thing to do, and the traffic was beyond awful. We decided to get out of the taxi and arranged to meet him further down the road so we could take in the atmosphere. The houses were so colourful, full of twinkling lights and candles. One family even invited us over and gave us a large box of Indian sweets. All the locals had the gates open to their houses and encouraged you to go and admire their lights, and everyone was wishing each other a Happy Diwali.

We had been debating whether to do a boat trip, and research suggested that taking a trip to Ile Aux Cerfs would be a good option. It was another glorious day, so we got an early taxi and drove through part of the country we had not yet seen, to the place where we would be catching our speedboat. We got to the island, and it was stunning! White sandy beaches and crystal clear water. We decided to do parasailing, and the views we got were incredible. After a couple of hours paddling and lazing around, we got back on the speedboat and headed to a waterfall via lots of monkeys! We then headed to another island, where we had a delicious BBQ lunch and unlimited drinks 🍷🍺 It was a really lovely day, and although we hadn’t done anything strenuous, we were both exhausted and fell asleep in the car on the way back to the hotel.

It was now our last day, the day we should have been flying home. Air Mauritius paid for us to keep the room we were in for all our drinks and our evening meal that day. What a winner! Of course, the last day was spent dodging the rain 🤣 but we managed to have a float about on a pedalo and a few hours with a book. Mark made good use of the weather and went to get his beard tidied up ready to go back to work 😭 We made good work at the buffet and literally ate everything in sight, before settling down in the bar to play Scrabble, because we are cool 👍🏻

Despite the awful weather we have had, Mauritius has still been an absolute dream, and just the (sort of) relaxing trip we both needed. If you are planning on putting it on your bucket list, I’d 100% visit both the North and South as they are so, so different. I perhaps wouldn’t stay in Grand Gaube (North) however, as you are quite far out from the main shopping areas and bars, and the sea here isn’t the crystal clear waters you expect from Mauritius. I’d also consider hiring a car as it’s actually quite reasonable. Just don’t drive in Port Louis unless you’re a very confident driver!

Mauritius – The South 🇲🇺

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The drive to Gatwick wasn’t its usual hellish self, meaning we arrived before check-in had even opened! However, so had the rest of the plane, so the queue for check-in was huge already. We hadn’t realised you needed to fill out an incredibly lengthy health form before check in (turns out most of the plane didn’t realise either) so we were able to get that completed in the queue. After dropping our bags, we whipped through security, meaning we had plenty of time to eat. We chose burritos, then did a couple of (unsuccessful) laps of the shops to try and find some chub rub shorts that I’d forgotten to pack. The airline we flew with was Air Mauritius, meaning momma gets a new sick bag to add to her collection! The next 11.5hrs were… interesting. Including the child behind projectile vomiting everywhere about 20 mins after we had taken off, the child to our right running around, banging the chairs and wailing for most of the flight, meaning there was a colourful arguement between his Dad and the bloke in front, and the driest sausage and egg for breakfast.

We landed early in the morning, collected our bags, and met our driver to take us to our first hotel in the south. He was very keen to show us lots of places on our way to the hotel, including some beautiful viewpoints and a waterfall. Whilst we were very grateful to him for doing this, neither of us had slept due to the noisy child and constant wafts of vomit, and we just wanted to get to the hotel. We arrived at Chalet Chamarel, and wow. The views were absolutely incredible over the Le Morne mountain. Due to arrival time, we weren’t able to get into our rooms, so we sat and chatted with the 3 other couples who had also arrived that morning. The chalet we were given was beautiful. It had an egg chair outside the front overlooking the incredible views, a balcony out the back to look over the forest, and a massive half outdoors shower. It really was stunning. That night, we were treated to a gorgeous sunset, a lovely dinner, and a much needed early night.

The next day, we had a lazy one planned. Just sit by the pool, read, and take in the views. November in Mauritius is, of course, one of the best months to visit due to little rainfall. However, when we woke up, we were met with thick fog and drizzle. We remained optimistic that it would pass, but unfortunately, the heavens continued to open, and by 1pm, it was still pouring with rain. So there was only one thing for it – head to the rum distillery! We organised a taxi through reception and initially got quoted £45. Bearing in mind, the distillery was only 15 mins away, we decided this was way too expensive and managed to get them down to £36. The taxi driver arrived and drove us down the roads that now resembled a river to the distillery. He said how unusual this amount of rain was, that the amount that had fallen that day so far was usually the amount for the whole of November. He was confident, however, that the next day would be better. We joined the quick distillery tour, but obviously, we were all here for one thing – rum tasting! The first one we had was actually quite nice, but they soon went downhill after that. But if rum is your thing, you get 8 tastings! We then explored the grounds and headed to the café for a mojito, which was delicious. We hopped back in the taxi and made our way back to the chalet to get ready for dinner. Luckily, our chalet was right next to the restaurant, but some unlucky couples had to wade through the mud to get there. After dinner we joined the others 3 couples we had chatted to the day before for drinks, and we chatted for hours about our past travels and experiences.

The following morning we woke up to glorious sunshine and gorgeous views once again over Le Morne and the Indian Ocean. Sounds like our taxi driver was right! Wrong… by 10am, the heavens had opened again, the fog was back, and it was way worse than the previous day. So we settled in the egg chair for another day of reading. By around 2pm it was just drizzle, so we decided to put on our hiking boots (which we had originally packed as we had planned to either hike Tamarind Falls or part of Le Morne, but the weather meant either was now far too dangerous) and walk to 7 Coloured Earth Geopark – an area of sand dunes comprising of seven distinct colours. The paths were getting flooded, but it was still nice to be able to get out and about. The taxi driver from the previous day had told us that because we were staying in the Chalet Chamarel, we would get in for free. This, however, wasn’t the case. After explaining what we had been told, explaining we had no cash and no data to buy tickets online, the lady eventually gave up and let us in for free. Due to the weather, the 7 colours you can usually see weren’t as vivid, but we were still glad we had done it, as it’s one of the must do attractions in the area. We then decided to walk to the waterfall that we had seen on arrival day, and what a difference the rain had made. The falls were now full and thunderous, and between the thick fog patches, it was spectacular to see. The walk back was soggy and uphill, but we saw loads of interesting birds and plants, and as we were one of the few people out and about, it was really peaceful as well. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to pack the Jungle Formula, so we both got absolutely eaten alive.

That evening, the weather had kindly cleared up again, and arrangements were made for us and the other 3 couples to eat together. So we got dressed up, and made the most of the clear evening to get some content 🤣 we had lots of lovely food and lovely wine, the company was great, and we all had such a nice time. It was the perfect end to our last night in the South.

The following morning was glorious again, so we decided to have a boujee breakfast and have champagne. We went back to pack, but as if by clockwork, the rain came again, this time, however accompanied by thunder and lightning. We were meant to be getting picked up at 1pm to be taken to the North. However, the no-show and frantic phone calls from the staff suggested that this probably wouldn’t be happening and time soon. Luckily, our driver did eventually arrive – due to the weather, the roads were flooded, and trees had come down, so he had to go an alternative and much longer way round to get to us.

We were so looking forward to exploring the South, as there are so many different things to see and do, but we were just so unfortunate with the weather. Every local we spoke to couldn’t believe it, and said that even in the wet season, it wasn’t this bad! We were lucky to be staying in such a lovely place, although slightly isolated, and feel blessed that mother nature still let us have some gorgeous views. Hopefully, the North would bring us some solid sunshine…..

Skye 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

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The forecast for the next 2 days was awful with severe weather warnings in place, so we knew we wouldn’t be able to do everything we had planned whilst on Skye. We started off the soggy day with breakfast at the highly rated The Coffee Bothy. It was a really cool vibe inside, with the most incredible cake display and the really friendly staff. Unfortunately, it was style over substance.. Mark ordered a lorne and bacon roll, which was a bit dry and lacked flavour. The cake was moist but had a slightly strange flavour.

Portree As with everywhere we have been so far, there are plenty of places to pull over for a view and a quick photo. We spotted a waterfall and P, so we parked up, and I popped over the road for a closer look. Unfortunately, there was a large family who had got there first. They started by all having individual photos, then various group photos.. they were completely oblivious that others were trying to admire/photograph the falls. I got fed up waiting, so I took a photo, edited them out, and went back to the van to continue the journey. Portree is the colourful capital of the Isle of Skye and is a lovely little seaside town. It’s full of cafés, bars, restaurants, gift shops and of course, whisky shops. A trip here wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the viewpoint for the multicoloured houses or a walk around the harbour to see them up close. On a nice day, there are plenty of cafés to choose from to sit back and watch the boats bobbing on the Loch with the stretch of hills in the background.

The Old Man of Storr This was one of the walks we were both really looking forward to, and luckily the rain has stopped and the skies were clear. One of my favourite things to do on a hike is to look at what other people are wearing. My favourites from here were hotpants with knee high boots, ankle boots with a heal (she had to have people either side to help her down) and pyjamas 🤷🏼‍♀ The Old Man of Storr is an iconic landmark on the Isle of Skye, with a towering pinnacle of rock perfectly set among the landscapes of the Trotternish Peninsula. The hike is a steady slog straight up the side of a hill, and due to the amount of food I’ve been consuming this past week (I’ve definitely put on a stone) I had to have regular stops just to catch my breath! There are so many photography opportunities here, and each turn just gets better and better. The rock formations are enormous and impressive, and the views out to the lochs, mountains, and surrounding islands were incredible. We really were so lucky with the weather!

Lealt Falls & Kilt Rock And that was where the good weather ended. It continued to rain for the rest of our time of Skye. One good thing about Skye is a lot of the waterfalls are easily accessible. You park up and walk to a purpose built viewing area. Both of these falls offer just that, and are definitely ‘must swing by’ falls. Lealt waterfall crashes into Lealt gorge and is surrounded by rugged terrain. Kilt rock is an ancient cliff resembling a kilt, with Mealt waterfall plummeting from the top of the cliffs to the rocky coast below.

Staffin As mentioned in the previous blog, there aren’t many campsite options this late in the season. But we found a small one in Staffin, which is located near to the dinosaur beach. By now the rain was heavy, but I was determined to find the dinosaur footprints which are located on various rocks around this black sand beach. We hunted for them, but soon gave up, which by the looks of it, so did a lot of people judging by the amount of footprints drawn in the sand instead. On a clear day, the Quiraing dominates the skyline here, so if you are fortunate with the weather, you should definitely add this beach to your list. The campsite for the night was small and settled, but despite multiple signs saying do not dry clothes using hand dryers and hair dryers, people were drying their clothes with hand dryers and hair dryers.

The Quiraing This was meant to be one of the hikes we did, however today the weather was even worse than yesterday. Due to the uneven ground and steep sections, a lot of reviews on AllTrails (and other websites) suggested that you don’t attempt this in adverse weather unless an experienced hiker. So… as we are absolutely not that, we thought we would try the viewpoint instead. This is one of the most photographed places on Skye, but unfortunately we just didn’t have luck on our side, and by this point, a small stream was also forming on the roads. Instead, we got a coffee and a bacon roll from the van at the car park (we were his first customer) whacked the heating on, and gave up on waiting for any of it to pass.

Fairy Glen A delightful and enchanting miniature landscape of grassy, cone-shaped hills. The Isle of Skye is rich with faerie lore, however, the unique geological formations here are actually the result of a landslip (but dont think about that, let your imagination go wild). This is very easily accessible, with lots of parking and the whole area is a lovely walk. There is a large rock formation in the middle, known as Castle Ewen, which you can climb up for views across the whole site. Unfortunately, we chose to do it whilst it was quite busy, and I got wedged in the tiny gap used to get up to the top. Conscious that people were trying to get up and down, I managed to unwedge myself, but gave up giving it another attempt. We spent a bit of time exploring the area, but as the rain continued, the ground just became too boggy to enjoy it anymore. Luckily, everyone had decided to leave, so I gave Castle Ewen one more try, and with a bit of manoeuvre, managed to make it to the top.

Dunvegan Castle We knew we would have around an hour to explore here (in hindsight, we should have sacked off Neist Point to spend longer here) so we only paid to visit the garden, and not the joint castle ticket. Dunvegan boats 5 acres of formal award-winning gardens, including the water garden, rose garden, walled garden and woodland walks. You can tell they’ve put a lot of money and effort in to try and restore the gardens to their former glory, and were full of autumnal colours. They have a waterfall, and offer seal boat trips (these finished on 30th Sept) and the views of the castle across the water are stunning.

Neist Point The road here towards the end was absolutely terrible and full of pot holes, and the car park was rammed with badly parked cars. When we arrived we were greeted with heavy rain and thick, thick fog.. I left Mark in the car whilst I popped out for a look, with everything crossed that the fog at least would lift. However.. that wasn’t to be the case. The round trip walk down to the lighthouse was around 2 miles, and I was really conscious that we were booked in for a tasting at Talisker later that afternoon. There was, however, a cake fridge at a house by the car park! So to try and cheer us up, I got a lemon and a coffee and walnut slice.

Talisker As this is one of Mark’s favourites, we had to make sure we factored in a visit here (and also a perfect excuse to get out of the rain). Talisker offer a tasting experience, without having to do a distillery tour, so this was perfect for us (on the whole, if you’ve done one distillery tour, you’ve done them all!) As I was driving, I was given a drivers pack so I (Mark) could enjoy them later. We were taught the importance of sniffing the whisky with your mouth slightly open and sniffing it through one nostril at a time before trying the whisky neat, then adding 2 drops of water. Mind-blowing! You also get 10% off in the shop for attending the tasting, which is great considering how much some of it costs. The area around Talisker Bay is also meant to be stunning, but we really were fed up with the rain and wind putting a downer of Skye, so decided to head back to the campsite.

Sligachan Bridge We had stopped here yesterday for a walk around, but it was so so busy. Luckily, the car park and the bridge itself were now empty, so we parked up and had another look. It was now only drizzle rather than torrential rain.. hooray! The legend of Sligachan states that if you dip your face in the river water by the bridge, you will be granted eternal beauty. Knowing my luck, I’d fall in, so as tempting as this sounded, I decided to give the dipping a miss. The bridge is surrounded by mountains in the distance, and the weather makes it more atmospheric. When the water level is low and the sky is clear, you are able to get a really cool framed mountain shot through the arch of the bridge. There is a campsite here, but unfortunately, it closed for the season on Sept 30th. There are so many amazing photography opportunities here, so it’s really worth stopping, whatever the weather!

We were so looking forward to coming to Skye, but unfortunately, we’ve just been a bit underwhelmed. The bloke at the campsite we stayed at said they hadn’t seen weather this bad for a very long time.. so that obviously hasn’t helped. We missed out on Fairy Pools because the walking route was too deep with water. We’ve also been really spoilt with the incredible views of the west coast, and other tourists on the NC500.. Unfortunately, Skye was full of inconsiderate people, people parking in passing places, nobody said hello when you walked past.. and my biggest annoyance of all, nobody thanked you on single track roads for letting them passed. We’ve just been very unlucky. But I’d definitely return to give it a second chance in better weather!

Obviously as we left Skye.. the sun came out 🤣

N.I Day 4 🏝

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Today is our last full day on the Emerald Isle. It was a toss up between a visit to Rathlin Island to see the puffins, or more of the coastal drive. As we were incredibly lucky to see the puffins when we did Skomer, we decided to continue with the last few towns and beaches along the Causeway Coastal Drive. Santa decided to have a morning walk whilst I had a little lie in, but unfortunately he didn’t take a coat.. and drowned rat is an understatement when we arrived back at the apartment.

Bushmills No visit to NI is complete without a visit to the distillery (just the shop as we were pushed for time!) Santa enjoyed browsing the many whiskeys on offer, and opted for a Black Bush (🤣) and a glass to go with it. He also got a smaller tot to have on one of the beaches later on in the day.

Ballycastle The eastern gateway to the coastal route. We managed to park in one of the only pay and display car parks in the whole of N.I.. and unfortunately when we were nearly in the town, I had a horrible feeling I hadn’t locked the car, so had to powerwalk back up the hill to check (obviously I had locked it 🤦🏼‍♀) Ballycastle is a bustling town with plenty of bars and restaurants, a harbour and a beach, the ferry to Rathlin Island, and a friary ruin just on the outskirts. It also has its own heritage trail, with information boards dotted around the town. We found a cafe with great views over the beach, and the coffee here was delicious – big shout out to Shorebird Coffee Hut. We had a lovely walk along the beach, then headed to Bonamargy Friary, along the side of the golf course. It’s picturesque, yet eerie at the same time, and is definitely worth a quick visit if you are in the area. As we were walking back to the car park, the heavens opened, and they opened hard! We were very soggy doggies when we got back to the car.

Murlough Bay It is said that this is one of the most overlooked places to visit on the Antrim Coast. The journey to the small car park is dow a long, single track winding road. But with every twist and turn, reveals more spectacular views. On the walk to the bay, a lovely old gentleman stopped us for a chat, and very enthusiastically told us about seal he had seen catching a massive salmon. He was so enthusiastic, he talked and talked for about 15 minutes 🤣 he lives in a very remote place, so he probably doesn’t get much human interaction, bless him! After he got on his way (and found another family to talk to) we turned the corner and got our first look at the bay. Wow. It was breathtakingly stunning. Perfect white sand, perfect blue water, and perfect views of Rathlin Island and the Kintyre Peninsula. I’d say this beach even rivalled some of the ones I saw in Thailand! And for the most part, we had it all to ourselves. This really is a hidden gem and one not to be missed.

Torr Head Not far down the road from Murlough Bay is another very narrow and winding road to Torr Head. This drive requires you to go incredibly slowly and keep your eyes peeled for all the possible passing points. We got to the car park and headed up the mound and towards the building on the top. This used to be a signal station for shipping passing through the North Passage. However, this is now an eerie graffiti filled ruin being battered by the wind and rain. There’s even a rusty old ladder to climb up onto the roof. The views at the top again were fantastic, and we were so lucky with the weather that we could see for miles. The road back to the main route was a bit twitchy arse as we met quite a few vehicles, but we got there after a little bit of manoeuvring and clutch burning.

Fair head The last of the super twisty drives. The car park here is privately owned (£3 all day) and the area and land is also privately owned and farmed by 12 generations of the McBride family. There are so many walks around this area, but unfortunately they were all too long for us to attempt given the time we arrived. We did however manage a little stroll to one of the viewpoints. The rugged landscape here also features in many seasons of GoT, so it is definitely one to visit if you are a fan.

Portrush We had hoped to visit Carrick-a-rede, and had obviously read the opening times wrong because it was closing when we got there… it wasn’t a massive issue because I’ve been before, Santa has been before, and nothing was getting Momma on that bridge! So instead, we popped into Portrush, as we have only driven though it but never stopped. It has much more of a ‘seaside town’ vibe about it, with its funfair and amusements. We grabbed an ice cream and had a walk along the beach, before heading back to Portstewart for fish and chips.

All of the other evenings have been cloudy and rainy, but tonight was clear with minimal cloud, and that meant we finally got a sunset! We found a great spot as recommended by our Airbnb host, and with the sound of crashing waves, we watched the sun go down on our last day in Northern Ireland.

N.I Day 2 – The Causeway Coastal Journey 🌊

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Last night was rough… with crashing waves, thunder, lightening and a power cut (and lots of house alarms). Luckily by 1am it had all calmed down, and we were finally able to get some sleep. Today was all about the Causeway Coastal Drive, and we woke up to drizzly to start the morning. We had a lovely refreshing walk along Portstewart Strand – a two-mile stretch of golden sand, with views of Inishowen headland and Mussenden Temple perched on the cliffs above. Bearing in mind we were in thick coats, we were very surprised to see the amount of people in swimming costumes, frolicking about in the ocean! I just had to look at it as was borderline hypothermic!

The next stop was Whiterocks beach, with its stunning limestone cliffs stretching from Curran Strand to Dunluce Castle. The cliffs here are unusual as they are made of chalk; whereas most of the causeway coast is made of basalt. There are so many interesting geological landforms here, from cliffs, shore platforms, caves, arches, and sea stacks.

The great thing about the coastal drive is its many viewpoints, and Magheracross did not disappoint. Here, there is a purpose built viewing platform offering panoramic views of the coastal headlands. Another plus point is the coffee and ice cream van! We were incredibly thirsty by this point, so it would be silly not to pay them a visit. Santa enjoyed an ice cream snack, and Momma and I shared a very delicious brownie.

Back onto the official coastal route and a few minutes drive later, we arrived at Dunluce Castle. We were expecting something small, but the site is actually huge, and very reasonably priced. The castle played its part in Northern Ireland’s dramatic history before falling into its current state of ruin. Today, the remains stand out on the dramatic cliffs, but remain in danger of crumbling into the sea below. It’s also the filming location for House Greyjoy in Game of Thrones.

Whilst walking round, I (thought I had) spotted Santa and wondered why he had changed his shirt. Turns out there are actually 2 Santa’s 🎅🏻

We then headed for the one we had all been looking forward to – Giants Causeway. Clearly being very thick, I assumed the ‘giant’ part of the name meant ‘big’ and not a legend that a giant was the one who had built the causeway. I was therefore expecting the actual hexagonal stepping stones to be much larger than they actually were 🤣 Don’t get me wrong, it’s still an incredible sight to see, but it was incredibly busy, and it didn’t help that we chose to visit on a weekend when the weather was actually decent. It’s Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site and is thought to be almost 60 million years in the making. If you plan on visiting here, don’t come on a weekend and try to come out of season. Also, leave enough time to explore some of the walks in the surrounding area.

We continued the trail to Dunseverick, starting at the ‘castle’ and following the coastal path to the waterfall. Standing on the edge of the promontory are the crumbling ruins of the castle. Therefore, using your imagination is key. King’s gazing out to sea, watching potential invaders circling the rugged cliff below. By this point, it was really hot, and so we were able to enjoy the walk in just t-shirts – a stark contrast to this morning. Unfortunately I haven’t packed any suncream as the forecast suggested otherwise. An error I don’t usually make! We continued along the path to the waterfall, and I think this can be classed as a hidden gem, as it’s where a narrow river finalises its journey free falling down to the sea. The waterfall’s volume is obviously dependent upon rainfall.. but no need to worry about that because we’re in Ireland! The water cascading down is so calming and peaceful, so we took a perch on a nearby rock to sit and relax.

What do you think of when you hear the word beach. Is it the sea? The sand? I’m sure it isn’t cows… but that’s what you’ll find at White Park Bay, and they are said to be the most photographed cows in N.I. The bay itself is a huge stretch of golden sand, and is backed by ancient sand dunes that provide a range of rich habitats for bird and animal life. Swimming here is not permitted due to rip currents.

As the day was closing in, we decided that we would only have time for a few more activities. Stopping at Ballintoy Harbour meant we could get a few things ticked off in one go – the harbour itself and Elephant Rock. The walk to the rock is another beautiful one as you are surrounded by all sorts of rock formations, but MY GOD the initial part of it absolutely stunk of rotten fish and poo… however all was well when Elephant Rock came into view. Local folklore says this rock was the result of a woolly mammoth which had the misfortune of being caught as it tried to flee from an erupting volcano! The harbour here is very small, but also plays a part in GoT – where Theon Greyjoy arrives back to the Iron Islands and where he first meets his sister, Yara.

Feeling very tired and ready for our final stop, we headed for Dark Hedges (such a GoT filled day.. and Momma and Santa have never seen it!!) When I was last here, people we abandoning cars all over the place. Now, it is access only (although some bellend decided to ignore this and park their car right in the middle…) and you have to park in a car park just a short walk away. Although it’s hard to properly appreciate with the amount of people that choose to visit, it’s still worth it for a quick swing by.

The ocean was incredibly rough when we eventually got back to our apartment, and whilst taking the last few photos, we spotted dolphins 🐬 There was so many of them, jumping in the waves and having the absolute best time. Unfortunately they were incredible hard to photograph.. but here is some of my poor attempts…We had a lovely picky tea and drinks whilst looking out our window. We have been so so lucky with the weather today, but my crispy ginger face certainly knows about it 😭