Focus On...Northern Ireland

Racing along the back-roads of Northern Ireland.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

As a cruise passenger, arriving at a brand-new port of call for the day can pose some daunting questions: what to see?  What to do?  And how to make the most of your time ashore?

Cruise lines themselves offer a variety of excursions designed to suit every budget and activity, but sometimes even these can fall short.  This was the situation we found ourselves in last year while planning our Northern Europe cruise aboard Crown Princess: there were so many things we wanted to see during our last port of Belfast, Northern Ireland, that we simply didn't know where to go.

Enter the good people at Belfast Ireland Taxi Tours. We contacted them a few months before our sailing to arrange a tour, and owner Sean Mac Eachaidh helped us to put together an itinerary that would allow us to see some of Northern Ireland's most impressive sights in the limited amount of time that we had.  A car and driver would be waiting for us when we disembarked in Belfast, and we'd be on our way.  

 Harland & Wolff: the fitting-out basin built for the

RMS Olympic and her more famous sister,

RMS Titanic.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

We arrived in Belfast on a rainy August morning and made the one-hundred-eighty degree turn in the basin needed to dock port-side along the pier.  Even through the haze, it wasn't difficult to make out Samson and Goliath - the two bright yellow cranes that tower over the Harland & Wolff Shipyard - made famous, of course, for the construction of the RMS Titanic.  A Titanic buff since I was a kid, this was as close to a 'religious' experience as I could possibly get.

True to Sean's word, when we disembarked in Belfast - over 30 minutes late due to some immigration delays - our driver, Tom, was waiting for us.  A pleasant man with a hearty laugh and a firm handshake, Tom's first act was to take us off the main highway and onto some of the more scenic backroads on our way to Dunluce Castle, which was greatly appreciated (if you're not used to roundabouts, a few of them in quick succession can make you feel a little carsick!)  

Dunluce Castle.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

Crumbling but certainly not gone, the ruins of Dunluce Castle are a sight to behold.  Perched on a cliff face and dating back to the 14th century, the remains of the castle prove to be highly walkable.  Admission can be obtained to enter the actual castle itself, but the best views are to be found outside, where the remains of the castle itself, in addition to the walls and outbuildings, are visible.  We spent a good forty minutes here before heading back in the car to our next destination.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Tom was just how much he knew: every road had a story, every house had a tale and he regaled us with his knowledge effortlessly.  Like Sean, the obvious passion he has for his beautiful country shone through, even when describing some of the more difficult aspects of Northern Ireland's past.  I wasn't sure if I should ask about The Troubles or not - but all of us were fascinated by the rich history of Ireland, and Tom was at ease discussing virtually every aspect of that history with us.

The beautiful - and varied - countryside of Northern Ireland.

Photo © Aaron Saunders 

This is a good time to mention the country itself: words cannot describe the staggering array of lush greens we saw.  If you visit Northern Ireland, you will see green like you never thought possible - forever dulling your view of grass or hills you may have near your own city or country.  Add to that the enormously-friendly people, and you have a country that is difficult not to fall completely in love with.

We arrived at our next destination tremendously excited, for it was the one site we knew we had to see: the magnificent Giant's Causeway.

The incredible Giant's Causeway.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

Made up of over 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed as the result of a volcanic eruption, the Giants Causeway is truly incredible.  Cars park at the top of a large hill; indeed, you can't even see the causeway until you're almost upon it.  Visitors reach the causeway by taking a crowded shuttle bus or walking about fifteen minutes down a winding road.  We chose to walk, and were not disappointed with the views or the pace!

At the causeway, visitors can climb out on the unique basalt columns.  Legend has it that the giant Finn McCool built the causeway in order to enable him to walk from Ireland to Scotland to defeat his nemesis, Benandonner. 

Looking down at the basalt columns.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

Walking carefully along the columns, it's not hard to imagine this being the private pathway of a legendary giant: everything about it is super-sized and formed much the same way you'd expect a staircase to be.  It looks as if any moment, McCool himself might amble out of the North Atlantic and up the Irish countryside.

 The road down to (or up from) the Causeway.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

For us, the Giants Causeway also provided a confirmation we'd made the right choice in hiring private transportation: satisfied with the hour we'd spent ambling about the causeway, we walked up the hill again to enjoy a well-deserved ice cream when one of the cruise ship tour buses pulled up next to us.  Their guide told them they would have thirty minutes at the causeway.  The line for the bus down was easily a 30-minute wait, and the walk alone, round-trip, was thirty minutes.  Essentially, the best look these passengers would get of the causeway was from the visitor's center: a good kilometer or so away.

Whoops!  The enormous line for the 

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

Our next stop was the Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge.  Seeing the queue for the bridge would take over an hour and a half, Tom quickly kicked into gear, changing our itinerary on the fly: instead of crossing the bridge, he would take us up to a promontory overlooking the island the bridge leads to, complete with a view of Scotland just across the channel.  We agreed - we were there to see, not stand in huge lines with everyone else!

View from Afar: the Carrick-A-Rede Bridge

in the distance.

Photo © Aaron Saunders 

Pleased at having seen the bridge but not lost three hours in doing so, we carried on, passing through just about every little town you could think of.  Upon our return to Canada a few days later, we were shocked to see just how much ground we'd covered: we'd literally driven around most of the coastal roads of Northern Ireland!

The Cushendun Hotel.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

One of my favorite photo-stops along the way was in the sleepy little town of Cushendun.  With a population of under two hundred people, this was the quintessential Ireland as I'd always imagined it.  It's hard to not feel as though you've stepped back in time when visiting Cushendun, and I could have spent a week there.  I'd even like to retire there, someday, surrounded by the beautiful Glens of Antrim.  Had we not done an independent tour, I would have never visited this pleasant little village.

 

Tall ships in Ballycastle.

Both photos © Aaron Saunders

A short distance down the road, in the town of Ballycastle, we were fortunate to see some of the tall ships that were in the area.  Not intending to stop in Ballycastle at all, Tom made a quick turnaround when he saw they were indeed in port, and we couldn't have been happier with his eagle-eyed observations.  Out of the over three thousand passengers aboard our ship, we were confident we were the only four to have witnessed this in Ballycastle.

Loughareema: The Vanishing Lake.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

Loughareema - otherwise known as The Vanishing Lake - is an interesting oddity.  Sometimes full, sometimes completely drained, the lake gains this unique 'ability' due to the chalk around the water, which slowly leeches away at it, though the exact cause of the dramatic fluctuations in water height - as much as 218 meters deep - are still relatively unknown.  On our visit, the lake was almost bone dry.

The Vanishing Lake...in its 'Vanished' form.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

It was here that we were fortunate to meet face-to-face with Sean, who'd kindly and promptly answered our emails so many months before.  On tour himself with another couple, he took the time to introduce himself.  With a razor-sharp wit and the same kind, hearty laugh as Tom, it was hard to not feel as if you'd known Sean forever.  Perhaps therein lies the brilliance of his company: you're not just a tourist, you're a friend being toured around by other friends.  

Evening in Belfast.

Photo © Aaron Saunders 

After seven hours of toodling around the amazing countryside, we made our way back to the ship.  Rather than just dropping us at the curb, Tom got out of his vehicle as well and walked us personally right up to the cruise terminal.  Hands were shaken, hugs were given, and as we got aboard our ship, set to carry us back to Southampton and eventually Canada, Tom gave a shout and a hearty wave which we returned.  

Departing Belfast at 11:00pm.

Photo © Aaron Saunders 

A few hours later, as we departed under a darkened Belfast sky, we left Northern Ireland feeling as if we'd found a second home - and a second set of friends in Sean and Tom.  

And isn't that what travel - the most rewarding kind of travel - is all about?

For more information on Belfast Ireland Taxi Tours, be sure to stop by their website and discover the Northern Ireland that remains elusive to so many travelers.

Editor's Note: whenever you are planning an independent shore excursion, always ensure you are aware of the ship's departure time, and make arrangements to be back at least one hour before sailing.  Unlike ship-sponsored tours, your vessel will not wait for you if you return late - a mistake that can prove costly.  Take a copy of the daily program with you - not only will it have the departure time, but contact information for the ship's agent is listed there as well, should you encounter any unexpected issues.  Properly planned, an independent tour offers you unlimited possibilities ashore, and an endlessly rewarding experience.