Expeditions and Adventures: We Headed North

So the great trek of Ireland began by meeting new people, climbing in the van and heading north.

Liz's blog: http://wheres-liz-2015.blogspot.com/2015/09/day-1-of-12-day-giant-irish-adventure.html

We quickly began to understand that the Vagabond van does not simply drive from point A to point B in a day. It goes here and there on back roads and makes frequent stops along the way so that we can get out and get some air and a "wee bit of a hike." There really are so many beautiful vistas and ancient things to see and visit, it was nice not to have to make the choices. Our tour guide was fantastic. Very knowledgeable about all things Irish....history, places, songs, myths, etc., and experienced in the arts of outdoor adventures, such as hiking, kayaking, ropes, rock climbing, camping... I am not sure there was anything that Dee hadn't taught or done.

As you may already have realized with all this history in Ireland, much of the ancient ruins are now on private lands. Some areas are National Landmarks and it is required for the owners to maintain access. Later. we visited some of the castles that are on private lands and tourist only gain access with farmer's permission.

These stones required a wee bit of a hike through the golf course.

Play on....

Our first close sheep encounter.

We stopped by to visit the Belfast shipping building area where the Titanic was built. This was her smaller sister ship and the last of the line now sitting in dry dock ready for tours.

Liz and I enjoyed our lunch at the Cafe.

We took the Black Cab tour of Belfast. The two drivers are local men from the neighborhoods, one Catholic and one Protestant. It brought personal stories to those echos of history many of us still remember from the the late 60's and 70's, of "The Troubles."

The Gold Rush mural, tells the story of a Jewish couple that lived near the Protestant housing. They lived long lives and didn't believe in banks. They passed on and had no family to come and thoroughly go through and clean out the house. Even then who knows were things were hidden? Years later when the house was condemned and leveled with a bulldoser, the children began finding gold coins in the ruble........

The Peace Wall that still divides the two workng class neighborhoods.

Over on the Catholic side of the Peace Wall and you can glance over to see the extended fencing on the wall and the additional protection the home owner has added to protect the back of his house.

After the tour, Dee suggested that we be sensitive to talking about "The Troubles" and what we had heard while sitting around in a public restaurant or Pub. She reminded us that for many who live in Northern Ireland these feelings are still very personal and deep.

Though there is now no "Border Crossing" on the highway, the folks in Northern Ireland make you very aware that you are in another country with flags and decorations. You have your British Sterling for money and save your Euros for when you circle around the island and head south again.

But the land is still the same emerald green regardless of political persuasion.

Our wee bit of a hike before dinner took us up past folk's backyards.

Past some more sheep.

Past a Spaniel. By his size and length of body he appeared more Field than Cocker but I didn't ask.

Tom, taking on his role of "Sweeper" checking to be sure that crazy lady that keeps stopping to take pictures of dogs is okay.

Tom and Monica who are from the Napa Valley area of California and have a flat driveway suitable for an RV......

Our group of Vagabonders. We started with eleven and Dee our guide. Dee is the one in the middle and the only one under 40 in the group. (I could probably change that to under 50 and still be safe....) Marisa, from Spain, traveled with us for 5 days and then had to take a train back to Dublin and make her way back home. She needed to be back for the beginning of the school year. Her high school biology students would have missed her. I know that we did.

And it wasn't all Bar Food every night, though we did like our bar food.

The quiet village at dawn.

Geting ready to walk down to the swinging bridge and across to that rocky green island.

We saw two lone kayakers working their was across the waters. Later in the tour we got to meet two kayakers when we overnighted in the same city. We slept in the hotel, they bedded down in the empty Vagabond trailer for the night.. They were paddling around Ireland to raise money for "Depression" Awareness.

Then it was on for more. Since we had apparently passed the "hiking" test the night before Dee set us loose on the much longer overland hike to the Giant's Causeway. Only 8 kilometers, she says. Only some small "undalating" hills she says. We believed her. We learned to ask more questions. The views were spectacular and dramatic and the best part.

And there were several stiles to climb over.

And more hiking...

And then you arrive at the Giant Causeway and meet with the tourists that arrived by road and buses, but in your heart you know that they didn't get to see the vistas that were out along the cliffs.

Quite right you are. The pictures of the Causeway in the books do not show the hundreds of people climbing all over them. Dee was waiting up the hill at the Visitor's Center with the van. We did not have to walk back the 8 kilometers.