Coast is Clear

But we weren't finished with Northern Ireland yet.  Oh no.

Since we'd planned to do all things Belfast and Titanic during the first part of the week, we had already booked to spend the last few up on the North Coast to check out the Giant's Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.  Since we'd already done that, we drove up to the coast 'via' Derry for a walk around the City Walls.

The Peace Bridge

Derry is the only remaining completely intact walled city in Ireland, and one of the finest examples of a walled city in Europe.  The walls constitute the largest monument in State care in Northern Ireland and, as part of the last walled city to be built in Europe, stand as the most complete and spectacular.

Also a location to watch Lightning swim his 100m 
Breast back in Scotland at SNAGS!

Looking down towards Free Derry Corner,
Bloody Sunday Memorial and murals

The Grand Parade

The walls were built in 1613-1619 by The Honourable The Irish Society as defences for early 17th-century settlers from England and Scotland.  The Walls, which are approximately one mile in circumference and which vary in height and width between 3.7 and 10.7 meters, are completely intact and from a walkway around the inner city.  They provide a unique promenade to view the layout of the original town which still preserves its Renaissance-style street plan.  It is one of the few cities in Europe that never saw its fortification breached, withstanding several sieges, including the famous Siege of Derry in 1689 which lasted 105 days. 

St Columb's Church

Derry Girls mural

The Guildhall and Ebrington Square,
a former army barracks, and now a
public square for open air events

And after that, it was pretty much just ice cream eating, beach wandering, more ice cream eating, more beach wandering (including some dune running!!! Go on, ask who the winner was...), some brunch eating, some fish and chip eating and also some relaxing in our little AirBnB in Port Rush... A lovely relaxing end to a busy Easter holiday!

Not so relaxing was the massively loooong drive home from Cairnryan (I mean honestly, who would choose to put the only ferry port to Northern Ireland so far away!), but we did finally get home!