Northern Ireland

BSD · Jan 20, 2010

Planning on taking the mrs and baby up north for 3-4days..just to chill,bit of shopping and sights.
Planning on doing the antrim coast. What are the roads like at the moment?
Any B&B's or hotels(good rates/deals) that any of you could recommend?
Good places to shop?

Many thanks :thumb2

DrFarkoff · Jan 20, 2010

HI BSD at the last trip on Sunday there was residual snow but only where it had been 2 foot or more thick

We did up the coast from Larne to Cushendun then on up to Ballycastle and back down via Armoy and done over cloghmills to Broughshane to the Battery Inn and swung left for Larne over Shanes Hill

There is a road closure on the Coast just at GArron Tower but there is a diversion in place and the Boarding school there on the diversion is a tad Hogworts and the whole 2 mile ish detour is something ya won't see normally

Other side roads were clear but there was a lot of Grit left from where folks had gritted and salted the country roads with the mixture of salt and grit left at the roadside by the roads folks

BSD · Jan 21, 2010

Jaythro said:
HI BSD at the last trip on Sunday there was residual snow but only where it had been 2 foot or more thick

We did up the coast from Larne to Cushendun then on up to Ballycastle and back down via Armoy and done over cloghmills to Broughshane to the Battery Inn and swung left for Larne over Shanes Hill

There is a road closure on the Coast just at GArron Tower but there is a diversion in place and the Boarding school there on the diversion is a tad Hogworts and the whole 2 mile ish detour is something ya won't see normally

Other side roads were clear but there was a lot of Grit left from where folks had gritted and salted the country roads with the mixture of salt and grit left at the roadside by the roads folks

Many thanks buddy :aidan

Aidan1150 · Jan 21, 2010

There's some good stuff here Brian including a lot of info from Tuned about the north coast. :thumb2

HTH

BSD · Jan 21, 2010

Aidan1150 said:
There's some good stuff here Brian including a lot of info from Tuned about the north coast.

HTH

I was reading up on that and planned on doing Larne-Portrush-Coleraine. But as Tuned mentioned,not recommended during the winter months. Just wondering if the roads are completely clear. If it's still bad,then I'll hang around belfast city for the shopping&food?
Thanks Aidan

Deleted account 220427002 · Jan 21, 2010

BSD said:
I was reading up on that and planned on doing Larne-Portrush-Coleraine. But as Tuned mentioned,not recommended during the winter months. Just wondering if the roads are completely clear. If it's still bad,then I'll hang around belfast city for the shopping&food?
Thanks Aidan

Roads are clear as far as i know... just cold and bleak if you get the wrong day but no different than any other coastal roads in cold or bad weather

davidgibson999 · Jan 21, 2010

BSD said:
I was reading up on that and planned on doing Larne-Portrush-Coleraine. But as Tuned mentioned,not recommended during the winter months. Just wondering if the roads are completely clear. If it's still bad,then I'll hang around belfast city for the shopping&food?
Thanks Aidan

The A2 coast road is clear and well worth a ride/drive! And as Jaythro says you see an amazing school building on the detour - didn't know it existed. Although when I came off the detour a Saxo I had passed prior the diversion was ahead of me so maybe the coast road is not completely blocked at that point :nenau

If you're in Belfast on Saturday morning it's well worth it to visit St George's atmosphere - great atmosphere and food and good live music - runs until about 12pm. You could then do the complete coast road to Coleraine.

nud1e · Jan 21, 2010

Belfast

If you base yourself in Belfast, you can do much of the North in a series of day trips - you'll have the shopping, a choice of eating, the Big Wheel by the City Hall, the Victoria Centre viewing gallery etc.
If the weather is against you, take a run out to the Ulster Transport Museum about 20 mins out from Belfast. Ards Peninsula through Portavogie then the Aquarium in Portaferry before using the ferry to Strangford and on to Ardglass. Newcastle and the Mournes can be good.
That will be the East coast sorted, and the North coast if you do the Coast Road, Ballycastle, Gaint's Causeway, Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine.

Nostalgia - maybe I move back when I retire.

DrFarkoff · Jan 21, 2010

davidgibson999 said:
Although when I came off the detour a Saxo I had passed prior the diversion was ahead of me so maybe the coast road is not completely blocked at that point

Reliably informed it's not blocked just that they fear there may be another landslide

With my luck I'd just be passing the barrier as the Polis turn up the diversion :blast

davidgibson999 · Jan 21, 2010

Jaythro said:
Reliably informed it's not blocked just that they fear there may be another landslide

With my luck I'd just be passing the barrier as the Polis turn up the diversion

aye that would be my luck too!
i'll stick to the diversion me thinks!

Cortina · Jan 21, 2010

If it's like it was before ... you'll not be squeezing past (been and looked !)

Mandylicious · Jan 21, 2010

Hi Brian you could stay hereHandy place for shopping in Lisburn, Sprucefield, Craigavon and Belfast.

:aidan

Jockser · Jan 22, 2010

Mandylicious said:
Hi Brian you could stay here.Handy place for shopping in Lisburn, Sprucefield, Craigavon and Belfast.

Jaysus Mandy, you're generous to a fault, providing B&B for Tossers :thumb2

BSD · Jan 22, 2010

TUNED IN said:
Roads are clear as far as i know... just cold and bleak if you get the wrong day but no different than any other coastal roads in cold or bad weather

davidgibson999 said:
The A2 coast road is clear and well worth a ride/drive! And as Jaythro says you see an amazing school building on the detour - didn't know it existed. Although when I came off the detour a Saxo I had passed prior the diversion was ahead of me so maybe the coast road is not completely blocked at that point

If you're in Belfast on Saturday morning it's well worth it to visit St George's atmosphere - great atmosphere and food and good live music - runs until about 12pm. You could then do the complete coast road to Coleraine.

Thanks for the update guys. Will most prob be there during the week,weekends are out of the question.

nud1e said:
If you base yourself in Belfast, you can do much of the North in a series of day trips - you'll have the shopping, a choice of eating, the Big Wheel by the City Hall, the Victoria Centre viewing gallery etc.
If the weather is against you, take a run out to the Ulster Transport Museum about 20 mins out from Belfast. Ards Peninsula through Portavogie then the Aquarium in Portaferry before using the ferry to Strangford and on to Ardglass. Newcastle and the Mournes can be good.
That will be the East coast sorted, and the North coast if you do the Coast Road, Ballycastle, Gaint's Causeway, Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine.

Nostalgia - maybe I move back when I retire.

Will do

BSD · Jan 22, 2010

Mandylicious said:
Hi Brian you could stay hereHandy place for shopping in Lisburn, Sprucefield, Craigavon and Belfast.

Thanks Mandy,I'll ring them to get best rates.Jury's in Belfast have some good deals on at the moment as well.

Northern Ireland

BSD

Registered user

DrFarkoff

Grumpy Ole Git!!!

BSD

Registered user

Aidan1150

Nice but unfortunate husband.

BSD

Registered user

Deleted account 220427002

Registered user

davidgibson999

Well-known member

nud1e

Registered user

DrFarkoff

Grumpy Ole Git!!!

davidgibson999

Well-known member

Cortina

Well-known member

Mandylicious

Member Supported Charities

Jockser

Well-known member

BSD

Registered user

BSD

Registered user

Similar threads