Michael and Pam's Travels Our European Motorhome Adventures and other Travels

Derry, Northern Ireland ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง 2019

Date: 30th June 2019

Travelled: 85 kilometres from Londonderry to Bushmills both in Northern Ireland

Visited: Derry and the Bogside

Stayed: Bushmills P+R car-park, free. T+B. N55.20788, W06.52320

Budget: 28 days @ โ‚ฌ80 per day

After our evening at the Harp Bar we dodged the rain โ˜”๏ธ more than once and made it back to the Hymer. Our little car-park had emptied out except for a couple of other motorhomes. So we enjoyed a good night.

Looking out the window in the morning, I see an odd looking motorhome next door. I see it has Chinese number plates of all things. Anyway we meet Jason and his friend Judy and we talk about motorhomes and blogging. They have driven this Chinese built camper across China and Russia into the EU. Has me thinking about next year…


Jason comes over and has a chat.

The weather looks a bit fickle again as we locked-up and cross the Peace Bridge into Derry. Londonderry or Derry take your pick. Every Londonderry sign we see has the first six letters graffitied. Weโ€™ll go with Derry as thatโ€™s what Pamโ€™s new best friend, said it was last night. The LP recommends walking the old city walls or Derry Bastions, so we find #1 and walk up the steps.




The bastion walls were commenced in 1613 and completed in 1618. Not bad. You cannot build a mile of motorway in Sydney in 5 years. This re-built tower house is now the Tower Museum.

Probably the most striking building in Derry, the Guild Hall.


Another amazing mural.

This beautiful cathedral, St. Columbโ€™s was built in 1633, by the City of London. It was closed being Sunday.


Panorama of the Bogside from the Derry walls.

I note several of these are listed on eBay.


Having done the city walls and taken in the points of interest, our attention turns to the Bogside. I can remember the riots, violence and killing on TV during Bloody Sunday or as itโ€™s known here, the Bogside massacre in January, 1972. All these years later the Bogside still has an air of tension about. The murals reflect the mood or perhaps create the mood.





So thatโ€™s Derry done, it was well worth the stop. Did I tell you the Tour of Derry cycle race is on this weekend ? Itโ€™s Sunday afternoon and the seniors are doing 8 laps around Derry and the traffic is a bit chaotic as we make our way out of town.

We find a laundromat on the outskirts of Derry and do a fortnightโ€™s washing, fill with water and have a late lunch. Itโ€™s only an hour on to Bushmills and we can do the Game of Thrones Coast from there tomorrow.


Map of Bushmills, Northern Ireland, marker on our CP


Michael and Pam


How interesting was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *