Date: 4th July 2019
Travelled: 55 kilometres from Toomebridge to Newtownabbey both in County Antrim
Visited: The Castle Garden and Round Tower in Antrim
Stayed: Glen Park (car-park), Whiteabbey, free + B N54.67643, W05.89630
Budget: 32 days @ โฌ75 per day
After a long evening in the bar of The Crosskeys Inn we are a little dull this morning, but much wiser. We understand the complexity of thatching a pub roof and how many pints of Guinness you can have without feeling a little dull the next day.
We make the Hymer ready before driving out of the carpark for Antrim on the northern shore of Lough Neagh. We are looking for a relaxing morning exploring Antrim, then spend some time this afternoon planning our day in Belfast tomorrow.
Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Map showing Antrim
All Saints Church in the Scotch Quarter. 
Most cities have a Chinese or Indian Quarter, itโs where you go for good food. Never had the compulsion to go out to a Scottish restaurant myself.
We spend some 90 minutes walking the gardens and taking the walking trail to Lough Neagh and back. A great way to spend the morning and free to ๐ฅพ.
Just to be clear we did ask the girl in the Tourist Office about the Round Tower. When I asked her to mark its location on the map it became obvious, however she was not a local Round Tower enthusiast. She had no idea and suggested following the signs.
We did find the Round Tower Integrated School, but the tower prove elusive until a couple of lager lads set us straight.
You can read about it here. 
Legend has it that a witch jumped from the tower leaving these indentations in this rock.
So we have done with Antrim as best we can. We drive on the 30 kms to Whiteabbey on the western shores of Belfast Lough. Itโs less than 15 minutes on to Belfast. Whilst we are parked in a small carpark a passing woman tells us to make sure we visit Carrickfergus Castle. Itโs only a few kms away, so we may pop up there in the morning.
I should add as a footnote we initially stopped at Jordontownโs Loughshore Park, but it was taken over by 20 car-loads of young men, their shisha pipes and boom boxes, so we moved a short distance to Glen Park.
Whiteabbey, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Map showing Whiteabbey, icon on our car-park.
Michael and Pam
