Date: 5th July 2019
Travelled: 35 kilometres from Whiteabbey, County Antrim to Holywood in County Down
Visited: Carrickfergus Castle and Belfast
Stayed: Seapark car-park, Holywood. Free+B. N54.64771, W05.82560
Budget: 33 days @ โฌ76 per day
Once we settled in at Glen Park we enjoyed a quiet night. Last time I saw that many shisha was in Istanbul or perhaps it was Lakemba. Anyway itโs another grey start but that has become the norm.
We try to follow local knowledge when we hear it. So we point the Hymer at Carrickfergus, itโs only about 8 kms.
Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Map showing Carrickfergus Castle location.
One of the most intact castle in Ireland, Carrickfergus is full of history. 
Pam gets into the theme.
I had some difficulty with the hat… 
But the armour was just my size.
As the keep is getting a new roof our tour was restricted to cannons and costumes. 
After watching 8 series of Game of Thrones, I know the limitations of a crossbow.
Time to go, so we turn the Hymer for Belfast. Itโs an easy 20 minutes and we park in this huge car-park off Middlepath Street in central Belfast. There is no overnight parking here but our day park only costs ยฃ5.60 which seemed reasonable.
Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Map of Belfast showing our parking spot
The Game of Thrones has become the Game of Tourist in Ireland. The touring exhibition is showing here in Belfast, itโs more expensive than the Titanic. 
The Red Woman, sexy but a little scary as well.
Another โOldest Pub in Irelandโ 
The Albert Clock
Finding the tourist Office (for a free map) they recommend visiting the Town Hall and walking the current exhibition. 
When we are advised itโs free Pam gets excited. The Town Hall is a beautiful building.
The exhibitions has lots of photos and history of the city. 
As well as that ship…
The tourist office also recommends the viewing tower at Victoria Square. Basically a dome on top of a shopping centre but the city vista was good. 
Sorry another selfie. Pam wanted to do the stairs, 150. At last count.
We have a Pizza Hut pizza of all things for lunch (first time in 20 years). Pam wasnโt happy, but given we had walked for miles by this stage, she actually said โnice pizzaโ as we walked out.
For the next 90 minutes we get a guided view of the Catholic (Nationalist) Falls Road and Protestant (Unionist) Shankill Road areas. Darren was born on the Falls Road, votes for Sinn Fien but gives a balanced view of the wrongs on both sides.
We visit the various mural sites, murder hot spots and the wall that still divides these communities. A Belfast Taxi Tour costs ยฃ45 and we thought it well worth the money.
The wall was built following a series of riots in 1969, this section is 5kms in length. They still close and lock the 6 gates every night at 11pm and re-open them at 6am. We had no idea all this still goes on after so many years. Darren explains that tensions always rise as the 12th July (Orangemenโs Day) approaches. The Orangemen start building huge bonfires all around Northern Ireland, but particularly so in Belfast adjoining the Nationalist areas.
Panorama of murals, the Falls Road
Bobby Sands 
Typical view along the backyards of those lucky enough to live along the wall. Note the rock stopper mesh.
We ask Darren to drop us at Belfastโs Crown Liquor Saloon. 
So we finish the day with a Guinness and wine at the bar of Belfastโs most famous pub.
We walk back to the Hymer discussing our day. Belfast has been a wonderful place to explore. We pay for our parking and drive about 8kms on to Holywood and park overlooking the Lough. Another day slides through to the keeper…
Michael and Pam
