Northern Ireland

After arriving at Dublin I jumped in the rental and made my way up to Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. The 3hr drive was pleasant enough though nothing special since I was on the main road. Once there, with the exception of paved roads, I found the area quiet similar to Scotland with its rolling hills and livestock all around. The actual Causeway was hard to describe. On the one hand the formation was quite impressive given its size and height, on the other it was something that you could fully experience in 30mins. In general I'm not sure it was totally worth the drive. However as sunset approached it casted a warm glow on the rocks which soften the roughness. In fact as people started to thin out and you were left with just the sound of the ocean collapsing on the shore, the appeal of the area became undeniable.

The next morning under the sun's warm first light I went to the Dark Hedges. For those that are unfamiliar with the area, it is a hilly street surrounded by gnarly trees so overgrown that they that produce a tunnel like effect. More recently it was made famous by a scene in Game of Thrones like many other locations in the area. The light couldn't have been more perfect as I stood there one of two photographers happily snapping away.

I can't image the place in mid day filled with tourist as I have seen photos of the street just lined with cars completely void of its allure. Before leaving the area I made a final stop to Kinbane Head, a hidden peninsula only visible after descending a few flights of stairs. As with many places around it was almost completely empty, leaving you to enjoy it in solitude.

Rating: 

Atmosphere: I love the openness of the countryside where past sunset there isn't anyone in sight and the whole land falls into a calm surrender. In the morning you wake up to the crisp air and watch as the light begins to bounce off the hills. It is truly peaceful.

Beauty: There is much more Northern Ireland has to offer than Giant's Causeway I've learned. With many castle ruins and dramatic cliffs, I can see why many movies where made there.

Cleanliness: With visitor centers set up at the major sights it was a lot easier to find access to trash cans and facilities than Scotland. And since they were set far from the attractions and the actual attractions themselves never closed, it still felt rustic.

Food: I think I should just give up on expecting good food on this trip. In fact the best meals I've had so far was Chinese and Korean take out. The Irish stew yesterday was boarder line disguising as the gravy was way thick and unappealing with little seasoning.

People: Just as nice as the Scots with accents just slightly easier to understand.

Last comment: I'm glad to have made the trip out and that weather was so pleasant the whole time because I doubt I will be returning anytime soon.

Scale: 7.5