Live life 🙌🏼
Happy Friday everyone! I was going through all my flower images this morning and thought I would post the last few roses that I have in my collection. After today, I will be roseless but I have so many other flower species to showcase. These roses were spotted in Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park in Belfast during their rose fair event that they hold annually.
What is a word you feel that too many people use?
I have covered this word before on my Wayne’s Word series but it is an ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE in Northern Ireland and one that is extremely overused. Have you heard people using this word?
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. I thought this week I would go back to basics and show case a few doors from Northern Ireland / Ireland that are still yet to be featured, as it has been a while. Let me know if you have a favourite this week.
Ok, so for this week I will be picking number one as my favourite. It is highly unusual to spot a purple door and I love the design of the door as well as the surrounding archway. What about you?
Have a great day everyone and I look forward to seeing all your door entries over on Dan’s page.
It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.
If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord
Today’s word is FIFTEENS.
Origin: Northern Ireland
Meaning: A no-bake sweet treat made with 15 digestive biscuits, 15 marshmallows, and 15 glacé cherries – hence the name, Fifteens!
Fifteens are a beloved Northern Irish traybake meaning they’re made in a tray, no oven required. These treats became popular in the 20th century as a quick, budget-friendly treat. Their simplicity is key: just five ingredients, no baking, and a bit of fridge time, normally a few hours.
They’re especially common at church fetes, tea breaks, and family gatherings or in my case, a chance to showcase something from Northern Ireland as part of my culture. I have made them a couple of times and they have always been well received. I am making them again this evening for my students as it will be their last day of class on Tuesday.
I have added the recipe below if you ever care to make them. I’m not much of a baker so these are perfect for me to make, it’s hard to go wrong!
15 digestive biscuits (crushed) 15 glacé cherries (halved) 15 marshmallows (chopped), 1/2 tin condensed milk (just enough to bind) and coconut sprinkles (for rolling the mix in).
Instructions:
Mix crushed biscuits, marshmallows, and cherries in a bowl. Stir in condensed milk until it holds together. Roll into a log shape on baking paper, coat in coconut. Chill in the fridge for a few hours. Slice into 15 pieces and voila, you have yourself a tasty treat to share.
It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.
If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord
Today’s word is IDENTITY
Something strange happened to me today. A stranger asked me what part of Ireland I am from as they had heard my accent. I said I was from the North. They looked at me strangely, so I said I’m from Belfast. The response was shocking. “Eww” they said. I looked blankly with confusion. “Eww you’re British”. I was honestly speechless and just walked away.
Now being from Northern Ireland, I know it’s tricky as we can be British and Irish yet neither the Irish or British believe this (some, not all). We’re born on the island of Ireland but the North is governed by Britain. Some people will identify as Irish and some British. I don’t particularly mind being either but the older I become, I find myself identifying more as Irish. I don’t find it insulting to be called either but the fact that they made a sound and facial expression like they were disgusted, truly surprised me, especially from a young Australian person. I felt attacked for no reason.
Speaking from experience, many Irish people don’t consider us Irish enough to be Irish and many Brits don’t even know we’re part of Britain. Therefore, we really struggle at times with our identity, or at least I do on occasions. Does anyone else have issues with their identity or experienced something similar?
I know being Irish or British doesn’t define me as a whole and to be honest, I’m happy to be included in both. I also primarily consider myself to be a proud Northern Irish man, yet that is just one aspect of me. Identity also includes qualities, beliefs, personality, and expressions that make a person, not just where you are from. What are your thoughts? Do you have similar issues with where you’re from? I am intrigued to hear other views.
Wayne
It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.
If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord
Today’s word is AUTUMNAL 🍂
Autumnal (adjective) means relating to or characteristic of autumn, the season. I’ve always known Autumn to be the season after summer and it was only when I lived in America that I learned it was known as ‘Fall’ there. I’m not sure why, maybe someone can enlighten me. I’m guessing it is because the leaves fall from the trees. It’s funny that we’re in Autumn here in Sydney in April / May and luckily we still experience the same colours.
Autumnal can describe physical things, like autumnal colors (reds, oranges, browns), weather (crisp, cool air) or moods (reflective, mellow, even a little melancholic). Personally I use it to describe anything with Autumn colours, “that looks very autumnal” and they are some of my absolute favourite colours.
I trust you all had a lovely Monday!
It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.
If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord
Today’s word is FUTTER
(Northern Irish slang, pronounced “footer”).
This is one of my all time favourite words, a very local, colloquial word that is a verb (a doing word, e.g. to futter) and it’s got that great, flexible Northern Irish charm to it.
It typically means to fidget with something, mess around or waste time doing something in an unproductive or clumsy way. It’s a bit like procrastinating but doing silly things that really don’t need to be done at this current moment of time.
Examples in use:
– “He’s been futtering about with that car all morning and still hasn’t fixed it.”
– “Quit futtering and get a move on!”
It is usually lighthearted or teasing — it’s not harsh. Someone who is “futtering” might be tinkering, daydreaming or just not getting on with it.
Let me know if you have ever heard of this word or maybe you have another word to describe futtering.
Wayne
Another year comes to end, hard to believe right?! I love looking back through the months and picking a highlight, sometimes there’s more than one and sometimes it’s just the little things in life that stood out that month.
This was a quieter year for us with no holidays as such as we had just moved back to Australia from Ireland. We had to start from scratch, finding a place to live, buying furniture again and purchasing a car. This year was about fitting back into Aussie life and trying to save some money, whilst working hard and enjoying life at the same time. Luckily, we were fortunate to be able to fly home to Ireland for a month which was really lovely as I always miss the kids in our family.
That being said, I was happy to look back through the months of this year and see that we actually have done more than I first thought and it makes me appreciate that 2024 was a pretty good year.
Thank you all for reading this post and all your support again through 2024. I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Enjoy the time with those nearest and dearest and I will see you in 2025 where I’m sure I will be partaking in Bloganuary once again.
Best wishes to you all,
Wayne
Happy Friday everyone. I am a day late with my doors as I was really hoping to find some festive doors yesterday when I was out and about. Sadly I didn’t find any and decided to go to the beach instead.
My festive door is part of Dan’s holiday doors theme and it was taken from two years ago when we lived in Hillsborough, Northern Ireland. It’s a fantastic door and the little decorations certainly give it that Christmassy feel. I absolutely love the brick work of this building and the design of the panel windows and transom window, almost looks like a spider’s web.
I look forward to seeing all your holiday doors over the weekend.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another fantastic week of stunning doors. This week I am showing a few doors from Northern Ireland. I seem to have a never ending supply from when I visited home two months ago. As always, please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
I love all these doors for various reasons. The first door was taken in a thrift shop with lots of antiques and bric-a-brac. I spotted this door at the back and was very interested to see what was behind it but I didn’t have the courage to look as I think it was meant for staff. I love door number three simply for the absolutely stunning building that it is part of. It used to be a department store but has now been transformed into a fine dining restaurant from the Ivy group (best known for its sister restaurant in London). However, I LOVE door number five in Armagh for its really unique design and fantastic colour. It looks like something you would see belonging to Scrooge McDuck, with lots of gold coins being kept behind this door. If you’re an eighties child, you will know what I mean.
Have a great week everyone and I look forward to creating my next doors of WordPress post as it will be my 100th edition!!
All the best,
Wayne
Happy Friday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. It feels weird to even create a doors post on a Friday but I somehow completely missed Thursday. I was in work today when I realised it was Friday and that I had completely forgotten about yesterday being Thursday Doors day!
This week I have one door to show from Belfast. I walked past this door and immediately fell in love with the graffiti caption. I feel that it is a fantastic statement to live by and one that I think about quite regularly. If I’m having a bad day, a sad day or wishing I had more in life, I always like to think of this sentiment and remind myself that it “could be worse”.
Be grateful for what you have, especially in these trying times. If you have clean water, a roof over your head, a loving family, clean air to breathe, legs to walk, good health, not trapped in a war zone etc. you get my point. Just be grateful and appreciate that things could always be worse. There are people out there who have truly a lot to be sad about. There’s always worse off sadly.
On that note, have a lovely weekend and appreciate the little things in life.
Wayne
Hi everyone and a very happy Thursday to you all. This week’s doors are from Hillsborough, a little village in Northern Ireland. Some of you may remember that we lived here for nearly a year when we temporarily moved back to Northern Ireland last year. During our trip home last month we just had to return and spend a couple of days here as we had loved living there so much.
Please let me know if you have a favourite door this week.
Ok so number 5 technically has a few doors here but I’m thinking more of the black door behind the mini. To be honest this has to be my favourite, not only for the fantastic door, surrounding arch and transom window but I also love the brickwork of the building. It’s also one of my favourite images and really gives you a feel for the village of Hillsborough. The flowers, the bunting and even the mini parked outside all add to the visual.
Anyway, thanks for taking a look at my doors this week and have a fantastic weekend everyone.
Wayne
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of spectacular doors. This week I am showcasing just one door that I found within the grounds Antrim Castle, located in the Platinum Clockwork Garden. I have wanted to visit this garden since it opened in 2022 and it did not disappoint. The door itself is quite simple, a beautiful green door set within a stunning tower made of bricks.
The Platinum Jubilee Clockwork Garden at Antrim Castle is a unique and enchanting installation that captures the spirit of both history and creativity. It was designed to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, however, it is not just a tribute to her 70 years of service but also a testament to the power of innovation in art and horticulture.
Interestingly, there isn’t an actual clock in the Platinum Jubilee Clockwork Garden. The “clockwork” theme refers more to the garden’s artistic design rather than to the presence of a functioning clock. The installation uses mechanical elements and sculptures that create the idea of clockwork, symbolizing the passage of time and celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign.
If you ever find yourself in Northern Ireland, a visit to the Platinum Jubilee Clockwork Garden at Antrim Castle would be recommended. It’s a place where history, nature, and art come together to create a truly magical experience.
Wayne
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. As you may be aware, I’m currently visiting home in Northern Ireland and have just over a week left of my trip. Fortunately, I have seen an abundance of fantastic doors, something that has been lacking for me in Australia of late.
We visited a place called Armagh last week, the county where I am from. We simply took a stroll around the city and breathed in all the amazing history and architecture which I will have to show you all later at some point. In addition, I also stumbled upon some amazing and very colourful doors. I thought, seeing as it’s Pride month here in Northern Ireland, where people come together to stand for LGBTQA+ rights, it would be a fitting time to show case these colourful doors. Apparently the pride flag colours represent the diversity of the LGBTQA+ community and the spectrum of human sexuality and gender. Personally, I just love the colours and they make me feel happy when I see them.
As always please let me know if you have a favourite this week and I hope you’re all keeping well in the blogosphere.
All the best,
Wayne
Wayne
Thank you for the reminder WordPress that I have been blogging for the past seven years. I actually always remember this myself anyway, as I started this blog when I emigrated to Australia seven years ago.
I find it insane that I have actually lasted this long as I never imagined it to be a long term project. My aim was to show case places that I was visiting in Australia and maybe inspire others to visit them. This has continued but I would say that my journey has changed throughout the past few years, meandering my way throughout the blogging world, always on the hunt for tips and advice, learning new things and meeting new people along the way. It’s a journey that I thoroughly enjoy, however, my only wish would be to have more time to invest in blogging. Also more time to travel would be lovely but alas, one still has to work and bills to pay 😜.
When Covid hit, I thought I had nothing left to blog about as we could no longer travel. However, I soon learned that you don’t have to stick to what you normally blog about. The blogging community taught me that it’s my blog and I can write about whatever suits ME and whenever suits me. I participated in many writing challenges throughout the covid lockdowns and beyond, with some of them now firmly in my psyche, for example, being a member of the Thursday Doors club hosted by the amazing Dan!
I have found the blogging community to be strong, supportive and for the most part, inclusive. Thank you all for having me in your blogging space and I really hope to still be around for the next seven years. I will continue my doors posts and hopefully share some new travel experiences now that I have moved back to Australia. Next week I am heading home to Northern Ireland to visit my family which I am extremely excited for. It’s only been seven months since I have last seen them but I really do miss my family, especially as I have a new niece to meet!! I will keep you all posted on what we get up to.
Many, many thanks,
Wayne
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors.
I’m not sure if any one will know this but today is in fact National Irish Coffee Day…and I love Irish coffees!!! When I am home in Northern Ireland, I will always try and have at least one. In 2019 I asked my Dad to show me how to make them. I think he was proud to teach me and they tasted delicious.
In honour of it being this day, I thought I would showcase some of my recent and favourite public house doors from Northern Ireland. As always, let me know if you have a favourite.
Have you ever tried an Irish coffee??? I could have one right now, however, it’s only 7am here!
Wayne
I love showcasing just one photo per month to look back on the year we just had. It’s good to reflect, see how far we have come and look back with fondness on the memories we have made.
I would just like to say thank you for all your encouragement throughout the year and I am very grateful for the connections we have all built in the blogging world. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas if you celebrate and a Happy New Year.
Take care,
Wayne
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. This week I simply have one door to show you all but it’s a fantastic one so I’m happy for it to shine on its own.
I have been a little quieter on my blog of late for two reasons…1. Being extremely busy with life and 2. I am in the process of clearing my media library to free some space. I’m replacing my older photos on posts with smaller photos and it is working really well, however, is it quite time consuming (and can be frustrating too).
I look forward to seeing all your wonderful doors this week.
Take care and have a great weekend.
Wayne ✌🏽
Wayne ✌🏽
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. I have only three doors to show case today but I feel they are very much worth showing. These colourful doors were spotted in Glenarm, a little coastal village on the Causeway Coastal route that takes you from Belfast to the North of the country.
As always, please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
My favourite this week is number 3 and that’s simply because I love the colour of the door against the grey backdrop. I can’t decide if the colour of the door reminds me of red wine or a beetroot! What do you think?
Wayne ✌🏽
Wayne 💪🏼
Thank you Tanja of The red phone box travels very much for featuring me as a guest writer on your blog! I am delighted to share this magical place with everyone.
Finn Lough spa Finn Lough – Elements Trail and Spa Set in Fermanagh, a county in the west of Northern Ireland, you will find a beautiful and tranquil…
Guest post: Finn Lough – Elements Trail and Spa
What daily habit do you do that improves your quality of life?
For the past couple of years I have been eating oats for breakfast, normally up to five days per week. I love how they taste, they’re super healthy, easy to make and relatively cheap. I feel that they will improve my quality of life due to the many health benefits that they have been linked to, for example, lowering blood glucose levels, they’re rich in antioxidants and can lower cholesterol levels.
I often refer to Healthline to research anything to do with health. According to this website, oats have nine health benefits, feel free to check them out here. I always love to know the good things that food can do for our bodies
I have recently become obsessed with a brand called White’s and was delighted to discover that they are made in my hometown of Tandragee. I always knew we made oats where I am from but never thought I would end up eating them, never mind loving them!
Do you like oats? Do you prefer quick or overnight oats?
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. This week I only have one beautiful door to show you and it was actually not even my first priority when taking this photograph. This stunning and classic car massively caught my eye and luckily there just so happened to be a fantastic door in the background, presumably owned by the same person (what great taste).
Have any of you seen this car model before? It’s an MG Roadster from 1964! These cars were built as the soft top sports cars and were manufactured from 1962 until 1980 by the British Motor Corporation. I know very little about any car to be honest but I can certainly appreciate a cool car. I love the colour and style of this car and you can tell that it’s being looked after very well indeed.
The door in the background is a fantastic shape and colour, set perfectly in beautiful surroundings. I hope you enjoy the door this week and the car in the forefront. Please let me know if you have ever seen one of these cars or perhaps even owned one.
I am currently writing this post just before I head to the airport as we are off to France for a few days. Hopefully I will see some amazing doors on my travels and look forward to sharing them with you all. Take care and see you soon.
Wayne ✈️
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of fabulous doors. This week is from my current place of residence again and my favourite town, drum roll please…can we guess where it is haha…Hillsborough!
I initially took the photograph because of the really cool and unique car that was parked on the street. I have never seen a car so small and surprisingly the driver was able to fit in a large amount of groceries. It was only when I had taken the snap that I realised all the fantastic doors in the background. I’m pretty sure I have photographed a couple of them individually but I love them all collectively on this street.
How many doors can you see in this photograph? Do you have a favourite? Have you ever seen a car so small?? Please share your thoughts 😊
Wayne ✌🏽
Strangford is a small village in Northern Ireland just at the mouth of Strangford Lough. We managed to take a day trip here a few weeks ago on a rare sunny day and I really wanted to show you some photos to help show case this amazing place.
On the outskirts are some fantastic places of interest such as Scrabo Tower (that I have highlighted before) and Castle Ward (home of Winterfell, Game of Thrones), however, today I simply want to show you the village itself.
I have been here before on a normal cloudy day but I had never visited when the weather was actually good. Being in Strangford when the sun is beaming is just magical and you no longer feel that you are in Northern Ireland but transported to somewhere in the Mediterranean. As it’s a seaside town, you really do have those holiday feelings of pure joy and excitement. There is beautiful architecture, mixed with some old stone buildings, showing you how historical this village is, dating back to the 15th century. The area is also known for its conservation work and environmental significance, being the home to numerous bird and fish species, as well as seals and dolphins.
Across the Lough is another pretty village called Portaferry and you can take a boat across from Strangford for a small fee. The journey is short taking about fifteen to twenty minutes and you can even take your car on board. Many locals use this service to get to and from work. In our case, we headed over to have an ice cream by the harbour and were lucky to spot a couple of the local dolphins swimming past.
We finished our day trip with a stop at the Portaferry Windmill, built in 1771. I love old historical buildings and it fascinates me that they are still standing after all this time. If only we could see them in their heyday.
Thanks for checking out Strangford and our trip over to Portaferry. It really is a beautiful place to visit and I cannot wait to return one day. It would be lovely to spend a weekend here and see what else there is to see and do. I believe Strangford is a great place to wine and dine as the seafood is famous here for being outstandingly delicious.
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors or in my case today, simply one door. I had visited Mussenden Temple last weekend (for the second time) when staying at the north coast of Northern Ireland and wanted to share this amazing building and it’s fantastic door with you all.
This temple is one of the most photographed buildings in Ireland and sits perched on a cliff’s edge, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It was built around 1783 for the Earl Bishop and was originally used as a library. For more information you can check out the link here. It certainly has an interesting history but I really love this building for its architecture and it’s intricate detail. The location is just stunning, situated between the home of the Earl Bishop and the coastline. I’m pretty certain the door would not be an original but nonetheless, it still appears to be pretty grand and sturdy.
Thanks for taking a look at this amazing temple. Please let me know if you have ever visited here or if you have ever seen a temple like this one on your travels.
All the best,
Wayne ✌🏽
Wayne 🦢
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of amazing doors from Northern Ireland. This week we had the most fantastic weather, enabling us to carry out some local travelling. On Monday we visited the picturesque seaside town of Strangford. I am looking forward to showing you this town very soon but for now, you can check out some really cool doors that I was able to spot there. As always, please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
My favourite this week is number five, the red door. I love the bright colour, it really pops out and I love how regal the door looks. Also you can’t help but love the frame and brick work, absolutely stunning!
Enjoy the rest of your week everyone and take care.
Wayne ✌🏽
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. It’s been a warm week here in Northern Ireland and I am certainly not complaining. We love to see the sunshine here as it doesn’t happen too often.
I took a walk along the Lisburn Road, Belfast a few days ago to get some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine. This road is famous for being a student area and having lots of rented accommodation for those studying nearby, myself included. As you head up the Lisburn Road, it becomes a more affluent area with trendy cafes, bars and boutique stores. I lived on this road for over a decade before moving to Australia, so it was a real delight to be walking along here again. On my stroll I came across a row of stunning terrace houses with fantastic doors and I wanted to share them with you. There was a few but I only managed to take pictures of my favourite three. Please let me know your thoughts on them.
I LOVE the brick work of the houses, the bright colours of the doors, the arch frame and just their general quaintness. Absolutely stunning doors!
Have a great weekend everyone.
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of fantastic doors. This week I took a look in my archive from doors taken in Northern Ireland a few years ago, just before I left for Australia. It’s funny to look back at my old photos and realise I have loved doors for many years now without even realising it. Please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
My favourite this week is number four. It’s extremely quaint and I do appreciate a red door! Can you believe next week will be my 50th post showcasing my favourite weekly doors? I need to create something special for next week 😅, so stay tuned!
Wayne ✌🏽
Wayne ✌🏽
The Balmoral Show is a four day extravaganza that happens every year in Northern Ireland (with a break during covid times). It is the official agricultural event in the country and also the oldest, with the first show having been held in 1872. It offers the chance for people all over the country to come together and be involved in farming exhibitions, competitions, championships , sample local cuisine and check out the farming fashion.
As a child and teenager, I had been to this show many times. As part of the school curriculum, our classes of pupils were taken here yearly for a day out. We all loved it, the chance to roam free (from teachers) through all the stalls on offer, see the variety of animals on show, marvel at the sheer amount of tractors, see what it is like to a part of the farming world, try the different food stalls and collect as many freebies as we could, mostly pens!! (we would see who could obtain the most).
I had always wanted to return as an adult and see if the magic was still alive and to my delight, it really was! The event was previously held in the King’s Hall but is now held outside Lisburn at the Eikon Exhibition Centre at Balmoral Park. Luckily for us we could walk to the venue and I was super grateful as the traffic was pretty busy and you had to pay for parking (crazy considering the ticket prices were £25 each). On display were numerous stalls with local food, gifts, clothing etc. We were able to watch some sheep competitions, dressage, horse jumping and quad bike jumping. There was so much more on offer and with your map (given on entry), you can plan your day with what you want to see and do.
Have a look at my highlights below from spending the day at the Balmoral Show and please let me know if you have anything like this where you are from or would something like this be of interest to you. I would love to know!
Thank you all for taking the time to read my post, I was delighted to be able to attend the show this year and thrilled to share a little of my day with you all. Have a great week everyone.
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of local doors. My entries for this week are from a town called Newry in Co.Down, Northern Ireland, close to the border with Ireland. I have been here a lot over the past few weeks and have enjoyed coming across some new and beautiful doors. I hope you like them as much as I do and let me know if you have a favourite this week.
For me this week, I kept the best for last. I love number 6 for its colour and regal appearance. The archway, pillars on either side and transom window really make the door pop! What do you think?
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you all had a lovely weekend and enjoyed the coronation if you watched it. Tonight’s sunset was taken a few evenings ago at Hillsborough Lake. I am obsessed with this place and walk around this lake almost every day. The sunsets here are just fantastic.
Wayne ✌🏽
As most you already know, on my days off work, I like to get out and about to see some scenery, explore new places and appreciate the nature around us. I have actually been to this reserve before and really loved it, however, it was a cloudy day (surprise surprise) so I really wanted to return one day when the weather was better. Fortunately, we had a couple of days last month where the sun was splitting the trees and we took the opportunity to return to the Murlough National Nature Reserve. This place is really something else and I cannot wait to share it with you all.
Murlough National Nature Reserve is a delicate and impressive 6000 year old sand dune structure owned by the National Trust and has been cared for as Ireland’s first Nature Reserve since 1967. It is an outstanding area for walking, bird watching and taking in the sights due to its sensational location at the edge of Dundrum Bay and the Mourne Mountains (Tourism Northern Ireland, 2023). This is an extremely special location where you can enjoy breathtaking ocean views, with beaches, sand dunes and mountains all in one place.
Before we headed out for a walk, we had to eat. I was pretty hungry as we arrived around lunch time. We parked the car and headed towards Murlough House, just situated five minutes away. Thanks to Google, I discovered there was a cafe there and even better, they had outside dining. Luckily for us, the weather was beautiful so it was the perfect spot to sit out and enjoy the sunshine.
From here we ended up back to the carpark just before Murlough House. All in all, this was a three hour round trip journey with a half hour pit stop for lunch. I highly recommend you check this place out if in Northern Ireland and have some time to see some stunning scenery.
Thanks for taking a look.
Wayne ✌🏽
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Friday everyone and it’s Good Friday today for those celebrating Easter this weekend. Today we took a walk around Hillsborough Castle as they currently have their Spring Spectacular event on display. Here they show case many new spring flowers in bloom, with particular emphasis on rare Northern Ireland daffodils.
Therefore, my flower of the day has to be the daffodil today. I never tire of seeing these brightly coloured flowers as they are a reminder that winter is over and spring is finally here. I always associate daffodils with Easter too, as I’m sure many people do.
I hope they manage to brighten your day as they did mine today. Happy Easter to you all and I hope you enjoy some time to unwind and spend time with those nearest and dearest. Best wishes.
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors, all of which are from nearby places in Northern Ireland.
The weather is starting to improve here as we enter spring and the nights are stretching longer. Pure joy! Hopefully, I will be able to frequent outdoors more often and find some more doors across the country over the coming months.
Please let me know if you have a favourite this week 😊
My favourite this week is number three from Carlingford. I love the colour of the door and it’s position in this very quirky looking house.
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors from around Northern Ireland. I am sticking with my north coast theme this week and showing you some doors from the Causeway Coastal Route that I posted about yesterday. Please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
I think my favourite has to be number three, even if it is a black door. I think it has an elegant appearance, with its transom window and archway. I also really admire the stone work of the building. This was once a school house dating back to the 1850s and is now a very popular cafe for tourists. It’s very quaint inside however it can be pretty pricey. We paid £7.50 for two teas!
Thanks for taking a look and enjoy the rest of your week.
Wayne ✌🏽
The north coast of Northern Ireland / Ireland is undeniably beautiful and severely underrated. If you are from Northern Ireland, you will have travelled here many, many times as a child for your holidays. When people couldn’t afford foreign holidays, families would travel here to the coast, no matter if there was rain, hail or shine. Sadly, as many of you will know, our weather is notoriously wet and cold, however, when you do have good weather, the north coast is absolutely breathtaking and has a lot to offer.
You can travel along the north coast, also known as the Causeway Coast and there are numerous locations along the coastal route that are very much worth seeing. I have been to the north coast a lot but I haven’t often travelled along the Causeway Coastal route. It is well sign posted along the whole route and I will highlight the top sites to stop and see, at least those that we were able to tick off our bucket list.
We stayed in one of the popular towns in the north of the country, Portrush. I know this town pretty well as my parents lived here for a few years. It’s a really stunning coastal town and an extremely popular holiday destination. There are gorgeous walks along it’s two beaches, the West and East Strand. Portrush is well known for its theme park for the kids, surfing and paddle boarding and of course its abundance of fantastic restaurants and bars along the coast, in the town itself and by the harbour. For us, this is where we started our journey along the Causeway Coastal Route.
I hope you have enjoyed the journey along Northern Ireland’s spectacular coastline and hopefully one day you may be able to see it for yourself, if you haven’t done so already. I know I am biased but it is honestly extremely beautiful!
Wayne ✌🏽
What is the last thing you learned?
I had never driven in snow before, believe it or not. Today was my first time and the snow fall was plentiful. It has been snowing all night so I was not looking forward to my 5.40 am wake up call.
So what did I learn before arriving to work?
I learned the importance of giving yourself plenty of time to clear the snow from your car.
I learned to use a higher gear when driving from your driveway so the wheels do not spin.
I learned not to break when driving down a very steep hill, instead steering my way down and hoping not to meet any other cars.
And if at first you don’t succeed (almost sliding into a wall), try, try again.
Thankfully I made it so work successfully and survived my first snow day in my car 😅😅.
Did anyone else experience snow today?
Wayne ✌🏽
Tonight’s Sunday sunset taken from our own very back garden at 5.30pm. The nights here are getting longer and by next week I believe the sun will set at 6pm. This is the best thing about summer in the UK and Ireland, the longer nights, where it can be daylight until about 11pm at night, meaning your days will be super long. Bring it on I say!
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Friday to you all. It’s been a while since I have showcased a Friday flower / flower of the day but I thought today was very appropriate. These are Dutch crocuses and bloom in spring time, hallelujah it’s a sign that winter is coming to an end. I love the colour of these and you can’t help but smile when you see them. I am currently on day two of having covid and my only trip outside is for a walk where there are no people. I’m feeling ok, just tired with a runny nose. These flowers cheered me up, as did the walk and fresh air.
Enjoy your weekend everyone.
Wayne ✌🏽
Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you.
So I have just transitioned to the Jetpack app (I wonder will I miss seeing the WordPress app on my phone?!) and now I appear to have prompts for writing. That’s pretty cool, especially on days that you’re maybe struggling to think of material. I maybe won’t always respond to these but this prompt I found interesting.
My favourite pair of shoes were a pair of Vans that my cousin recommended. They were black with brown laces and I found them to be stylish, yet extremely comfortable. I love a shoe that you can wear with chinos or jeans and appear smart but also look casual with a pair of shorts. The downside was that they didn’t last too long but I guess I wore them to death! They took me all over Sydney on many, many walks and also around Northern Ireland when I wore them home in 2019 when touring the north coast.
Wayne ✌🏽
Last month we managed to squeeze in a few different walks here in Northern Ireland. Some of these, you can spend maybe an hour walking around and others you can spend longer as it will take more time to walk around or you may find yourself snapping away at the beautiful scenery. They are great walks for getting out of the house and taking in some beautiful views and fresh country air. I have provided the websites for each location so you can check them out for yourselves also. These are perfect if you are looking for somewhere different to walk or if you ever plan to visit Northern Ireland in the future. There are many other walks that I have taken or plan to take but these are just the last few that I have walked recently.
Castlewellan Forest Park
https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/castlewellan-forest-park-p675411
Silent Valley Reservoir
https://www.niwater.com/the-silent-valley-trails/
Gosford Forest Park
https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/gosford-forest-park-p67516
Hillsborough Forest Park
https://visitbelfast.com/partners/hillsborough-forest/
Scarva Park
Craigavon Lakes
https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/craigavon-lakes-p694861
I hope you enjoy seeing the walks that I have taken over the last few weeks. They are all unique in their own way and offer a place that’s perfect for clearing your mind and taking in some fresh country Northern Irish air.
Take care and keep walking!
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. I have a selection from three different places in Northern Ireland. Please let me know if you have a favourite. I love the last two doors, especially with the beautiful wreaths attached and I believe the home was lived in by the popular artist Colin Middleton ( a Northern Ireland landscape artist).
We have just returned from Carlingford in Ireland for a mini break and I have thee most amazing doors to show you all in the coming weeks so be sure to stay tuned. I will also write a blog showcasing Carlingford, highlighting the best things to do and see. It’s a special little town just over the border from Northern Ireland.
Enjoy the rest of your week everyone.
Wayne ✌🏽
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to 2023. These are the first doors to be shown here on my blog this year and I thought I would showcase some doors all found in one street! It’s not often that you find a street where you appreciate every single door. I had seen this once in Sydney in Darlinghurst and now once here in Northern Ireland. As many of you will know by now, there is a quaint little town here in Northern Ireland that I absolutely adore, known as Royal Hillsborough. I thought I had seen most of the doors here, however, after having walked off the beaten track, I stumbled across a tiny street with the quaintest doors I have seen for some time. Please let me know what you think of these or if you have ever discovered a street where all the doors are as fantastic as each other.
Wayne ✌🏽
Wayne 🎅🏽
I was catching up with a good friend from Sydney at the weekend past and wanted to meet in a place that suited us both for travelling. My friend was coming from Dublin and I would be travelling from Belfast. We settled on the Ballymascanlan Hotel, just outside Dundalk. This was a one hour drive away for both us, making it a perfect spot for a lunch date.
This hotel was very easy to find from Belfast. Straight down the motorway, onto the dual carriageway towards Dundalk and then just off the roundabout towards Carlingford. I was aided with google maps but just be mindful that the mobile data may switch off, as did in my case, due to travelling from Northern Ireland to Ireland.
The hotel is very quaint, an old Victorian house in the middle of a stunning parkland. Inside was beautifully decorated, ready for Christmas. We had a three course Christmas lunch that was very tasty and really made us feel those Christmas vibes. We loved it and I will definitely be keen to return in the future. Be sure to check this place out.
Have you a favourite spot for a Christmas lunch? What do you do to feel Christmassy? Tis’ the season!
Wayne 🎅🏽
WrookieSchU 