Portaferry, Northern Ireland

[bea]

anyone know of the place? as i think we maybe heading there for easter, it looks lovely... and quite looking forward to going to belfast too, read the belfast on a budget thread... anymore things to do with a 3 yr old and year old in belfast? (whilst hubby at a conference..) places to eat and nappy change stops! appreciated!

Sorry. Take the ferry - I'm sure it'll be a breeze for you. You can do a 99 min fast ferry from Holyhead.

Forgot about the fast one bear, good thinking.

right... you lot! here to pick your brains again... we have FINALLY!!! thank the lord decided on a ferry crossing, holyhead to dun loghare (sorry about spelling)... we think we might make a stop over in wales, any ideas for somewhere to stay around the area... with a 3 and 1 year old... family suites (where the kids could have their own room!) would be ideal... however i think these are far and few between and very very pricey... not too pricey... but nothing with chintz and 80's furniture either... thought about travel lodge... but i can't bear sleeping in same room as kiddies.... sometimes i think i must be the only parent who does as all the hotels have family rooms... which means sharing a room with the kiddies... eeek!!! and whisoering and creeping around the room once they've gone to bed...

anyway any help would be appreciated.... once again!!!

hello all!

we just got back from portaferry last night and would just like to say many many thanks for all those who gave me advice about portaferry etc...

we went to exploris, dd loved holding the starfish!

lots of walking on the beach, visited mount stewart (national trust) which was spectacular, went to the giants causeway which was fab and amazing... dd loved climbing up and down the stones... we dared walk across the rope bridge at carric-a-rede (or something like that... i've forgotton!), went to the ballycopeland windmill which was closed!!! which was a bit of a shame... but it was lovely to see a windmill all the same...and dh was very bad and skived a day off his conference, so there was no need for me to do my day in belfast! (went to teh Causway instead!!)

Bear you were right about the Barn... absoloutly fantastic place to stay!!! i loved the balcony!!! hosts were very very helpful!!!

all in all a lovely holiday...once again thanks for all the advice!

Bea - I'm so glad you had a great time - you know what it's like, you recommend something to the max then worry that the person you recommended it too didn't like it. Portaferry's my favourite place in the world - did you go back and forth on the Portaferry ferry (love saying that)? How was the journey - did everyone cope OK? Well done on the rope bridge - it can be quite hairy. I'm dead jealous

we did A LOT of travelling... it took us 12 hours from doorstep to doorstep.. i was not amused... however the kids took it great... they were amazing and were pretty happy all the way there... we stopped once or twice had a two hour wait for the ferry so they played in the 'lounge' at holyhead, and then it was dad duty all the way on the ferry as i am rubbish on ferries and the slightest motion makes me queasy so i just sat back and closed my eyes!!! (dh knew this would be the deal if we got the ferry), so bearing this in mind... no we didn't go back and forth on the portaferry ferry!, we had a fantastic evening dinner at the portaferry hotel, dd loved the giants causeway and i must say it is a lovely part of the work... what amazed me the most was the amount of derilict barns in the most fantastic locations crying out for a 'makeover'... over here they would be snapped up just like that!!!!

Nip across the border into Donegal and you'll see what happens when permissions for barn makeovers are granted willy-nilly. Every bend in the road yields another mini-Southfork ranch complete with doric columns (one we saw last holiday even had a mini Statue of Liberty!). Glad you enjoyed it all - spread the word, it's God's own country and worthy of a visit or two.

Bea - I was at the aquarium at portaferry last week!! Love it there. Glad you had a good time! Next time - fly!

hey Grommitt! there's no need to persuade me to fly... it's my dh!!! he's very worried about our 'Carbon Footprint' on the world... i understand what he emans... but i must say it's beginning to p**s me off! (another long story!)

i think if i lived in or around portaferry i think i would probably spend a LOT of time in the aquarium.. great cafe, things for kids to do, space for you to sit and ponder... very nice!

Oh yes, oh yes, they have bleedin' ruined it, haven't they?

(Sob!)

It's the eagles on gateposts that i love so much!Always thought they were a winner when paired witha Hacienda bungalow

Pamina3 - hee hee! i was fine across it but dh was not amused... on the way there he had ds on a back pack and holding dd's hand... when he got to the other side he said i had to takee dd back... (kept doing worse case scenarios in his head...!) i was fine on the way back except half way across dd (3yrs) thought it would be quite funny if she started jumping up and down!!!!