My mum and my son share a birthday in April. Mum is now 85 and expressed a desire to visit Giant’s Causeway. This provided a great excuse for a family trip to Northern Ireland.
We arrived on a beautiful Saturday morning. Our airbnb was situated near to Queen’s University, the Botanical Gardens and the Ulster Museum. So our first outing involved a wander in the sunshine …
and lunch where my son ordered a dessert intended for two and managed to scoff the lot.
On Sunday we were collected at 10am for a black cab tour of the murals of West Belfast. I was a little unsure about supporting this type of dark tourism which focuses on The Troubles, but I did learn an awful lot. Here is a photo of us standing in front of a section of the peace wall which separates the Loyalist and Protestant neighbourhood from the Nationalist and Republican. Some peace walls are up to 8m high and roads linking communities are secured by gates which are closed at nights.
In the afternoon we visited Titanic Belfast which is a marvellous exhibition that really gives a sense of the scale and extent of industrial Belfast and the ramifications of the sinking.
The next day we headed for Giant’s Causeway. The coastline is beautiful and we stopped at Cushendun on the Antrim coast for photos.
Further along we came to Carrick-o-Rede and crossed the hanging bridge first erected by Salmon fishermen in 1755.
Giant’s Causeway is a remarkable sight and on a sunny day was packed with visitors but we still managed to find quiet places to sit and contemplate the stories and history of the place.
In the evening we celebrated two birthdays with a special meal.
Tip: if you’re a member of the National Trust remember to take your card to Northern Island and you’ll get free entry to the hanging bridge and Giant’s Causeway plus other places.
the writer is a lonely hunter 
What a great outing for you and your family!! Thanks so much for sharing.