This post has been written by Victoria about a part of the world I have still yet to really uncover: Ireland.
Ever since having kids, my husband and I have decided to keep our family holidays in the UK. We don’t do the typical summer break in the Spanish Costas, as the costs can quickly spiral out of control and we wouldn’t do much more than lie on the beach in return. And as we’re an active family, we like to be exploring and discovering new things.
That’s why last summer we decided to stay in a hotel just outside Belfast for one week to get to know the area. The location made for an excellent base for the week, which would see us on the hunt for heritage, culture and history. The kids had been doing a unit on castles in school, so we thought we’d bring their education to life by them seeing a few with their own eyes.
If you’re due to visit Belfast, I would certainly recommend that you add a couple of castles to your itinerary as they’re very beautiful and interesting. Here are a couple to consider:
Belfast Castle
Head to the Cave Hill Visitor Centre to learn all about Belfast Castle, one of the city’s most historically significant buildings. The Normans first built on the site in the late 12th century, before a stone and timber castle was erected by Sir Arthur Chichester on the same site in 1611. This structure only lasted 100 years before burning down, and it wasn’t until 1862 that one of his descendants decided to build a new castle on the side of Cave Hill (north Belfast). You’ll have to go along to learn the rest, but the castle is now used for weddings, conferences and other events, but there are a few attractions at Cave Hill that will be of interest to the whole family.
What to do: learn some history in the visitor centre, walk in Cave Hill Country Park, and lark about in the Cave Hill Adventurous Playground.
Carrickfergus Castle
A thirty minute drive from Belfast sits Carrickfergus Castle, overlooking the sea. It is a very striking structure which has a lot of interesting history waiting to be discovered. At this location you can actually have a guided tour to learn about everything (book ahead for a guaranteed place), and the admission price is really reasonable at £13.00 for a family with two adults and two children. A couple of things you’ll discover include a rundown of the 800 years of military involvement, and which nations have besieged the castle over time.
What to do: book a place on a guided tour, visit for a seasonal event (check online), and see the castle by boat or air.
Further exploration
If you are planning on visiting as many castles and historical places of interest as possible, it might be a good idea to look at www.discovernorthernireland.com, which is where we researched the closest sites to Belfast. There are a whole host of other places to explore, so get your pen and pad of paper and start taking some notes.
Photo credit: carrickfergus
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