The Ham Nomads

28 Jun 2014. <GB-NIR> Derry, Co. Londonderry —

28 Jun 2014. <GB-NIR> Derry, Co. Londonderry —

Happy Birthday Jonathan!

The birds woke us in the picnic area on the banks of the Foyle, close to Derry. Our plan to go in and park at the Railway Museum worked like a charm, and we were soon walking into the city. Just a block or so from our park, on the way in, was the Derry Visitor and Convention Bureau, a very big information area — it's obvious that Derry puts a lot of effort into tourism! The smiles on the girls at the Information Centre were reason enough to attract tourists to the place — a very warm welcome to the city. And outside there were people offering walking tours of the city. But you know us — independence personified. Give us a map, and perhaps a guidebook, and we'll take ourselves around. And that's what we did.

Gun on City Wall

Guns at Wall of Derry

Derry is the only fully walled city in Ireland, and the walls themselves are incredible. They were completed in 1618, and are 30 feet thick in parts — which makes for a wide boulevarde to walk around the top of the walls, and around the whole medieval part of the city. There were originally four gates (there are now five). It's rather intimidating to walk outside the wall near Artillery Street and see the wall bristling with cannon! The city's walls have never been breached, and the city has never surrendered when under siege, although it has been a close-run thing. This is why Derry is sometimes called "the Maiden City".

Bogside Mural

On the houses on the Bogside (where the Irish, as opposed to the British, lived) there are some murals painted by the "Bogside Artists", specifically to get under the noses of the Brits. The one shown here is of a schoolgirl who was shot by a British Soldier while she was picking up stones on the roadside for a school project! Anyway, we walked the walls for about an hour, then went back to the van to pick up our jackets — the wind was a little cool, and we were going to walk across the Peace Bridge, which would be somewhat exposed.

Peace Bridge

Warren on Peace Bridge

We came back to the Guild Hall, and went in to the cafe there — we were told by a woman at the next table that this was the best cafe in Derry — and one of the cheapest! Well, the food was good, the coffee hot, and we enjoyed our time there. Then we left for the Peace Bridge, which crosses the Foyle just near the Guild Hall. This footbridge, linking the two sides of the River Foyle, and which symbolically links the two sides of the "Troubles" that have plagued Northern Ireland for so many years, was only opened three years ago. It is a suspension bridge, but suspended from two angled towers which means that the bridge takes a sinuous path across the river. Quite spectacular. And there were some interesting shots of the city from the other side, once we got there.

Clipper Race Yachts

Tall Ships

Kids having fun

We have been making a habit of turning up in the right place at the right time. Today is no exception. The boats from the Clipper Round the World 13-14 Race are in port, and the 15th leg of the race sets off from here tomorrow. There are two tall ships in port, as is the RN Frigate LÉ Róisín, and they are all allowing people on board. We went onto the Phoenix, a tall barque-rigged ship which ties in to our Doctor Who viewing, as it was used in the 2011 series! It has also appeared in numerous feature films and other TV series! This is all part of the LegenDerry Maritime Festival, which is running from June 21-29. This afternoon, the sun came out, and the waterfront was alive! We're having a ball!

Distance driven — today, 11 miles ( 18 km ); to date, 3,303 miles ( 5,316 km )