The Ham Nomads

29 Jun 2014. <GB-NIR> Derry, Co. Londonderry; Magheracross, Co. Fermanagh; Giant's Causeway, Co. Antrim —

The Guild Hall on the way in

Woke up in our picnic area south of Derry. Got moving and into our carpark at the Railway Museum (as was). Went in to the town, via the Shipquay Gate. As it was just on 10am, the Tower Museum was just opening. We went in and went round, first, the display on the history of Derry. It put everything into perspective. After doing the city history, we went round their Spanish Armada exhibition, which went through the discovery, the archaeology, and the history of a Spanish ship, La Trinidad Valencera, discovered fairly recently off the coast near Derry. We spent abut 90 minutes in the museum, which could have been longer, but for serious hunger pangs overtaking the two of us.

We went into the centre of the city. Sunday morning, virtually everything closed and shuttered (except food outlets, fortunately). Maybe they were all down at the quays, where there was to be a parade of the Clipper Race competitors prior to their going out past Greencastle and Magilligan Point to start racing in earnest. Went into a Sandwich Bar (so named) and had a lovely morning tea to the sounds of a cocktail pianist playing one old standard after another. Very enjoyable.

Susie
at the Bloody Sunday Memorial

Free Derry Corner

Bogside Mural
The Petrol Bomber

Went out of the walled part of the city and down to Bogside, where a lot of the events during the Troubles took place. There are memorials all over the place, and a series of 12 murals — we showed you one yesterday — painted between 1994 and 2006 by Tom Kelly, Kevin Hasson and William Kelly. Justifiably famous, they make very strong comment about the plight of the Catholics of Bogside and their treatment by the British — particularly the paratroopers — from the garrison of the walled city.

We then decided to leave Derry and go on to the Giant's Causeway. It was a lovely sunny day by now, a Sunday, and there was to be an aerial display by the Red Arrows over Greencastle and Magilligan Point (as the Clipper Race got under way). Everybody and his dog was on the road out to this event — and it just happened that this was the road we needed to take! 4mph for at least half an hour (it seemed like an eternity!). But we finally got off onto an alternative route and made good progress.

We stopped off at a viewing point, Magheracross, just past Portrush, with superb views back to Portrush, across the Skerries, and round to the Giant's Causeway — and even across to Scotland. Another place to revisit tomorrow.

We got to the Giant's Causeway site at about 5.30pm, and the sun was in a superb position for viewing. It would have cost us £8.50 each, but we decided to bite the bullet and join the National Trust, a joint membership being £95 per annum, and then all National Trust properties are free to visit (and park at!). Put that with our English Heritage membership, and we have a free pass into a huge number of sites. It will pay for itself in a very short time! Went down to the Giant's Causeway (took the bus down and back to save time, although missing out on part of the magic — the bus is free to Trust members, £1 each way for others). Spent about 45 minutes down there, and made the resolution to return on the morrow to do the place justice.

Distance driven — today, 76 miles ( 122 km ); to date, 3,379 miles ( 5,438 km )