Discovering Northern Ireland

What a day! We headed to Portrush to the Xplore Outdoors centre for the day. All the pupils participated in coasteering, rock climbing and abseiling. A exciting time was had by everyone and of course the sun was still shining on us. The day was rounded off by a group session cheering on England!! 

Discovering Northern Ireland Day 3

Another fabulous day in Northern Ireland! First up was a visit to the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge this morning. Everyone bravely strode out on the bridge and we witnessed some amazing views. Then a visit to Ballycastle where we enjoyed lunch on the beach. We had an action packed afternoon including Llama Trekking, a Treetops Adventure course and favourite for everybody the hydrozorbing! This consists of two people climbing into a massive plastic ball, water is added and then the ball is rolled down a hill! Clearly the height of excitement! More beach games followed dinner. We are really enjoying the weather!

Discovering Northern Ireland Day 2

Another fabulously sunny day here in Northern Ireland. This morning we visited Rathlin Island and the Seabird Centre and Lighthouse. We were all astounded by the number of guillemots we saw - in the thousands! We also managed to spot a few puffins. There were no complaints about the bracing 4 mile walk back to the harbour. We then visited the Giants Causeway and we were all amazed by the rock formations and entertained by the legends of giant Finn McCool. The day was finished off by more beach games! A great day.

Discovering Northern Ireland - Day 1

After our arrival we headed straight to the Titanic Museum which was an educational and sobering experience.  Then off in the coach to Whitepark Bay Hostel which is situated above a glorious, sandy beach. We played some beach games and even had a paddle in the sea! Surprisingly for Northern Ireland the weather is beautifully sunny and warm and we are hoping it stays this way all week!

Discovering Northern Ireland Day 4

Shorts: whatever the weather while watching seals

With a gloomy weather forecast on our minds, we set off for our day exploring the area to the East of the hostel.  Our first stop was the dramatic Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, where we were able to soak up the scenery under pleasantly hospitable skies.  A short journey on took us to Ballycastle, our departure point for Rathlin Island.  As we boarded the ferry, the much-anticipated rain steadily commenced but everyone seemed more interested in the exhilaration of the high-speed journey, our boat bouncing tumultuously over the waves to the thrill of children on board.  

Enjoying a good walk on Rathlin Island

Once on the island, home to just 72 people, we divided ourselves into two groups with one walking to seek shelter for lunch and the other boarding ‘Bert’s Puffin Bus’ to travel the length of the island to the RSPB centre at the far end.  For some, the howling wind and rain that lashed the observation platform made it difficult to muster enthusiasm for ornithology, but for those hardy enough to ignore the conditions, the reward was worth it.  Gazing down at the thousands of birds that flock to the rugged cliff faces and sea turrets, one could pick out puffins, razorbills and kittiwakes (amongst others) sheltering in their nests from the weather, but also darting in and out with deliveries of food.  We also visited the unusual lighthouse that beams out over the sea, but below the fog, and gained an insight into the life of a lighthouse keeper in this remote corner of the British Isles.  

Whole group at Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge

With barely a word of protest, the children substituted half of the bus journey back for a bracing walk, with one group needing to deploy all the skills learnt from the previous encounter with cows on the beach to cope with the scary experience of a bull in the road.  The beach near the harbour turned out to be quite the playground for the local seals, and we saw many of them bobbing about in the water but also resting on the rocks – obviously enjoying the continuous rain more than we were!  Eventually our damp group returned to the ferry for the journey home and a much needed warm, dry night in the hostel – movie night and hot chocolate was the order of the day.

Discovering Northern Ireland Day 3

Group at the hostel

Perhaps most famous for its golf course, the beautiful stretch of coastline at Portrush was our home for the day today.  Everyone made the tough decision whether to spend the morning rock climbing and abseiling or coasteering.  The climbers were quickly on their way and they made short work of the initial challenge.  

It may have taken the sea millions of years to knead the bulbous cliffs into shape, but it took just few seconds for Hugh Linklater to scale their heights.  The challenge of not using one’s fingers proved a little more challenging, but the group coped admirably.  Meanwhile, the coasteerers were struggling into their wetsuits before taking to the sea.  

Rock climbing

It was not the sort of weather to tempt the average person into the North Atlantic, but we maintained stiff upper lips as our body temperatures plummeted.  The thrill of leaping off the cliffs into the brilliant water eventually proved well worth the slight discomfort of being freezing cold, and most of the group opted to do the ‘hardcore’ extension section.  We had a few tense moments when we thought that Simdi may have to wear her wetsuit for the rest of the trip, but with some persistent manpower from Miss Blatch, she was eventually liberated from the constricting neoprene.  After lunch, and with an appetite for caramel smoothies, the forty-strong group overwhelmed a local café, but left suitably sated and ready for the afternoon of Archery and team-building.   

Skipperty-doo-dah

The first activity, group skipping, proved almost impossible, and was quickly abandoned in favour of archery and team building.  Nora Rotmand and Tom Scott were amongst those who scored bullseyes on the archery, and the team building challenges proved highly entertaining, thanks largely to the irrepressible energy of the activity leader, Steve.  

Impromptu History Lesson

Fun with two cones

Down on the beach

Our route home took us past two dramatic cliff-top castles and, thanks to the wisdom of our dependable driver, Jeremy, we stopped at both for impromptu History lessons, effortlessly delivered by Miss Day.  Our final trip to the beach after dinner involved a mass game of “infection”, with children scrambling all over the sand dunes with uninhibited excitement.  Finally we were driven from the beach by a mildly terrifying encounter with a herd of local cattle.  Fingers crossed for more good weather tomorrow after a beautiful red sky at night.

Discovering Northern Ireland Day 2

We rose to a hearty but healthy breakfast and then made the short journey along the coast to visit the majestic Giant’s Causeway.  Despite the pessimistic forecast, we were able to scramble happily amongst the rocks beneath only slightly leaden skies.  We enjoyed our witty audioguide telling us all about the complimentary themes of local folklore and geology, and the group rapidly became experts in igneous rock formation but also the details of the Giant Finn McCool’s grandmother, camel, shoe, hand to hand combat, and, of course, causeway.  Although a few of the group were yearning for a funicular, most of them eagerly marched round the ‘long’ walking route up the cliffs to take in the spectacular views.  Our picnic lunch beside the state-of-the-art visitor centre culminated in extensive rolling sideways down a hill, which turned out to be apt preparation for the afternoon’s highlight: aquazorbing.  This took place at the Jungle Northern Ireland, along with a treetops adventure and Llama trekking.  For most, the experience of rolling down a hill in a plastic ball half-filled with cold water turned out to be the best thing they’d done ‘at school’ this year.  However, for others, it was overcoming genuine trepidation in tackling the high-ropes course and all went home with a sense of satisfaction.  Another evening of games on the beach rounded off an exhausting day.

Northern Ireland Day 1

After a short flight from Heathrow to Belfast, the group made our first stop at the spectacular Titanic Museum.  The museum nestles amidst the historic dockyard, surrounded by cranes that stoop to the water’s surface like iron flamingos.  

The pupils were suitably impressed by the exhibits, but also touched by the personal stories of tragedy and heroism that unfolded during their tour.  From Belfast we travelled by coach through the rolling green countryside of Antrim to reach our home for the week at Whitepark Bay.  Our host Angela greeted us with a heart-warming chicken curry before we braved some mild rain to enjoy the beach.  Enthusiasm unabated, children played in the sand and surf until the adults felt too cold to watch them any longer.  A promising first day!

Discovering Northern Ireland - Days 2 - 3

Fantastic day (Tuesday) with hydrozorbing, treetops and llama trekking (final score: llamas 1 - 0 Latymer!).

Today (wednesday) we went to Portrush for the day and enjoyed body-boarding, archery and - in keeping with seaside tradition - Mr Whippy!

Discovering Northern Ireland - Day 2

An exciting day in which we made a wish on the Wishing Chair at the fantastic Giant's Causeway.

And we almost met the queen!

Discovering Northern Ireland - Day 1

We arrived safe and sound in Belfast. Our first trip was to the fascinating Titanic Museum, after which we showed our metal by a quick paddle in a freezing cold sea!

Trip Returns

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Northern Ireland Day Three

Northern Ireland Update

Some fantastic shots from activities over the last couple of days:

Northern Ireland Day One

Northern Ireland Day One

We landed in Belfast in the early afternoon, went to the Titanic museum (quote from anonymous student "how are we going to see the Titanic? Isn't it underwater?"). We then drove up to the hostel on the north coast and played games on the beach before bed.