After an incredible road trip I dropped off the car at Belfast City Airport and headed to my accommodation.
The guesthouse was in Shankill, a neighbourhood that’s a little rough around the edges but filled with striking murals and memorials.
On my first day I explored the city centre. Aside from a parade there wasn’t too much happening, so I wandered between a few pubs, checked out some sights, and had an early night.
The next morning I took the train up to Whitehead for a cliff walk. My plan was the Gobbins Cliff Path, a dramatic trail clinging to sheer cliffs with bridges linking the ledges. I was buzzing for it, but to my disappointment the trail was closed due to rockfall. Staff suggested an alternative walk from Whitehead to the lighthouse, so I gave that a go instead.
It turned out to be a long but lovely coastal route, winding along cliffs before a steep staircase climbed up to the lighthouse. A worthy substitute for the Gobbins trail.
Back on the train to Belfast I found myself crammed in with packs of teenagers heading to a music festival. They were dolled up, loud, and everywhere in town that weekend — definitely made me feel my age, haha.
I’d planned to visit the Titanic Museum and the Game of Thrones Studio Tour, but with the weather turning grim I decided to slow down and rest. Evenings in Shankill were spent chatting in two locals — Rex’s Bar and The Royal Bar. Being in a working-class but proud neighbourhood, it was eye-opening to hear stories about The Troubles and everyday life from both patrons and staff.
Belfast gave me the space to reflect on my journey: the places I’ve seen, the jaw-dropping scenery, travelling with Jake, walking the Camino, the mountain hikes, Fingal’s Cave, swimming with seals, landing on Skellig Michael, chocolate in Bruges, cheese in Gouda. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the chance to experience all of it.
With nothing left now but to catch my flight home, this is the penultimate blog entry. The final post will come once I’m back — I’ll edit some videos of the trip and share them as a wrap-up.
