Blue skies and brilliant sunshine over the Ards Peninsula for yesterday’s CIE tour. Lovely group from the US and Canada. When they stopped at Windmill hill one guest remarked how the Irish emigrants to rural USA brought their stone wall building skills to the US landscape. The same type of walls are found in places such as Kentucky. Maybe they wanted to recreate a familiar scene which reminded them of home? The group were mightily impressed with this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
@cietours @visitardsandnorthdown @strangfordlecaleaonb #hiddengem #saintpatrick #gameofthrones #heritage #characters #ulsterscots #vikings #normans
Glorious sunshine and blue skies at Kearney earlier today for a tour group from Counties Down and Antrim. Kearney is a former fishing village on the Irish Sea coastline of the Ards Peninsula. The flat coastal paths are ideal for a leisurely walk. The group enjoyed the stories of the people and place. A huge thank you to Julie Humphries from Recharge for inviting me to lead the guided tour.
@visitardsandnorthdown #offthebeatenpath #coastal #path #ulsterscots #maritimeheritage #stories #nature #wildflowers #geology
Lovely group of Americans on today’s tour of the Ards Peninsula,County Down. With blue skies and beautiful morning sunshine the countryside was looking so well. The arable fields on the gently undulating hills and neat farm houses dotted across the landscape were picture perfect! For many on the tour it was the first time they saw the forty shades of green that describe the Emerald Isle. One guest was asking where they could purchase postcards. I love it when the guests ask questions and today I got my first question on the geology of the Ards Peninsula.
Everyone enjoyed the craic and the stories. So many stories to share.
@cietours @visitardsandnorthdown @strangfordlecaleaonb #gameofthrones #vikings #ulsterscots #characters #stories #saints #smugglers #heritage
Fabulous group on today’s tour of the Ards peninsula, people from across the US and Canada. They had great fun guessing the meaning of Ulster Scots words such as ‘carnaptious’ and ‘steamin’. As it is Friday the fishmonger was in town and our visitors were well impressed with the Portavogie prawn on sale.
The fishmonger always has time for a chat with our guests. As always Cuan Crafts was popular and the owner, Dympna loves to chat with her customers.
We appreciate the support for local artists which is a demonstration of CIE’s commitment to supporting sustainable rural communities.
@cietours @tourismireland @visitardsandnorthdown @strangfordlecaleaonb #aonb #globalgeopark #offthebeatenpath #ardspeninsula #rural #farming #stories #characters #bygonedays
Scenes from the Ulster Scots guided walking tour I led in Portaferry this morning. The group enjoyed learning about Portaferry’s many connections with Ulster Scots heritage. Actors from Valhalla added drama to the tour and the group enjoyed a soda bread making demonstration. The freshly made bread went down a treat. They also enjoyed a rope making demonstration.Thanks to Tracey and to Valhalla for enhancing the tour experience. A huge thanks to the organisers of the festival for inviting me to design and lead the tour.
@discoverni @visitardsandnorthdown @visitmourne @strangfordlecaleaonb @exploringardspeninsula #sailsandsoundsfestival #ulsterscots #portaferry #stories #industrialheritage #maritimehistory #people
Weather forecast for Saturday 3rd August for Portaferry is excellent, dry,sunny and warm. Perfect conditions for the gentle walking tour of Portaferry on Saturday morning. Meet a few Vikings, try on their battle gear! Visit Templecranny ancient graveyard and find out more about Bishop Echlin and others. Then relax and watch a cookery demonstration and enjoy a light lunch.
Book now on Eventbrite.
@visitardsandnorthdown @visitmourne @strangfordlecaleaonb @thecuan_ #sailsandsoundsfestival #ulsterscots #vikings #stories #maritimehistory #livedexperience #cookery #lunch
Glorious sunshine on the shores of Strangford Lough this afternoon, such a beautiful place to be.
#strangfordlough #portaferry #sailsandsoundsfestival #events
Templecranney Graveyard Portaferry. Final resting place for Ulster Scots settlers including Bishop Echlinville. Find out more on the Ulster - Scots guided walking tour of Portaferry on Saturday 3rd of August at 11.00am. To book and for further information go to Eventbrite.co.uk #ulsterscots #maritimehistory #stories #strangfordlough #portaferry #sailsandsoundsfestival
Another fantastic, friendly group of guests from the US and Canada on today’s tour of the Ards Peninsula. The sun shone and this area of Outstanding Natural Beauty was looking so well with its display of forty shades of green!
For many guests it was their first full day in Ireland and about half of the group had Irish ancestors. I gave them some advice on how to research their ancestors.
They enjoyed the journey around the peninsula and the stories of the life and times of the people through the centuries. There are always interesting questions on topics ranging from innovative renewable energy projects on Strangford Lough to modern farming practices and how they compare with US farming methods. @cietours @ulsterhistorical @tourismireland @discoverni @visitardsandnorthdown @strangfordlecaleaonb #coastalphotography #offthebeatenpath #sustainableagriculture #nature #rural
Great day out at Castlewellan Agricultural Show yesterday. There was a fantastic variety of stalls, everything from free wildflower seeds to cures for arthritis! It is a big day out for the local farming community who brought along their prize animals. Lots of competitions including show jumping. @visitmourne @mournelive @mournegullionstrangford #greatdaysout #agriculturalshow #community #castlewellanforestpark #castlewellan #foodstall #animals #conservation #education #fun
Beautiful afternoon for a walk in the sunshine along the shores of Strangford Lough near Portaferry.
@visitardsandnorthdown @visitcodown @visitmourne @northernirelandtourism #aonb #strangfordlough #hiddengems #nature #birdphotography #seafood #getoutside #walkinginireland #eags
A lady from Colorado asked me to design a 3 day private tour for her and to accompany her throughout the tour. She wanted a mix of sightseeing, ancestral research and a taste of poitin for good measure!
We have had a wonderful three days. One of the highlights was when I located the grave of her ancestor who died in 1774 and was buried in Movilla Cemetery. @visitardsandnorthdown @mournegullionstrangford #ancestry #familyresearch #townlands #ulsterscots @ulsterhistorical @distillersrestechlinville #privatetour #privateguide #bespoketour
Lovely group of American guests on my tour of the Ards Peninsula yesterday.They commented on how nice it was to have a tour of a rural farming area as many of them live in urban centres in the US. Everyone enjoyed the stories of this fascinating area and its’ many links with the US.A couple of guests enquired about local property prices as they would like to live here!
I enjoy giving guidance to those wishing to trace their Irish/Scottish ancestors. A huge thank you to CIE International Tours.
@cietours @visitardsandnorthdown @mournegullionstrangford #stories #emigration #portaferry #emigrant #port #ancestry #ulsterscots #rural #farming
Fantastic group of Americans and Canadians on today’s tour of the Ards Peninsula. They really liked the Cuan Craft shop in Portaferry and made many purchases there. The shop sells unique products made by local artists and craftspeople. Supporting local producers helps build sustainable businesses and local sustainable communities. A huge thank you to CIE Tours International for demonstrating their commitment to sustainability in a practical way. Guests really enjoyed their first guided tour in Ireland. They were interested in a range of topics including advice on how to trace their ancestors, where to buy an Aran sweater and political developments in the UK and Ireland. @cietours @visitardsandnorthdown @mournegullionstrangford #strangfordlough #stories #storytelling #rural #offthebeatenpath #ulsterscots #eags #fillyourheartwithireland
Lovely group of American visitors on a tour of the Ards Peninsula earlier today, some of whom had Irish ancestry. For many of them it was their first full day in Ireland and I was delighted that their first tour on the island of Ireland is around the stunningly beautiful Ards Peninsula. A huge thank you to the tour director and driver Chris who did a superb job navigating the winding country roads. Just to add to the challenge were hundreds of cyclists taking part in a coastal trip around the peninsula. Thanks also to CIE International Tours for choosing to bring guests to fascinating places off the beaten track.
@cietours @discoverni @visitardsandnorthdown @mournegullionstrangford #ulsterscots #ancestry #storytelling #stories #rural #coast
Today I led my first ever tour at Scrabo Tower and Country park for a lovely group of people from across County Down. Participants enjoyed learning about the settlement history of the site which goes back over 5,000 years.
The geological story explains why Scrabo Hill stands out so prominently in the landscape. Scrabo Tower is an iconic feature in the landscape and its’ story was shared. There are fantastic views down over Strangford Lough and we were also able to see major landmarks in Belfast city. After walking to the top of Scrabo Hill we went for a dander in the beautiful Killynether woodland.
It was a very relaxing experience to be immersed in nature and listening to the birdsong.
@visitardsandnorthdown @discoverni #countryparks #strangfordlough #woodlands_and_water #hillfort #scrabo #sustainablegiants #stories #storyteller
A lively, fun loving group enjoying a guided tour of Castle Espie on the western shore of Strangford Lough. Great stories and great craic! It was a pleasure to meet them and spend the afternoon with them.
#castleespie #naturereserve #strangfordlough #mournegullionstrangfordgeopark #nature #biodiversity #industrialheritage #stories #storyteller
Today is international Environment Day. Scrabo Country Park is a great place to get close to nature and also enjoy panoramic views over Strangford Lough and the surrounding landscapes.
@visitardsandnorthdown @discoverni #strangfordlough
A busy weekend showing a second American tour group around the Ards Peninsula. A lovely group of people which included four sisters creating special family memories on their Scots Irish tour with CIE. Cuan Crafts was very popular with the group and the visitors made purchases supporting local businesses. There was also time for ice- cream and coffee. Some people just wanted to sit, enjoy the sunshine,breathe the sea air and notice how clear the water was.
Our driver Chris did a brilliant job getting us around the winding roads on the peninsula. A huge thank you to CIE for choosing to bring their guests to the beautiful Ards Peninsula on their first full day on the island of Ireland.
@cietours @tourismireland @discoverni @visitardsandnorthdown #strangfordlough #ardspeninsula #vikings #ulsterscots #normans #portaferry #storytelling #stories
Fantastic group of Americans on today’s CIE tour of the Ards Peninsula. They enjoyed the sunshine, scenery and craic! They also supported local businesses in Portaferry including the lovely Cuan Crafts where they were able to purchase beautiful gifts all made in Ireland. They all enjoyed the stories of the people and place.
@cietours @tourismireland @visitardsandnorthdown @discoverni #strangfordlough #ardspeninsula #portaferry #sustainablecommunities #ulsterscots #storytelling #localguide #coastal #gameofthrones
