The Dark Hedges – Northern Ireland #40thingsbefore40

Dark HedgesLast week I ticked one more thing off my list of 40 things to do before 40. It’s a good job quite frankly, as time is slipping away and I’m a little behind schedule. The lemon curd may have been mastered, but I’ve yet to get anywhere near a water bed, let alone Iceland.

Last week was all about the Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland, inspired by something I cut out of a newspaper a couple of years ago. I really like cutting things out of newspapers and magazines, partly because I like the idea of trying new things but also just because I find the scissor action very satisfying.*

The Dark Hedges is an avenue of beech trees, planted in the eighteenth century by the Stuart family in a bid to impress visitors as they drove up to their home. Bee and Belle may have been fairly nonplussed – ‘Is this it? Just some trees?’ – but it certainly impressed me. 

The Dark Hedges

The Dark HedgesWe had beautiful weather, so after tracking down The Dark Hedges – (‘This hotel is called The Hedges so we must be close!) – we drove up to the coast to visit Giant’s Causeway and the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.

So that’s Northern Ireland done. Bring on the water bed.

Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge

Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge

Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway

*Note to self: possibly just add ‘get out more’ to list?

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13 Comments

  1. 2 September, 2014 / 3:46 pm

    my tongue! no!

    • Jo Middleton
      Author
      2 September, 2014 / 3:50 pm

      It’s a cute tongue!

  2. 2 September, 2014 / 8:54 pm

    ugh! did you walk over that bridge thing?!?! looks terrifying!!

    • Jo Middleton
      Author
      2 September, 2014 / 8:58 pm

      Yes we did – on the way back Belle and I even did it with no hands! It was a bit windy, and quite scary…

  3. 3 September, 2014 / 9:37 am

    I absolutely love stuff like this – so ancient and beautiful! I also like it when you drive through a ‘tunnel’ of trees or hedges when they have grown overhead and joined up. It feels a little bit magical!

    • Jo Middleton
      Author
      3 September, 2014 / 10:02 am

      I love it too Kathryn – it’s one of my Best Things :-)

  4. 3 September, 2014 / 11:07 am

    How weird, we must have been in Northern Ireland at the same time! Love all these places

  5. 3 September, 2014 / 1:22 pm

    Wow what a gorgeous avenue. I can’t believe I’ve never been to Ireland – I really need to sort that out soon, it looks beautiful.

  6. 3 September, 2014 / 6:22 pm

    The trees look amazing but I’m with Polly, there is now way I could walk over that bridge!! x

  7. 6 September, 2014 / 10:17 pm

    Wow, it looks like something from a gothic horror book! It did make me laugh that your two were very much not impressed :-)

  8. 7 September, 2014 / 9:51 pm

    Even if the kiddos were not that impressed I think it’s pretty cool and would love to visit this place – I love the story behind it! How amazing is that roap bridge by the way and you had some amazing weather – I love Ireland and really want to go back and do more exploring

    Laura x

  9. 10 September, 2014 / 3:27 pm

    I’ve never been to ireland despite the fact there is Irish in both Tom and I’s families. This place looks lovely (Although I do remember those years of saying to my parents ‘whats so good about this? its just trees’ ha! x

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