Here we are in Port Stewart & Port Rush – the north coast. We had some excellent ice-cream at at place called Morelli’s. As you can tell we have been sampling the Irish fare with relish wherever we have gone. Above all we are saturated with tea.
Culture
Another Sighting of the Clone Man
Mr. Clone Man again!
Martyrs Memorial Church
This is the famous Free Presbyterian Church where Iain Paisley (famous minister and politician) preached.
Slieve Donard
This is the famous Slieve Donard Hotel where we had a spot of tea. It is enormous. It is in the town of Newcastle at the foot of the Mourne Mountains.
The Silent Valley
The Silent Valley is in the Mourne Mountains. It has a hollow silence to it that you can hear (if that’s understandable). There is a large reservoir of water held there for Belfast (that was the intention originally – Belfast obtains its water elsewhere also). There are stone walls about 3.5 feet high everywhere for miles. In two of these photos you can see the walls going up the mountain which is incredible. As you come out of the Silent Valley, you can see the Irish Sea with the Mourne Mountains coming down almost to the beach. On the slopes going down to the sea You can see little farms separated by these stone walls (they even separate their fields with them). These stone walls are simply amazing structures with the tops of the walls as straight as can be.