Hillsborough Castle, in the pretty village of the same name, is the residence of the Royal Family when they visit Northern Ireland. Originally built in the 1750s, the running of the castle and the one hundred acres of garden that surround it was taken over in 2014 by the charity Historic Royal Palaces who then…
Whether you're a fan of golf or not, you might know that this year The Open has returned to Northern Ireland and the town of Portrush on our north coast for the first time in 68 years. If you've seen any of the coverage on TV, you may have caught a glimpse of our beautiful…
Call me biased, but this place we call home has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. I don't get to see them nearly as much as I would like. And this past while back, I've really felt like I needed to escape there - for the sea air, the scenery, the…
A few weeks ago I spent a weekend in the city of Armagh, approximately an hour's drive from Belfast. It's a city I've never visited before and I admit I'm slightly embarrassed by that fact. Then again, I suppose, having no family or friend connections to the place, it hadn't been on my radar. All…
Last Saturday we spent a sunny afternoon in an apple orchard. Even just saying those words conjures up autumn, don't you think ? It was part of a series of events being held to celebrate the culture, heritage and food of County Armagh, also known as the orchard county. The orchard is home to the…
If, like me, your heart skips a beat when you hear the words 'walled garden', or you get a little excited at the thought of a greenhouse, then you will want to know a little more about Benvarden. Benvarden is an historic estate which has been in existence since 1798 and home to the Montgomery…
With this little place called home in the midst of an incredible heatwave, it was off to the coast yesterday for a walk along the beach. Our destination was Castlerock, a wide and sandy stretch of beach on the Causeway Coastal route which extends from Belfast along the east coast to the Giant's Causeway on…
