Decided to head off early today and drive the long way down the Ards peninsula via Millisle, Ballywalter, Portavogie,Cloughy and eventually to Portaferry.
Ards Peninsula TourI must say that it seems regional development stops at Groomsport, this area must be one of the most poorly developed in Northern Ireland, with roads that at times could barely accommodate two cars passing and potholes every half mile or less.
First stop was Bangor and a walk round the Pickie Pool (not as it appears in this old photo)
Heather and I decided not to ride on the swans and the railway was closed so off we headed for Millisle to have a 99 ice cream. Then it was on to Portaferry, home to the Exploris centre.
Exploris - The Northern Ireland Aquarium, Open Sea Aquarium, Strangford Lough Portaferry. Spent some time viewing the fish and also at the touch tank for a hands on display
On the way down we passed through the village of Cloughy, a place that is dear to me.
White-rumped Sandpipers, Cloughy, Co. Down, 16th October 2006. (Photo: Derek Charles). One of my fondest memories is of a childhood holiday spent there as a young boy of about 8. I have this memory of my Mum and Dad, my twin sister and my older brother all laughing as we played on the beach. I thought of my daughter sitting in the back of the car, a couple of years older than I was in my memory, and I wondered what she would recall as she becomes older. For the last few years I have spent about a week each year, as Father and daughter, just doing things and going places together over the summer months and I hope these will be a legacy in her memory!
We finished our tour with lunch together in a beautiful small restaurant in Portaferry.
