Tales from my Bangor Home #1

After the various challenges of the pandemic, completion on the Bangor holiday home coming just in time for Christmas 2021 was very welcome indeed! Whilst I live in England now, my connection to my Northern Irish roots feels very strong (and in particular Bangor having lived here 38 years ago). Being back in Ballyholme, I found myself regularly passing the house, and flat which belonged to my Grandparents …. and I am sure the swings on The Green were there back in the day, when they were a regular play spot for my cousin and I.

Early evening stroll by Ballyholme Bay

The festive lights added a certain sparkle to the town during my 1^st visit as home owner, and it was great to explore alongside the festivities. I hope that friends and family will be able to use the apartment over the years to come, so this is the first in a series of blogs which I hope will provide them with some useful links and a wee holiday hint or two, as I rediscover my childhood home and the surrounding area!

1.     Check the tide times!

Before an early morning walk or run along the esplanade onto the coastal path, its worth checking the tide times here - especially to complete the 5km loop without soggy feet! Whilst that sounds obvious for the locals, not the first thing us city folk think of! With a view from the apartment of Ballyholme Bay I also had a new-found interest in marine traffic! Check on the comings and goings here!

2.       There’s no shortage of places to eat out!

It’s important to do the aforementioned morning run to counter the never-ending possibilities for a breakfast out! Even with the closures over the festive period we managed quite a few and I would recommend all of them! The Guillemot near the Harbour, it’s next door neighbour The Salty Dog (also great for an early evening drink), The Starfish Cafe (felt like a not to be missed spot by the locals – and you must try their scones!) and Bowbells in Donaghadee (watch BBC drama Hope Street for some great drone footage of the town). The Olive Tree was a late discovery in our stay, popping in for soup the day I was flying home – I’ll definitely be visiting again. With it being the festive period, we didn’t eat out so much in the evenings, but enjoyed a meal at The Esplanade and there are a few more on the list for next time!

A wee scone at The Starfish Cafe, Cairn Bay Lodge

3     Great views from the Coastal Path

A New Year’s Day walk along the North Down Coastal Path was great for blowing the cobwebs away – we did the stretch from Ballyholme to Groomsport (watch out for those tide times!), but plenty more of the path to explore next time.

North Down Coastal Path (Ballyholme - Groomsport)

4.       It’s worth going a little further afield

Given it was the festive period, we weren’t too far travelled – everything above is possible without a car, except perhaps Donaghadee (I have yet to check out local public transport). A ‘blue sky’ day gave the perfect backdrop for a drive along the shores of Strangford Loch and a visit to Mount Stewart National Trust. 8 miles from Bangor, the town of Holywood is a good spot for a wander and don’t miss popping into the Yard Gallery whilst you are there, with some great prints of Northern Ireland by local artists, amongst other things.

Donaghadee Lighthouse

Mount Stewart, National Trust

5.       The locals are always happy to help 😊

I may be biased, but the Northern Irish are very friendly – and even a walk to the local shop results in a chat. On one of my early morning runs, I somehow ended up finding all about Open Water Swimming! It seems to be very popular and several times I passed a dry robe neatly positioned on the beach – and sure enough not far away someone was braving the water! Any questions during your stay and the locals will be very happy to help and of course there is a wealth of information in the Visitor Information Centre.