Service Station with more than we thought.
24th of May 2023
In the morning we bid a farewell to the carpark that had been home the past three nights, drove out of Belfast and headed for a service station for a few chores. We read on the park for night app that there was a free shower, so needing a proper clean we decided it would be a good time for a few necessary chores and fill up the van. After scouting out the building Ewout found the said shower, so it was good to go. They also had a laundromat station in the same area so while the clothes were getting clean, we made good use of the shower to do our bodies and hair. The toilet was also needing emptying and rubbish disposed of. Ireland hasn’t been the easiest for servicing the need of the on-the-go Motorhome enthusiast. Then it was back on the road south for 20 kms to the Inch Abbey.
Inch Abbey
Set in a picturesque valley Inch Abbey is a ruin that was one of the many sites used in the Series Game of Thrones. The pre-Norman monastic settlement was in existence by the year 800, but it was plundered a couple of times by the Vikings. Later as Cistercian Abbey was built on the site by a John de Courcy as an act of repentance for the destruction of the Abbey at Erinagh. Monastic life went on until the dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII, then the Abbey and land was granted to Gerald, Earl of Kildare. Now it is a very interesting ruin overlooking a lake.
For GOT fans it was where Robb Stark had a camp and where his mother told him about his father’s death and was pronounced “King of the North”. The road to the Abbey was very narrow and we were glad when the carpark came in site. We were early and it is not a place that the tourist buses come to nor is it on many people’s itinerary, so we had the place to ourselves. To get a better feel for the area we sent up our drone “Angry Wasp” to have a better look, you can see the results below in the video.
Ward Castle
Ward Castle is an 18th century property set in 332 acres on the edge of Strangford Lough, that is now looked after the National trust. Unfortunately for us the mansion was closed on the day we visited, but we were just as happy to wander through the extensive gardens down to the farmyard area where some of ‘Winterfell’ and other scenes were filmed. The location of the castle was spectacular, and we had such lovely weather that it was an enjoyable wander around the grounds.
Along with Inch Abbey, Castle Ward was another place we had pinpointed on our itinerary to visit. Since the beginning of our research into Ireland and the little knowledge we had about it, we had come to understand that much of the Game of Thrones was filmed in Northern Ireland. Research at home had given us these names and it gave us a thrill to be able to see these places that only months before were unknown to us.
Door of the day - The Powder House
Windy Gap
Perched on the top of the mountain with spectacular views was a carpark called Windy Gap. A narrow road off the main road through the Irish countryside took us to our overnight spot. Great views and it did live up to it’s name, it was a bit wind..
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Hehe no bat licensee. Would have prevented my entrance too 🤣
Love GOT