Portaferry to Dublin

We awoke to a clear day for the first time at Portaferry, with a view across the lough in weak sunlight. We packed everything into the car and set out for Mount Stewart, a National Trust property 20kms north on the lough. This historic house was the home of the Marquess of Londonderry and the first thing we saw was the state coach which carried the Londonderrys to various coronations and royal jubilee celebrations - beautifully restored and very spendid!

Londonderry coat of arms on the state coach

Since the house is undergoing extensive restoration, we concentrated on the gardens and were blessed with sunny breaks as we walked around the lake, through the various formal and informal gardens, across a little stone bridge and along the Ladies' Walk where the ladies of the house took their exercise in the eighteenth century. The autumn flowers in the Sunken Garden were very pretty and the statuary was interesting. We were surprised to see several stands of mature eucalypts and to read a sign indicating that exotic 'Australasian' ferns are going to be planted in some wet areas in the spring.

The Sunken Garden

Mairi Garden

Detail from Dodo Terrace

Leaving Mount Stewart, we set out for Dublin via Belfast and covered the 185kms in good time, arriving mid-afternoon. We have noticed that highway driving in Ireland is much more similar to driving in Australia than in the UK - less predictable, more drivers in the centre lane than the left and a bit more of a 'survival of the fittest' mentality. Perhaps Australian driving habits can be traced back to an Irish heritage!

For the next three nights we are staying in Premier Suites Dublin and have been upgraded to a penthouse - very spacious with a separate living area, but the view is not a patch on the view at Portaferry, just rooftops and the upper windows of adjacent buildings. This evening we had a booking for The Winding Stair restaurant and, as we walked there, we were surprised by how crowded the streets were. The restaurant too was crowded and bookings are taken in two-hour blocks. I had the most delicious crab claws cooked in garlic butter, with avocado, pink grapefruit and tomato, while Ian enjoyed his rib-eye steak which was served with crisp fries and caramelised onion. After eating dessert as well, we were glad of the long slow walk back to our apartment to recover!