NI Classic Scrambles Club
Ballycopeland windmill millisle
5 Millisle Road, Donaghadee
“What an amazing transformation of the Old Police Station in Donaghadee!
Following a complete gut renovation & refurbishment by the current owners, who acquired the property some time ago, we are delighted to provide an exclusive insight as to what has been going on inside over the last 12 months.
Needless to say, there has been amazing interest in the property which has now been SOLD to the lucky new owners by Independent Property Estates Bangor, (P roperty S pecialists N orthern I reland) who are now widely recognised by many as the specialist Estate Agent for such homes.
Congratulations to everyone involved but especially to the lucky new owners - who will enjoy not only this amazing home in Donaghadee, but also a special piece of Northern Ireland history”.
Independent Property Estates further confirmed “that there was so much interest in the property that this was an easy Cell, Cell, Cell”.
360 Degree Video of Kiltonga Nature Reserve Northern Ireland
And who out there does not love nature? Yes, there are different destinations in Northern Ireland and Ireland which one could head out to when it comes to the historical attractions, but also getting to a place where the kids could enjoy playing or where one could enjoy the peace of mind is something which these two countries also offer.
We have been to several places in county Down and one of them is the Kiltonga Nature Reserve which is located in Newtownards and which you will definitely enjoy as some kind of changing those different historical and cultural destinations which you might be always heading to and checking.
Kiltonga Nature Reserve is located on Belfast Road, which is about half a mile outside Newtownards and that is why it is always considered part of it. Inside this Reserve, one will get the chance to see swans, mallards, little grebe, moorhens and coots; they are always present there and making the place look a lot more interesting. Kiltonga Nature Reserve is not just about entering the place and seeing the lakes with those different birds flying around, but it is made and prepared for people to walk around those lakes and even sit on the bench chairs situated there - it is actually prepared also for pushchairs and for the disabled - and it is actually accessed for free anytime during the day.
So, in addition to the reviews which people offer for this place, we have to mention that Kiltonga Nature Reserve has also became the first site in UK to be awarded BT Millennium Miles Status in 2000 and also has been presented with the Green Flag Award, which is the international mark of quality.
Kiltonga Nature Reserve is actually part of the family of Ards and North Down who also have other parks and some of them even received the same Green Flag Award, such as Castle Park, Londonderry Park, and Bangor Castle Walled Garden. So if you happen to be around any of these different parks across the country, you could choose to get inside any of them and we could assure you that you will fall in love with it instantly.
We totally recommend Kiltonga Nature Reserve for those who have a wide interest in birds for the different types that are found there, other than that, all those who love nature (which is almost every person out there) will love the place for the walks and the sits that they could have - this park also allows dogs but they should be closely watched and kept under control.
One of the interesting things we got to discover while being in Kiltonga Nature Reserve is that at some point and place, one could get the chance to view Scrabo Tower which is one of the attractions in Newtownards and which is located to the west of it, standing 540 feet above sea level and is actually 125 feet high - it is one of the noted landmarks in the place which we have been to and also recommend for those visiting different places around this area in general (
In addition to the Kiltonga Nature Reserve and the Scrabo Tower that could be spotted from it, there are still other places which we would recommend for people to visit when it comes to Newtownards in Northern Ireland. Those suggestions would include the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum which we have been to before ( there's is Helen's Tower as well, the Island Hill, the Grey Point Fort, the Redburn Country Park, going to the Mount Stewart House ( visiting the Somme Heritage Centre, checking the Ballycopeland Windmill, and of course there are different restaurants and clubs for those who are searching for places to eat and places to spend some good time at.
Generally speaking and since Newtownards is located in county Down, Northern Ireland, we have to mention those sites which we have been to before but which might not be specifically in Newtownards, which you could definitely visit. From these places, there is Tollymore Forest Park ( there is also Castlewellan Forest Park ( Down Cathedral, the famous Dundrum Castle which we definitely recommend ( there is the Peace Maze which is found inside Castlewellan Forest Park and which is considered one of the most famous around the world ( as well as other different places which we haven't been to yet.
This was one of the different trips and experiences that we had in Newtownards, county Down, Northern Ireland, but there are lots of other places and different other destinations that we have headed to around the country and in different counties and we still have lots of other places in our plan which we would like to go to and check one day.
Some of the best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
Ballywalter; Massive Sandy Beach and Good Water Quality
Ballywalter County Down is a village in County Down - facing the Irish Sea. It has an impressive beach which attracts holiday makers to the local accommodation and caravan parks. Hence everyone wants to know the weather in the area! Worth going to see the beach alone...wow!! Great rock pools for kids to explore. (
This civil parish in county Down is on the east coast of Ards Peninsula between Donaghadee and Ballyhalbert and back in the 12th century, it has been known as Whitkirk before it becomes referred to as Ballywalter.
The massive sandy beach of Ballywalter and the excellent quality of water makes this place one of the most famous and well known places in Northern Ireland, but that is not the only famous thing to be found out there, there is also the Ballywalter Park which is on the outskirts of the village - this park is open to the public by appointment only because the Mulholland family still lives on the estate. In this park, the Northern Ireland Game Fair is held and it usually attracts lots of people to it.
The interesting thing about the Ballywalter sandy beach is that it has entertainment for all the members of the family; young and old. There are those different entertainment things for kids which include the rock pools as well as the public playing area, and it is also considered famous when it comes to dog walkers or even for those who are coming to enjoy watching the sea and getting away from all the hassle of the city.
At the Lime Kiln, which is a raised area there, one will be provided with great views of the Irish sea coastline. Like any other place in the world, there are the positives and the negatives for Ballywalter beach; the positives include making a lane for the disabled and being open all year long for the visitors, but on the other side one of the negatives is that there aren't any lifeguard services there, or at least when we were there.
One of the other things which are related to Ballywalter beach is that in winter there are different types of birds that come over and take the beach for themselves and this includes the Ring Plover, the Golden Plover, Turnstone, Manx Shearwater, and a number of other names as well but these are the ones we could remember; this makes the place a very good opportunity for all the bird watchers out there because they will have a good view combined with a good chance of watching the birds.
Ballywalter might be one of the best Irish beaches to be found in Northern Ireland but there are still other ones which could be also recommended for those searching for the best beaches where they could enjoy their times along with the rest of the family members. In addition to Ballywalter, there is also Crawdfordsburn beach which is beside Helen's bay ( there is also the Whiterocks beach in Portrush, county Antrim ( the Ballygally beach which is right next to the Ballygally Castle Hotel ( the Runkerry Beach that is also located in county Antrim ( and you could even come across other beautiful beaches with their great quality of water in other parts of Northern Ireland as well.
Even though the water of Ballywalter is the one thing that is usually visited and even though the park comes directly after it, we should never forget that this village still has some other attractions and places that visitors could visit and which might include the Ballycopeland Windmill, the Ballywalter Windmill, and Gas Works; you might not find lots of touristic places to go to in Ballywalter because it is a small village which does not carry lots of things to be checked - just go for the beautiful beach and you will enjoy the whole thing.
County Down in which Ballywalter is located is one of the six different counties that form Northern Ireland and there are actually lots of different things that one could visit in it that will differ according to the town or village that you will be staying at. Those places which are related to water and which are located in county Down include Rostrevor ( there is also Portaferry ( there is Bangor Harbour ( and that comes in addition to the different castles, towns, and other touristic places which one could visit in county Down as a whole.
Ballywalter is definitely a beach to choose for the entertainment it could offer and the good quality of water that it could provide and that is exactly the reason why we love this place.
Have you ever been to Ballywalter before? Share your experience with us and tell us more about the place.
Some of the best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
Jo Scott, Clean Coasts Northern Ireland, Millisle's Adopt A Spotters
Slides to accompany this presentation can be found here
Jo Scott speaks at An Taisce's annual Clean Coasts Symposium & Ocean Hero Awards. Her presentation is called Millisle's Adopt A Spotters.
This Is my world - Millisle Beach - Family Fun (FPV Freestyle)
This Is my world - Millisle Beach - Family Fun (FPV Freestyle)
Headed out with the family to our local park so my son Ben could go to the swings, so that meant a 5 min session for dad lol.
Just a quick pack on the first Sunday day in a while.
This is my family hope you all enjoy our day at the park.
Thanks, Guys!!
Belfast C S Lewis Festival Events Programme 2017
I'm over at Eastside Visitor Centre on the Newtownards Road in the heart of East Belfast.
Eastside are run an annual festival honouring and celebrating the life and writings of local man CS Lewis who was born close by and who lived just up the road at Little Lea, Circular Road, Strandtown
( 1905-1930 )
Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British novelist, poet, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian, broadcaster, lecturer, and Christian apologist. He held academic positions at both Oxford University (Magdalen College, 1925–1954) and Cambridge University (Magdalene College, 1954–1963). He is best known for his works of fiction, especially The Screwtape Letters, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Space Trilogy, and for his non-fiction Christian apologetics, such as Mere Christianity, Miracles, and The Problem of Pain.
Lewis wrote more than 30 books, which have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold millions of copies. The books that make up The Chronicles of Narnia have sold the most and have been popularised on stage, TV, radio, and cinema. His philosophical writings are widely cited by Christian apologists from many denominations.
In 1956, Lewis married American writer Joy Davidman; she died of cancer four years later at the age of 45. Lewis died on 22 November 1963 from renal failure, one week before his 65th birthday. In 2013, on the 50th anniversary of his death, Lewis was honoured with a memorial in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey. The fact that a number of CS Lewis's 'children's', books have been translated into film has very mush increased their popularity and accessibility to a world wide audience.
A mural depicting Lewis and characters from the Narnia series is found on Convention Court, Ballymacarrett Road, East Belfast.
Recently opened CS Lewis Square just off the Newtownards road has a number of leading animal and human characters taken from the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. It is a very fitting and popular tribute to the man.
Lewis mentioned the Mourne Mountains in Co Down as part of the inspiration to write The Chronicles of Narnia. About them, Lewis wrote I have seen landscapes ... which, under a particular light, make me feel that at any moment a giant might raise his head over the next ridge.
C. S. Lewis's is buried at Holy Trinity Church, Headington while his family are buried in Belfast's City Cemetery.