City Break - Belfast

Belfast, Northern Ireland. Friday/Monday 06/09-March-2026.

Our first ever trip to Northern Ireland. Oh, look there is a Queen’s parkrun which gives us a “Q” for our second alphabet!

Friday 06-March-2026.

Another first: flying out of Newcastle Airport. A modest sized, regional airport slightly larger than Southampton and on a much more human scale than the London behemoths of Gatwick and Heathrow.

Our accommodation was in the Queen’s University area which, like many cities that expanded in the Victorian era, was a mixture of typical bow-fronted terraces with a mixture of Georgian until you got closer to the centre when shiny office blocks took over. 

Supper at the local Holohan’s Pantry including the not-often-seen Guinness West Indies Porter.

Saturday 07-March-2026.

One of the high points of the weekend is that #parkrun/parkwalk in Northern Ireland, like the Republic of Ireland and Scotland, does not start till 9:30 so we get an extra half hour in bed.

Queen's Belfast 06/03/26 31:21 [126/183]

Fabulous event with sun and blue skies. A lovely, slightly convoluted course composed of an out and back with a loop round twice at the far end with its own out and back. Mostly on tarmac paths, around sports pitches and parklands with mostly gentle ups and downs. 

Great crowd of marshals so no chance of getting lost, thanks to all of them. Lots of tourists, some like us, there for the "Q". Cafe at the sports ground for parkfaff afterwards..

Afternoon was sightseeing. Here are just a few of the fabulous buildings in and around the centre. Clockwise from top: Queens University, view along May Street and the back of the City Hall, the bustling St. George's Market and a splendid looking former Methodist Church sadly now boarded up.

We booked a two-day open top bus ticket and spent some of the afternoon being driven round the city. Then got off and had a nose round the foyer of the city hall with some impressive stained glass windows. 

Appropriately these included the Belfast Women's Window, as it was the eve of International Women's Day. The window was unveiled in the week of International Women’s Day 2016 by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Arder Carson on Thursday 3 March 2016 and was designed, manufactured and installed by Alpha Stained Glass.

Celtic Myths & Legends Window 

"This window was commissioned to contribute to our shared history and to demonstrate that this is a City Hall for all. The central story is from the Cattle Raid of Cooley in the Ulster Cycle of myths. Queen Medbh of Connacht and her warriors attempted to steal the great bull, Donn Cuailnge, owned by the men of Ulster. Medbh wanted the bull to match the white bull of Connacht, Finnbennach, owned by her husband. The central figure is Cuchulain shown at the 'Gap of the North, protecting the borders of Ulster against the onslaught by Medbh's armies. The Connacht warriors were no match for Cuchulain, who was said to become divine when engaged in battle. The Irish text on the window roughly translates as a blessing be upon all such as faithfully keep the Tain in memory as it stands here and shall not add any other form to it and was taken from the 12th Century Book of Leinster."

That evening we had an excellent seafood supper at Mourne Seafood Bar followed by a stoll round to soak up the atmosphere.

We ended up in Lavery's for a night cap with excellent live music from Donal Scullion and the House Band.

Sunday 08-March-2026. 

After breakfast we took the bus into town for a meander round the river and visit the Salmon of Knowledge.

We then took the open top bus tour (day 2) and completed the rest of the route we didn't cover on the Saturday. We were booked in for the Titanic Exhibition which, as it turned out, was not just about the liner but also featured extensive information about the growth of Belfast through its massive expansion in the Victorian era thanks to the linen and shipbuilding industries.

Included in the ticket was a tour of SS Nomadic which acted as tender to ferry passengers to the Titanic at the start of that fateful voyage. The SS Nomadic toilets feature Thomas Crapper’s Valveless Waste Preventer.

That evening, we dined in The Crown Liquor Saloon. We ate upstairs in the less fancy dining room and then went down to find ourselves a snug in which to have one last drink and admire the fabulous Victorian décor:

Our snug!

George and the girls drank Guinness but many of the pubs serve an Irish red ale which for me is a very acceptable alternative to Best Bitter.

Back to the apartment tired after a full day.

Monday 09-March-2026. 

Up bright and early for a flight at 10:30. At Newcastle we were parked in the short stay 2 carpark in the corner nearest to the terminal and carrying hand luggage only which meant a fast getaway and home in time for lunch.