Off in search of something to do…

We actually ended up walking around the Cathedral as we had be pointed at a Museum which was closed for the next 2.5 hours. St Patrick’s Grave was where we headed. The kids were very impressed with the old headstones in the graveyard though thought it all looked a bit creepy. The signs to St Patrick’s grave were good and it was not what I expected to see. The Children did not really get too buzzed by this even though I did try to explain what I could. I think they need to be a bit older. I even tried the tale of St Patrick chasing all the snakes out of Ireland.

As we passed the Cathedral doors we could see inside and the kids wanted to go in. I was very hesitant about this to be honest; two kids in a quiet and serene place like that?

Inside we were all very impressed. The windows are stunning and both kids were taken in by their colours and subjects. There are fantastic box pews which are characteristic of the Regency period. The kids loved sitting in them. There are Thrones in the centre which were used by the Bishop and the Judges. It is all very impressive. The organ pipes were impressive and above you as you walk into the main part of the church (built on a pulpitum). We all nearly jumped out of our skins when the organ gave us a blast! It was re-built in 1913, enhanced in 1966, then cleaned and voiced to concert pitch in 1987.

The Cathedral has a gift shop which has some very nice gifts. We got talking to the lady at the shop and she was very informative. She came up with lots of suggestions as to were to go and what we could see in Downpatrick. We also got a really cool pair of fold-away binoculars from the gift shop for our sight-seeing.

It is free to get in but they do ask for a donation for the running costs and upkeep.

WOW Overview

Kids Say
6 year old: I liked the big metal pipes on the bridge (the organ i think!) also the precious things in the shop.
5 year old: I liked the shop and the boxes that you can shut yourself in and kneel on a cushion

Stress Level 3 (Lots to touch!!)

Fun Level 2 (It was very interesting but I think they may have been a bit young to understand the concept of what they were seeing)

Cost Level 1 (Gift shop was very reasonable. Binoculars cost £1.50 I think. Donation is voluntary so it is up to you what you give)

A fantastic kid-friendly self-catering cottage

From Ballynahinch, it is only a 6 mile drive south on the A24 towards Newcastle. It is signposted just after the Brennan Garage by a brown tourism sign. It was an easy drive once I got started (Having overcome a couple of minor delays; I managed to leave my Cheque book in the house and had to turn back after traveling for half an hour. Once on the way again we had to have an emergency toilet stop for my son. Best not to ask :() I managed to keep the stress levels down because I was so excited about getting away for a few days.

We arrived later than expected and having phoned the owner of the cottage to find out exactly where they were, we parked up and took possession of the keys. We were greeted by the owner and two of her children. The welcome we got was exceptional. Bread, milk, biscuits, butter, coffee, tea, firelighters, kindling and coal to name but a few items left to help settle us in. This is self-catering accommodation and I had expected to have to bring it all with you. The children offered my kids a number of DVDs to watch and we had a quick chat about what there was to do for children in the area. Very helpful warm welcome. I honestly can’t thank them enough.

The cottage itself was very very well equipped with washing machine, tumble-dryer, dishwasher, iron and ironing board. All bedding, towels and dishcloth are provided, as was cleaning materials, soap powder, washing up liquid etc.

Once settled in we unpacked and settled down with a cosy fire. The cottage comes with an assortment of books and board games. It even had colouring pens and spare remote control batteries available!! We played monopoly for a few hours … the kids choice and they enjoyed it!

The accommodation was exactly what we needed and it was a very central base for what we needed to do. I would put this down as a “highly recommended”! There is an outside area with picnic table and barbeque facilities, a washing line and wonderful views. Oh yes, and it has underfloor heating :) That rocks !

I believe it is pet-friendly but if you don’t have one of your own you can always borrow Waltie. He is an old collie that arrives every morning for his stick-throwing half hour. He was very cute and friendly and the kids really enjoyed the rent-a-pet situation.

WOW Overview

Kids Say
6 year old: The cottage was really nice. There was lots of things for us to do there. There was games and pens and we were given some DVDs from the children who lived in the big house. We had a pet dog when we were there and his name was Waltie.
5 year old: I liked the cottage and the real fire. The dog was very good at catching pine cones if you threw them in the air. He was nice and he came around every day.

Stress Level: 2 (This score is because when you have two children in someone else’s house it is always a bit stressful. I do think however on the whole it is very child friendly.)

Fun Level: 4 (This is a good friendly house and we did enjoy our stay)

Cost Level: 4 (I think for what you get in this accommodation it is excellent value. It is well equipped and well worth the money we paid for the three nights.)

Carrickfergus Castle, Carrickfergus

(map)

We headed from Glengormley to Carrickfergus which is well sign posted. Carrickfergus is located 25 minutes from Belfast up the M5 motorway. It is well sign posted from all routes. Carrick is a cute little town with a lovely marina/harbour, steeped in history which is well noted throughout the town.

We arrived at 1.30 to find the castle not open until 2pm. (We are out of season so the opening times will differ in high season).  We decided to take a wander down to see the boats and walk along the harbour. It could have been an idyllic walk as the weather was good, cold but sunny. The views were fabulous and you could see the Isle of Man. Sadly you could not walk more than 10 yards without encountering a pile of dog mess. It was scattered along the marina like land-mines. It was scattered at the base of every obstacle and had even been landed on steps. It was disgusting. After two direct hits, (both the 6 year old and the 5 year old) I gave it up as a lost cause.

We headed back and went to the public toilets to clean ourselves up. They were clean and well kept (ladies only viewed).

It was nearly 2pm so we headed to the entrance of the castle. A number of other families were waiting as well. When the bolt was slid across the front door all the kids ran (as did some of the grown ups actually). It was fun to see. We were given a map and started at the Keep. This is three story building which housed all manner of excitement. The well, the banqueting hall, the spiral staircases with the famous Trip Step, the Royal lavatory complete with King John! We stopped on the third floor to play a game of giant Snakes and Ladders. They also have a huge game of chess which we attempted to play (I need to brush up on my chess skills I think, I have forgotten how the king is allowed to move! Eek). We did enjoy jumping the knights over everyone though. We had the place to ourselves for some time which was nice. After heading down the spiral staircase we ventured outside and dived straight into more history. We scaled the walls and looked out over the sea. We played on cannons and visited the bowmen. We visited a bloke in jail with only two fingers! All in all it was a good day out and the kids enjoyed it immensely. We all did.

The gift shop on the site is reasonably priced and offers a good range of cheap trinkets for the kids to buy as a souvenir of their day out. It also stocks some very nice gifts which are again not overpriced in my opinion. There is a cafe area which has a couple of vending machines. The snack machine was out of order on this visit but we managed an ok coffee and some soft drinks for the kids.

WOW Overview

Kids Say:
6 year old: Liked the castle and would like to have seen a princess for real. Did not like the trip step as it was very scarey, so was the dog in the Keep. Really liked wondering around the castle and the grounds.
5 year old: Liked the castle and like pretending to have a big sword and fighting the baddies. Liked the man in jail and the man with the bow and arrow under the ground. Liked the big dog in the Keep because he was not really real.

Stress Level: 0 (A very relaxed and easy day out. Some of the steps would be a bit more worrying if the kids were younger.)

Fun Level: 5 (Lots of fun and educational. I would like to think we all learned something :).)

Cost Level: 2 (At £3.00 for an adult and £1.50 each child I thought it was very good value. I think the vending machines cost me less than £2.00 for a coke, a water and a coffee. The gift shop cost me £4.00 for an orange quill, a little silver knight and a cross necklace.)

Thunderdome Café, Glengormley.

Off towards Glengormley for lunch at the Thunderdome Restaurant in Glengormley town centre. It is based in the centre of town and if you follow signs for Glengormley from the leisure centre it is hard to miss.

This is an American style Rock Cafe which has been well put together and definitely appeals to the kids. It has statues of movie stars including Lara Croft, Minnie Mouse and Spiderman. Humphrey Bogart also makes an appearance for those of you who will remember him. There are rally cars, motorbikes and even a Dalek if you know were to look. There are TV screens viewable from all areas playing MTV. They provide smoking and no smoking sections of the restaurant. This will change in April.

We arrived just before noon and were offered either breakfast or lunch menus. We opted for lunch. The kids menu has a good choice which included a roast beef dinner and a vegetarian option. The other options were pretty standard; chicken, sausages or burgers all served with beans and a side. The sides are offered as fries, pasta or salad. The menu ranges from £3.95 - £4.50 but drinks are a £1.50 extra as is ice cream (also at an additional £1.50). The adults menu was restricted to Sunday Specials only. They were happy to get me just a jacket potato though (I did not want to blow my diet too much).

Crayons were provided for the reverse of the kids menu and this proved popular with the kids and they busied themselves with colouring-in and the word-searches. The service was very quick and we had our food within 10 minutes of ordering.

It was not that busy when we were there but it did fill up towards the end of our meal. The waiters were attentive and the place is clean and tidy. The toilets (ladies only seen) were clean and well stocked with all the essentials.

WoW Overview

Kids Say:
6 year old: There was a lot of food. I liked the statues and I liked looking around.
5 year old: I liked the cars and the motor bikes. I saw spiderman on the roof.

Stress Level: 0 (There was no real stress to be honest with you but if it was busier it would not have been as easy to let the kids look around.)

Fun Level: 4 (I think the kids enjoyed it. We had fun talking about all the bits and bobs around the walls and on display.)

Cost Level: 4 (I think this is probably quite expensive. 2 Kids meals, 4 kids drinks, 2 ice creams bearing in mind I had a plain jacket potato and a coffee came to £19.05.)

Valley Leisure Centre, Newtownabbey.

We headed for the Valley Leisure Centre which is based near the AbbeyCentre Shops in Newtownabbey. About 10 mins outside Belfast heading up the M2 motorway. We arrived just after 10am and were in the pool by 10.15. It was not that busy but it was busier then I would have expected for that time on a Sunday morning. Obviously everyone had the same idea as me; miss the crowds. There are two pools, one big pool (which I consider to be a grown-ups pool) and a baby pool. The baby pool provided toys, floats, balls, watering cans, and boats which were well received. We had a wicked game of piggy in the middle and I don’t think I embarrassed myself too much! They also have a huge mushroom which provides a waterfall effect and dumps water on everyone within reach. The kids love it but to be honest with you it was not my scene, I found it a bit harsh. There is a little slide which again provided lots of fun. We were in the pool for just over 1 hour. It is well attended and there is a constant rotation of life guards wandering around at all times.

The disappointing for us but I guess good news for the Leisure Centre, is that it is undergoing a huge renovation programme and the pool is closing tomorrow until the end of May. I will be checking out the Leisure Centre in Ballyclare soon which will give you another option in the area. I will keep you posted.

WOW Overview

Kids Say:
6 year old: Best bit about the pool is the slide because you can go down it really fast and you land like a big lump at the bottom. I can only swim underwater at the moment but it is easy and feels safe to swim in.
5 year old: I like the slide because when you go down it you go underwater. I love the mushroom and love swimming underwater to get into the middle.

Stress Level: 1 (It was very relaxed but I had huge trouble getting the key in and out of the locker. This may be resolved with the up and coming renovations.)

Fun Level: 5 (It felt safe and was good fun for all of us.)

Cost Level: 1 (£2.50 for Adult and £1.40 each child. Total £5.30 - very reasonable.)

For further info check out….The Valley Leisure Centre

Cookstown Leisure Centre, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone

This is a local resource for those who live locally rather than somewhere you would set out to for a daytrip. Although it is worth a visit if you are local. I have used the place many times and there are a variety of activities available for adults and children.

The place is well kept, clean and with friendly staff. There are two swimming pools. One children’s pool, which is adequately sized and has toys, floats and statues. And its much warmer than the big pool. The larger pool is a well maintained functional swimming pool. Both have constant lifeguards on duty who seem to be very attentive.

There is also Space World. This is one of those children’s indoor adventure type play areas. There is also a section specifically for toddlers. It’s quite small although they seem to have crammed a lot of stuff into the seemingly tiny space. Maybe it’s not small, just claustrophobic. Again there is always more than one member of staff on duty, any time I have been there, to maintain safety. 3pm on a Saturday afternoon seems to be the favourite time for birthday parties to book this, so check before you turn up.

Next there is ten pin bowling. It’s certainly not the Superbowl although its well laid out with four lanes and provides enough fun for an hour on a Saturday afternoon. You need to book early for this, it always seems to be booked up at weekends.

And of course there is the snack bar. It does exactly what it says on the tin. I don’t think Jamie Oliver would be too happy with it though. I have been here several times and attended a number of functions or birthday parties in the cafe. It’s ideal for young kids parties and all the usual party foods can be ordered at what seems to be a very reasonable cost.

Overall great. My daughter had her birthday celebrations there this weekend again. With bowling and a party in the snack bar afterwards. The staff were great and very helpful at the party. The food choices were chicken nuggets, burgers or sausages and chips, with juice. You have to bring your own cake of course although the staff were most helpful in supplying cutlery and napkins etc. There seemed to be 4 parties all happening at the same time. The snack bar is well sized and laid out to deal with this.

WOW Overview

Stress Level: 1 (there is nothing really stressful about the leisure centre other than the kids you bring to it )

Fun Level: 4.5 (Lots of fun and enough activity to keep everyone occupied)

Cost Level: 1 (very reasonable)

For more details and prices etc check out …. Cookstown Leisure Centre

Cave Hill Country Park, North Belfast

Cave hill is situated 8 Mins from Belfast heading north on the M2. The drive was short and sweet.

As for the country park walks - well, it was an adventure for sure!

The park is located off the Antrim Road, before the Zoo (if you’re coming from Belfast). We had one quick stop at a shop to pick up supplies (4 packets of crisps, 4 chocolate bars, 4 fruit juices and two healthy cereal bars for the adults). The turn off for Cavehill country park was less than 20 yards away from the shop. We followed the signs, got a bit lost and went round again to make sure we were in the right place - the signs are not obvious!

Parking really looks like it could be tight in the high season - if you’re heading up Cave Hill, park in the first set of spaces you come to. If you’re going to the Adventure Playground, wait until you have passed Belfast Castle on the right and follow the road round.

There were a lot of very pleasant and cheerful people from all walks of life all over the Mountain. The signs on the trails are also a bit odd, trails seem to criss-cross and the map doesn’t really tell you which trail is which, which proved to be fun. We’d advise you to keep to the major paths and look ahead as we took a path that turned into a 10 cm wide track along the side of a ridge and ended up with us having to cross a shallow scree slope! It wasn’t dangerous but it gave the kids a real thrill! One of the boys slid about 10 foot down the muddy slope and we sent one unlucky adult down the slope to retrieve him. Once everyone had stopped laughing - we continued up the hill. Views were wonderful, we really do live on a pretty Island. Scenery both in front and behind was breathtaking.

After nearly two hours on the hill, we decided to start our decent. With the promise of the adventure playground to speed the kids up we were off down the mountain! Sadly, the park was closed! Not only that, there was a charge! £1.70 per child. Hmmm. We were there on a Saturday afternoon in February but it was a sunny day, chilly but very clear. I would again like to review this in high season. This is a council run park and therefore the amount of litter and broken glass on the walk itself - especially near the cave entrances - was very surprising. There wasn’t much dog mess which was a saving grace. It was a fun day out with the kids; they thought it was a blast. The slipping down on bums, the falling in wet grass, the climbing up rocks, the getting covered in mud. It was like a washing powder advertisement.

Closing times for Parks and Open Spaces

Cave Hill Adventure Playground

Belfast Castle Visitors Centre

Belfast Castle Estate (pdf)

WOW Overview

Kids Say
6 year old: “It was a lot of exercise! I really enjoyed watching my brother sliding down a muddy slope.”
5 year old: “I had great fun. I liked having to be rescued by Matt.”
4 year old: “It was good when he slipped down the side of the mountain. I didn’t like it when I fell and hit my lip”
3 year old: Too tired to talk!

Stress Level: 0 (until we turned up at a closed adventure playground! Stress then 5!)

Fun Level: 3 (until we turned up at a closed adventure playground Fun factor then 0)

Cost Level: 0 (until we turned up at the adventure playground and would have had to pay £6.80 to get in.