Episode 52: Northern Ireland – Embrace a Giant Spirit with Keryn Means

Angie Orth:

Picture yourself standing on a mountaintop, perched high above the Irish Sea, unspoiled coastline and rugged cliffs stretch out for miles. The hills are blanketed by countless shades of green and wild winds move in every direction. As the sun begins to set, a chill in the air tells you it's time for the pub, where you warm up with a whiskey. You cozy up to the fire and maybe, just maybe, you see the familiar face of Jon Snow reading his lines for Game of Thrones. True story, folks!

Northern Ireland is a magical place where beauty unfolds around every corner. And yes, this is especially true for my Game of Thrones fans listening out there, whether it's for the fantasy fandom, the spectacular natural beauty, or the famous distilleries dotted ever so conveniently throughout the landscape, Northern Ireland is an unmissable destination.

Today, we have a very special guest, Keryn Means. She's a freelance writer and founder of Twist Travel Magazine. Her work and wanders around the world inspire millennial and Gen X travelers, especially moms who don't want to let go of their travel dreams. I love that, Keryn. Welcome to the show.

Keryn Means:

Thanks so much for having me.

Angie:

Your beautiful, stunning red hair, which is perfect for today's episode. I know you have Irish roots yourself.

Keryn:

I actually have Northern Ireland roots. We know we're from County Donegal, which is in the Republic of Ireland, and they call it the Ulster region, which is more Northern Ireland, too. All I know is I blend in very well whenever I go to Ireland.

Angie:

Northern Ireland is a unique option to consider when planning a visit to the British Isles. I think a lot of people skip it because they kind of get stuck in Dublin and maybe the West Coast of the Republic of Ireland, and they just forget about Northern Ireland entirely.

Keryn:

I think people think because it's technically 2 different countries that there's this huge barrier, but actually when you cross over into Northern Ireland, the only way you know that is because you went from kilometers into miles. And we actually didn't know when we first crossed over that we had like hit a border.

Angie:

And euros, euros to pounds.

Keryn:

Exactly, but Belfast is an hour-and-a-half or 2-hour drive from Dublin, and you can get up to the northern coast in another 2 hours. You can actually do the entire ring of Ireland in … personally, I would do it in 2 weeks just because there's so much to see.

Angie:

We've done it in a week, and it was a lot of driving and not nearly enough time to absorb and meet people in pubs and drink Guinness. Not nearly enough time, so 2 weeks is smart

Keryn:

Even then, I would do the West Coast of the Republic of Ireland and then keep driving up toward Northern Ireland, so you can do the Wild Atlantic Way and then the Causeway Coastal Route which goes through Northern Ireland along their northern coast as well.

Angie:

What's the best way for people to get to Northern Ireland?

Keryn:

You can either fly directly into Dublin. I know there are several flights from the U.S. We have one from LAX. Of course, there's one from Boston, New York, a lot of the East Coast states, and Chicago. You can fly there and drive up, or you can fly into Belfast. You can also fly over from London. There are direct flights, and I believe there are direct flights from Edinburgh as well. But if you just want a really good deal, you can look at Belfast and Dublin and see what's the best.

Angie:

And then just start wherever it's cheaper.

Keryn:

And then if you're coming from London, it's like an hour, an hour and a half, if that.

Angie:

Super quick. So, let's paint a picture. What are 3 characteristics you would use to describe the landscape and the vibe in Northern Ireland?

Keryn:

I would say stunning beaches, dramatic cliffs, green landscapes, and just a very local community vibe.

Angie:

You mentioned the community and the nice people. Do you think that's what makes Northern Ireland special?

Keryn:

I think because there are fewer tourists than you'll get in the Republic of Ireland, there's a little bit more grace for all of us who are coming to visit, and especially those of us going to research our roots. Again, the communities are small, you can hop into these little towns. I've had more amazing conversations in Northern Ireland than I've probably had anywhere else in the world because the shopkeepers are fine just sitting there and chatting with you.

Angie Orth:

Let's talk about your top must-see destinations in Northern Ireland. What do you think is the most outstanding natural wonder?

Keryn:

You have the Giant’s Causeway; Carrick-a-Rede, the natural rope bridge; and you also have the Dark Hedges, which everybody will know from shows like Game of Thrones, and also, Instagram. I think every person who's ever been to Northern Ireland probably has a photo of themselves walking through this gorgeous, ginormous hedge of trees that are so dramatic, and I hope it stays there forever.

Angie:

Relatively recently, they made it so you can't drive through anymore because it was damaging the roots of all the trees. So, you can still drive there, and there's parking, but you have to walk through instead of driving, which is great because then you don't get all these cars and tour buses in all of your beautiful photos from the Dark Hedges. It really is a gorgeous spot.

Keryn:

Oh, it's stunning. And there is that hotel right there that has a dedicated parking lot just for day trippers who are going, so you can walk along it, and you're right, it keeps people out of your pictures. Now, locals still can get to their houses that are on the other side of the road, but yeah, I feel like they really figured out the infrastructure for that so it’s still enjoyable for everybody, but also it would stick around for the next generation to see.

Angie:

When we went, I want to say it was in the fall, and sunrise wasn't until 8 in the morning, so we didn't have to get up too early to get that good early morning light, and we were the only people there. So, if I can recommend anything to people wanting to photograph in the Dark Hedges, go early or go late because in the middle of the day, it's full of people.

Keryn:

I think I was there at 7 or 7:30 in the morning in the summer. This was early July, and there were 2 other people there, but it was also raining and I was like “I'm not going to let this stop me.” The rain stopped by the time I got to my spot for my photo. I took my photos and I left, and by the time I left probably around 8 or 8:30, there were already a couple more people coming in and this parking lot was starting to get a little fuller. But do not let rain stop you from going because that's when no one else will be there.

Angie:

Not too far away is the Giant’s Causeway. I don't think it's even an hour away, it’s pretty close. What is the Giant’s Causeway and why do people go to it?

Keryn:

The Giant’s Causeway is this gorgeous hexagonal basalt rock formation that you can hike along, you can hike on. That's another one that I would say get there earlier or get there late before the tour buses start rolling in. If you can't get parking, my one little tip is to say that you're going to go eat at the hotel restaurant—which we did and it was lovely—then you can go on in, and you only have to pay for parking. You don't have to pay for the visitor center if you don't want to go into it or it's just too crowded by the time you get there.

I would be careful on the basalt rocks because they are uneven. My oldest son actually twisted an ankle trying to climb around and he was fine, but he couldn't continue on the hike with us. But it is stunning, it is very popular and it's getting more popular, so if you're there in the summer, expect crowds between like 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Outside of that, I think in the fall and the spring, you're going to get a lot less people.

Angie:

It was so beautiful. I took some of the best pictures of the trip at Giant’s Causeway. You've got all these hexagons made of rock that are kind of like steps, and there are spots where you can kind of walk from step to step. Then there are other spots where they're really long and form whole cliffs.

Keryn:

I think one of the big mistakes people make is they go to that portion of the Giant’s Causeway, and then they stop and turn around. You should keep going as you know, you keep going and it just gets better and better. You might not have that basalt rock formation, but you are still going to have these stunning cliffs and rocks jetting out of the sea and that incredible blue watercolor that looks like you're in the Caribbean.

Angie:

Yes, and the further you go, the fewer people there are as well. It's a really nice hike, and I don't recall it being too difficult. It was pretty flat despite being on the cliff edge.

Keryn:

There is a little shuttle bus that'll take you from the visitors center down to the basalt rock if you aren't comfortable walking. The lines to get back on that bus can get long, but I like that it makes it more accessible to more people.

Angie:

And is that visitors center there worth checking out?

Keryn:

I think it is, especially if you're into geology. We weren't able to go because we didn't know we had to make a reservation in the summer months, and that gave you access to that parking lot and to the visitors center, which is why we ended up parking in the hotel parking lot and then going for lunch afterward.

Angie:

Smart. OK, let's talk about the Mourne Mountains.

Keryn:

It's on the way between Dublin and Belfast. It's got one of the highest viewpoints in that part of Northern Ireland, and it's just that dramatic beautiful green. You're just going to get something stunning.

Angie:

Great hiking and great vistas. You just see cliffs, coastline, mist, and greenery in every direction that you look. Maybe a castle here and there, some tumbling down ruins, or something like that. It's very evocative.

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Angie:

Let's talk about Belfast because people go to Dublin and forget about Belfast, and Belfast is incredible.

Keryn:

I actually like Belfast more than I like Dublin. I feel like it's more digestible, and  again, it’s that got that little community feel. It's very walkable, it's also got a transportation system if you just want to be able to take the bus around.

Angie:

Also in Belfast is the Titanic museum, which is one of the best museums I've probably ever been to. It's so well done. Did you guys get to go? What did you think?

Keryn:

As far as architecture, it is probably one of the most dramatic museum buildings that I've ever seen in my life. Even if you can only stand outside and absorb what it was to be part of the making of this very famous ship that tons of movies have been made about, that we both love.

Angie:

For folks who might not know, the Titanic ship was built in Belfast. I remember being in that museum, and they have layouts of the different cabins. So, you can sit in the lower-class cabin or you can sit on a bed in the upper-class cabin. It's very hands-on and truly something to see. If you go to Belfast, don't skip it.

Keryn:

Right across from it is one of the boats that would take people out to the actual Titanic ship. Then further down, there's an old military ship, which is what my youngest really wanted to see. I can't remember what it's called off the top of my head, but there's also a distillery down there, so parents can still enjoy themselves as their child walks around a historic ship.

Angie:

While we're talking about distilleries, Northern Ireland has a few really famous ones, and they've got some famous whiskey. What do people need to be looking for in the booze department when they go to Northern Ireland?

Keryn:

If you're up at the Giant’s Causeway, you can go to the Bushmills Whiskey distillery, which I believe was the first whiskey distillery to actually get a business charter for whiskey in Ireland.

Angie:

They also have The Bushmills Inn. Rick and I stayed there, and it's so cute. You come in from your long day of driving and it's just cute little booths, cozy, and fire in the fireplace, and they've got a flag room. And whoever is their guest who has come the farthest to visit, they fly that flag every day. So, when we were there, they were flying the American flag because we had come the farthest of all their guests, and I thought that was such a nice touch.

For film and TV buffs, Northern Ireland was the shooting location for the series Derry Girls; the film Belfast; and of course, most importantly, Game of Thrones.

Keryn:

And now they have the spinoff series that is being produced there as well, so I feel like it's still a very relevant thing to want to go and see.

We were walking by Titanic Studios, which is right behind the Titanic Museum, on our way to a distillery and that historic navy ship, and we saw blacksmiths and woodworkers working on props, armor, and staffs; and I saw one of the largest greenscreens I've ever seen in my life. You can still see a lot of that movie history and culture that's happening in Northern Ireland even today.

Angie:

Are there any Game of Thrones hotspots you suggest for fans to visit? We talked about the Dark Hedges because that appears in a few scenes.

Keryn:

They actually have placards at a lot of places where Game of Thrones was filmed. So, even if you're going to the Carrick-a-Rede, which is like 200-year-old rope bridge, there's a whole placard about a fight scene that happened in Game of Thrones.

They have these stained glass windows up now that are fan-picked moments from the series or characters placed around the city.

Angie:

I wasn't there for the stained glass windows. They had just been installing doors—Game of Thrones themed, hand-carved wooden doors—in all sorts of crazy places. At various bars and pubs, they'll also have a Hodor beer that you can only drink there. There are all those fun little touches.

Keryn:

There's now the Game of Thrones tour that's between Belfast and Dublin. They take you on a bus to the actual studio where there are costumes, and they bring you through every step of the filming stage, from storyboarding, to costumes, to makeup, to all the prosthetics, to the sets, to the giant skeleton dragon head. And the best thing was the tour was very family-friendly. There are even interactive parts where my youngest son was shooting arrows—digital arrows—at stuff. You know, to keep the kids moving while their parents fan out.

Angie:

I love that whatever fandom you're into, there's somewhere you can go to dig in more to it.

We stopped at the castle, that was the scene of Winterfell, and we did an archery class and we got to wear actual costumes from the show. They were in the middle of filming the last season, and I'll tell you a secret, we were staying in our hotel and our concierge was like, “You guys watch Game of Thrones?” And we're like, “Yeah, obviously.” And he said, “Just keep your eyes open,” and then he sort of motioned over to the bar. We go in there, and Jon Snow is sitting there drinking a martini and going over scripts. I'm not even kidding, that's kind of how small Belfast is. So, if you're really into it, that is going to be such a fun trip. You never know who you're going to run into.

The next day, I got up really early because I had some intel that the cast who were staying at our hotel would be going to work early in the morning for their call times. So, I'm this idiot at 5 o'clock in the morning, sitting in the lobby like I belong there, and they just start walking out one by one to go to the studio, so I saw Sansa, Ser Jorah, Bran, and Brienne, it was incredible.

What about Derry Girls? Have you seen that show? Tell me about Derry and Londonderry.

Keryn:

Derry and Londonderry are a key part of the Troubles history. It's really an interesting place. They have the Derry Girls mural in Londonderry, and it's really easy to find, you can just put it on your Google Maps. You walk up along the wall of the city, that's what encompasses Londonderry. Then, you go outside of the walls and down the hill and that's where Derry is, and that's also where you're going to find Free Derry. There are free walking tours where people who have lived through the Troubles will talk you through like, here are the murals, and this is what these murals mean. There's also the Museum of Free Derry, which is a really good spot to go in if you want to understand more.

Angie:

In one sentence, why do you think listeners should bump Northern Ireland to the top of their travel bucket list?

Keryn:

Northern Ireland is less crowded, but just as dramatic, beautiful, and welcoming as any other part of Ireland you would be in. A thousand percent worth of visit, we're already planning our next trip out.

Angie:

Keryn Means, thank you for joining us, and thank you to our listeners for being with us.

If you're planning a trip, be sure to connect with a AAA Travel Advisor, check out AAA.com/travel, or visit your local branch.

This podcast is a production of Auto Club Enterprises. If you enjoyed it, please subscribe and leave us a review. I'm Angie Orth, thank you for traveling with AAA.