Bangor Part I & II shared some of the marvelous experiences we had visiting our good friends in Bangor, County Down. I often find however, my memory of any visit is actually additionally affected by the journey to and from the location visited.
Maybe it’s the way our (or just my!) brain processes memories but whenever I reflect on a trip or a visit somewhere, those memories always seem to be inextricably connected with reminiscences of the journey there and back too.
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
Ernest Hemingway
Our journey to Bangor included a night in Troon, before a morning ferry trip to Larne. I always find Troon an intriguing place to visit, it always feels like there should be a bit more hustle and bustle about the place than there ever actually is.
Just before breakfast I took our lurcher, Alfie for a walk on the epically sized golf course which was shimmering and shining with dew, it was both stunning and mesmerising and resulted in me being uncharacteristically late for brekkie. The ferry pulled into Larne annoyingly close to the end of the film ’42’. We then took the coastal route to Bangor, which is always an enjoyable drive.
Our journey back home to Yorkshire, was taken at a more leisurely pace. We stopped over at a Scottish village in Ayrshire called Barr. Here we stayed in the the most amazing dog friendly B&B I’ve ever experienced.
The owners of Alton Albany Farm B&B offered us a warm and friendly welcome to their extremely well presented guest house. It was a delight to find a place to stay that’s affordably priced, allows dogs and still offers an experience that is both relaxed and plush! The following morning we took a brief stroll along the land owned by the Alton & Albany before enjoying one of the tastiest breakfasts I’ve had.


As we drove back through the inspiring Scottish countryside on a route recommended by our hosts at Alton Albany, we stopped at Threave Castle in Dumfries and Galloway, where we went for a short walk . Our stroll was full of lush scenery and an eclectic mix of wildlife sightings, which included my first ever look at an Osprey in the UK. At Threave Castle there is an Osprey nest site and while it was too far away to get a half decent photo, the telescope set up by volunteers there gave us great views of the mother on the nest and the male in a nearby tree. It was a really special, enjoyable way to finish an awesome few days!