Your Travel Tips for Northern Ireland 2021

Hello Barbara here from Guided Tours Ireland and Armagh Guided Tours. - Hope your all keeping well.

As a Local Northern Ireland Guide I have been planning and guiding visitors around for a over 15 years. I was excited to see Northern Ireland vibrant with tourists in 2019 and enquiries for 2020 rolling in fast. Then “bang” Corvid 19 hit and lockdown came along in early March 2020.

I closed my diary for 2020; upgraded my face moisturiser; found my overalls and wellie boots and headed out to work with my husband on our sheep farm here in the hills of County Armagh. Fortunately weather was dry and warm and that was a bonus for me as I normally class myself as a “fair weather farmer”. Lambing was pretty hectic with days running into nights and little sleep. A few snappy days when tired and hungry however nothing that a good long hot soak in a bath with some nice bubbles followed with a tender filet steak and a glass of good wine didn’t cure..

Today lambing is all settled down now and my days in “lockdown” are spent walking the fields and checking the stock. Time to think again about tours and travel throughout Northern Ireland in 2021.
I miss the chat and banter with the tourists…….sheep don’t do it for me!

Visitors to Ireland/Northern Ireland usually arrive -

• By plane

• By ferry

• By car

• By cruise ship

• By coach

On what season should you visit?

January, February & March
Winter months. You will have the opportunity to wear your Aran sweater, tweed coats and woollen wear; knee boots and waterproof coats. You’ll have the place to yourself more or less! The 17th March falls on Wednesday AND THE Spring Equinox is 20 march so Spring is on its way then!

April, May & June
Easter Sunday falls on 4th April 2021! More activities opening up and the forty shades of green start to appear! Lambs in the fields, apple blossom on the hills and the bright strong colours of the roadside yellow gorse in bloom. Daylight hours reach their best at Summer Solstice on 21 June 2021

July, August, September
It’s all go - peak summer holiday season for all - July & August. Schools out. Everywhere is buzzing. Parks & gardens are at their best. Wide range of
outdoor activities. September is start of harvest time.

October, November, December
Harvest colours; Halloween ghosts and frosty nights. Christmas markets, hot whiskeys, Christmas trees and Santa Clause.

It’s all about making the best of your holiday time. Time flies when you are having fun! Planning and discussion ahead with myself as your local contact here ensures you get to follow your dreams.

Can’t guarantee the fairies or wee people will dance with you!

My suggestions on how to start to plan –

• List your favourite travel friends

• Do some serious group brain storming

• Make a ridiculously long and inappropriate list of things to do and see

• Agree the length of time for your tour/stay in Northern Ireland

• List your likes and dislikes

• Be a dreamer

Then discuss with me Barbara at….

www.guidedtoursireland.com
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www.armaghguidedtours.com
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Remember if you have never been to Ireland/Northern Ireland ………the island might be small but you will want to dilly dally along the way……

OK I’m ready for your list………..

I’m a dreamer……………dream with me for 2021. In the mean time as we say here “mind yourself”.

NOTE – All pictures are taken by myself…… .nobody around to help and sure it’s not always easy to start “posing” when there’s work to be done!

Definitely no video…..not my thing!