Wheels Around Europe . . . . . . . : Belcoo to the banks of Lough Neagh

Tuesday, 21 September 2021

Belcoo to the banks of Lough Neagh

Tuesday 21st September 2021

We left our 5* luxury campsite in Belcoo with a friendly goodbye chat with the owner who came out to wish us a safe journey.

Never had that treatment before

If Carlsberg did campsites, I think this would be the model for it.

It wasn't very far to our next stop on the shore of Lough Neagh, so I did a detour to a country park called Peatlands Park.

It's a lovely municipal park with a great children's play area and a fantastic climbing frame. If only I was eight again.

After lunch and a walk we headed for tonight's parkup at Battery Harbour on Lough Neagh.

Apparently the largest fresh water lake in the British Isles.

The Lough is an odd place though, as there is so little around it.

It seems for the most part that the farm fields go down to the shore and there appears to be very little recreational use of the waters which is unlike the Irish, who are game for throwing themselves into freezing water at every opportunity.

I'd expected sailing clubs and water sports to be everywhere.

Maybe development is strictly controlled ?

Anyway, the harbour is a good parkup for us, level, great views and some areas for walking.

We've been joined by two other motorhomes for company.

It's just an hour from here to Larne Port for the ferry tomorrow and our Ireland trip will be over :(

I've really enjoyed the countryside, the scenery, the wild beauty of the Atlantic coast and of course the warmth and friendlyness of everyone we have met here.

I won't miss the bumpy sections of the Wild Atlantic Way, the suspension has certainly had a good work out !

I am dissapointed we didn't get to Galway, but there's always next year ......

And of course there's Cork, Waterford, Kerry and Clare, Dingle, so much more to see yet.

I especially enjoyed the Donegal coast and the amazing rock formations I kayaked around in the crystal clear waters.

That is a special memory from this trip that will stay with me.