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IRELAND: A TASTE OF THE NORTH

ULSTER
3 days / 2 nights - Wednesday to Friday

 This three-day tour bursts with sites, sounds and experiences, offering you a unique taste of the North. Naturally, we've selected sites that illustrate both the similarities and differences it has with its southern neighbour, sites that help explain its more modern 'troubles', and places that make it a unique corner of the British Isles. We've breathtaking prehistoric sites, a walled city, a fantastic folk park, memorable scenery including the amazing Giant's Causeway, seaside towns and the capital of Belfast.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES FOR 2008

Tour Code	Depart Dublin	Return Dublin
ULS	Wednesday	Friday
ULS 01	23 Apr	25 Apr
ULS 02	07 May	09 May
ULS 03	21 May	23 May
ULS 04	04 Jun	06 Jun
ULS 05	18 Jun	20 Jun
ULS 06	02 Jul	04 Jul
ULS 07	16 Jul	18 Jul
ULS 08	30 Jul	01 Aug
ULS 09	13 Aug	15 Aug
ULS 10	27 Aug	29 Aug
ULS 11	10 Sep	12 Sep
ULS 12	24 Sep	26 Sep
ULS 13	08 Oct	10 Oct

Cost:  $789 USD per adult sharing a twin/double room; $819 USD single occupancy

What your tour price includes: Your accommodation for 2 nights while on the tour including both full breakfasts and dinners. Your price also includes all entrance fees to attractions, transportation, services of driver/guide-companion and all taxes and tips other than those you may wish to give your guide.

Airport transfers and accommodation pre and post tour is not included but can be reserved at a specially discounted price.

Want to upgrade your tour package to include international airfare? Click here for info.

Tentative Itinerary

Day One (Wednesday)

We depart Dublin and collect collecting other tour participants in Drogheda or Navan, where they will have stayed overnight if combining this tour with ‘Galway, Aran Isles and the Midlands’.

Our touring programme takes us first to the site of the Battle of the Boyne. This marks one of defining events in Ireland history. Next, to the Hills of Tara, the foremost spiritual and political centre of Ireland for 1000 years and the seat of power until the coming of St Patrick. Thence to the amazing prehistoric site at Newgrange (entry to the tomb itself conditional on availability). Here we step back into the mists of time, to the time almost at the very start of history. These New Stone Age Passage Graves are regarded as among the most impressive prehistoric monuments in Europe. Newgrange is dated to around 3200 BC and predates Stonehenge, Mycenae and indeed the pyramids of Egypt. Nearby Knowth dates back to 3000 BC. No visit to Drogheda and the lower Boyne Valley area is complete without a visit to the interpretative centre.

As we progress northward, we'll enjoy an introduction to Armagh. Armagh was the seat of the High Kings of Ulster. Saint Patrick built his first stone church here and with its twin cathedrals the city is rich in cultural heritage graceful architecture and ancient legend.

NIGHTSTOP: Omagh

Day Two (Thursday)

We've a day of choices; a day that can be decided upon according to group interests, weather and time of year you'll travelling. Our first visit can either be at the Ulster-American Folk Park or the Famine Village near Innishowen. The Folk Park is probably the best of its kind in the world, the park examines why two million people left Ulster of America and Australia in the 18th and 19th centuries. It has more than 30 historic buildings brought alive by costumed guides. There's even a reconstructed emigrant ship and Pennsylvania farmstead and smoke room.

Next, to Londonderry. Here you'll enjoy a fascinating walk of the 'walls' and hear the story of how the shutting of this walled town's gates to a King of England led to over 300 years of 'Troubles'.

This afternoon we see the Northern Island coastline and the famed Giant's Causeway. The sheer strangeness of this place and the bizarre regularity of its 37,000 basalt columns has made it the subject of numerous legends.

If there's time before we turn back to Omagh, we'll tour Old Bushmills Distillery where they've been producing whiskey since 1608!

There's perhaps slightly more touring on this than on other of our Ireland tours as there's a lot to get in!

NIGHTSTOP: Omagh

Day Three (Friday)

An early start, with our touring programme taking us alongside Lough Neagh to Belfast. Here we'll enjoy a tour of this tremendous Victorian city, currently enjoying a cultural and economic resurgence thanks to the end of the 'Troubles'. Our Belfast discovery will include a panoramic tour taking you into both sides of this divided sectarian city. The trip up the Falls Road and down the Shankill, seeing the famed political wall murals (which are fast disappearing as the communities learn to live side-by-side), is just one of the memorable and unique experiences we'll have.

Finally, we head south for Dublin, our two-hour touring drive taking us beside the Mountains of Mourne, Dundalk and to see the Monasterboice Tower and High Crosses. These historic ruins are of an early Christian settlement situated north of Drogheda. Founded in 520 AD by St.Buite, the ruins include the 35 metre high Round Tower (built for the monks as a safe haven against the attack of the Vikings) and, most famous, the three High Crosses. These crosses date back to the 10th Century.

NIGHTSTOP: Dublin (not included in your package.)

Those wishing to continue their Ireland adventure can join our Classic Southern Ireland tour tomorrow.

This tour also combines with UK 3-day tour of the Lakes District departing Manchester on Saturdays. Tour participants wishing to join this will fly to Manchester on the Friday evening. This tour also combines with our ‘In Search of Arthur: Dorset, Devon and Cornwall tour’ departing every Saturdays from London. Tour participants wishing to join this will fly to London on the Friday evening from Dublin.

This tour is operated by Back-Roads Touring Co Ltd