I've had a couple of busy weeks. When aren't they? But working full-time and then at weekends does take it out of you. Two weekends ago I was on a school trip to Wesley for MUN. That was exciting because I got to drive a SUV…an automatic one! And there were lots of cup holders, which we all know is the most important thing in a car.
Last weekend was Soul Mates. Busy again as ever but a different sort of busy. I actually was able to duck out for a few hours to visit the SU weekend so it was nice to see those guys too.
The drive took me right over the Mournes and places I've only ever dreamt of. No really.
There's two place names in NI that I think are the prettiest: Gracehill and Katesbridge. My brother used to live not far from Gracehill but I'd never been any closer to Katesbridge than the sign on the way to Newry (up there with the ugliest NI place names surely. Along with any place you care to name in Co. Tyrone, which surely has more per capita than any other county.)
A wrong turn and suddenly I found myself in Katesbridge! And let me tell you, it needs a pretty name because it doesn't have much else going for it. Much like Gracehill in that respect, I suppose.
Next I was through Rathfriland. Which I sometimes gets confused with Randalstown. Yes, legally different names but it's the Ra start and land/town end that does it. Rathfriland is famous (to me at least) for being home to NI21 MLA John McCallister, one of our few MLAs with a spark of personality.
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| I'd never been to Rathfriland before either so it was exciting to see the water tower (if that's what it is). |
But all too soon I was out of Rathfriland and on to my next small town of South Down: Hilltown. Now coming from Rathfriland, which must be a cyclist's nightmare and dream all in one because of the hill it's on, I was excited. If Rathfriland's hill didn't even make it to its name (in English at least) then Hilltown's hill must be spectacular. How wrong could I be?! There's was nothing more than a mild incline. I'd say we could get them on the Trade Descriptions Act. Let me know if you want to join my class action suit. There could be literally units of disappointed tourists like me every year, going to Hilltown expecting to see, you know, a hill.
What I did see was better though. This sign was just casually on a telegraph pole beside a shed, which was closed. (I stopped to take its picture on the way back, it intrigued me so much.)
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| 'Eating potatoes'? What other sort of potatoes are there? Or does Hilltown just put up signs of various activities? You know 'playing chess', 'watching TV', 'making tea', that sort of thing? |
After I past the sights of Hilltown (see above photo) I was through the Mournes properly.
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| It was all a bit Colorado. There was even a few hair pin turns! |
One of my favourite historical stories about the partition of Ireland is Edward Carson's plan to build reservoirs in the Mournes to supply Belfast's water so that when the Boundary Commission met they couldn't redraw the border there because it could only be so far as the 'economic and geographic conditions' were compatible. Sneaky/clever depending on your perspective.
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| What?! Spelga Dam is on a hill. Duh. |
The way back was largely uneventful, but I did make a stop in Hilltown to get a drink.
I wouldn't be surprised but there's a sign outside the Spar saying 'Drinking Coke' now.
