Saturday 29 June 2013

Bushmills and beyond

We've arrived in Bushmills after a pleasantly unremarkable two and a half hour drive to the Cairnryan ferry terminal this morning. The 1130 ferry time meant we were able to rise around 0630, breakfast, finish packing and get on the road at 0815 without the usual panic and rush and early start that accompanied our previous journeys to Stranraer for the 0930 crossing.

On arrival in Belfast we headed north for a change, through the showers to Bushmills, on the doorstep of the Giant's Causeway. We are staying at Aunt Rachel's cottages in a nice little stable / byre conversion about a mile out of Bushmills. The boys settled in quickly, had a wander round the farm (Angus was asking the ponies their names, but they weren't talking) then Sharon and Sean went for a run. Sharon is trying to capitalise on Sean's competitive instincts and the fact that he seemed quite pleased with himself after last week's "Race At Your Place" at the school, at which he and Finn ran the 1.5km course without stopping. Sharon accompanied Rowan round the course with just one or two stops. Tonight, Sean and Sharon ran for 28 minutes and managed about two and a half miles, which was a good effort, with Sean leading the way for the second part of the run.

We then went to the Smugglers Inn where Sean and Finn surpassed themselves, putting away ribs for starter (Sean was even seen to eat his salad, without coercion) followed by a burger and chips. Rowan and Angus tucked away their mains with little fuss too, so we went to a local playpark to burn off some energy.

After the usual carry-on trying to get them to settle in their new beds we've had time for a quiet hour or so. Time for bed, as I suspect, tired or not, they'll be up with the lark (or the farm animals, more to the point) tomorrow morning.

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