NORTHERN IRELAND WITH LAUREN MUNTING
NAME: Lauren Munting
WHAT YOU DO: Global Brand Manager - State of Escape
STAR SIGN: Pisces
SOCIALS: @theycallhermunting
LIVING: Sydney
LOCATION: Northern Ireland
SLEEP
We stayed south of Belfast in a small traditional cottage on a little lane in a small town.
The whole place felt idyllic, the town-folk are so friendly and welcoming.
Everyone makes you feel like family - from the local barista to the bartender at the local pub. The locals are always up for a chat and the first to tell you about the local area, history of the country and their own life’s story.
Don’t be shy speaking to the locals. Everyone has a story to tell you.
EAT
Potatoes, Irish-Stew and Guinness.
Every stereotype you’ve heard about Northern Ireland is true. And, let me just tell you,
it’s delicious.
We didn’t stay in one place very long, with lot of road-tripping whilst in Northern Ireland, but we found that any pub with a crowd would typically have good hearty food, and great craic.
I had a fish pie in a tiny hole in the wall pub near that Giants Causeway that is burned in my memory as one of my most favourite meals to date.
The food here is simple, rich and hearty. You simply can’t leave without trying Irish stew and a pint of Guinness at your local watering hole.
DO
Rent a car in Belfast, turn off your GPS and drive north along the coast.
This part of the world has some of the most spectacularly rugged scenery.
We found ourselves parking up on the side of the windy roads to walk through rolling glens and unknowingly trespassing on private farm-lands to find crumbling ruins and windswept bluffs that fall way to the sea.
The views all along the Causeway Coastal drive are pretty magnificent.
I would make a mental note to stop in at Mussenden Temple, it’s an incredible circular temple built in the 1700’s perch very daringly on the edge of a rocky cliff-face. So dauntingly beautiful at dusk, when we finally found it. (After about an hour of walking through the forest in the wrong direction.)
SHOP
Unlike most of my travels, I did very little shopping in Northern Ireland.
We were too busy exploring the countryside and surrounds.
We did find ourselves stopping into the Texaco’s dotted along the highway to load up on regional road-trip snacks.
Petrol stations and groceries store overseas’ are my happy place. I just love discovering new countries junk-food.
PACK
The weather in Northern Ireland is typically grey and gloomy. Fortuitously, on our trip we had sun, blue skies and double digital temperatures the entire time.
This meant that the boots and coats I had packed end up staying in the suitcase during our trip.
That said, I would still make sure they are on the pack-list for every trip to this part of the world.
The weather here can turn on a dime, and we were told constantly how lucky we were to have such perfect weather! Def not the norm.
I am a jeans and tee girl on vacay, I want the simplicity.
* Boyfriend jeans
* Bassike Tee’s
* Spring Court kicks
* Gucci Sunglasses
* Rains anorak
* Loren Stewart earrings
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