Review: Visiting Northern Ireland for the first time

When the country’s tourism board invited me over to play some of the country’s golf courses, see the sights and try some of their cuisine, how could I say no?

The actual flight from Gatwick into Belfast could not have been easier (not considering the major road closures by Gatwick and the rail strike). The flight is said to be one-and-a-half hours but took us around one. One of the things I hate most about flying is when you have to spend hours at the airport, tired from your flight, waiting for your bags and going through security. Because this is a domestic flight there is no need for passport control and the time from the seatbelt sign going off to getting into the arrivals area was roughly 10 minutes - it was amazing.

Flying into Northern Ireland is also a great experience. As I came into George Best Belfast City Airport I could see the beautiful hills and the scenic docks - I am sorry Gatwick, but Belfast has you beat for landing views.

I hopped in a rental car with another journalist and we travelled north to our first stop, Castlerock Golf Club - which is set to become a new co-host to the ISPS HANDA World Invitational.

The first thing that struck me on the roads was how polite and calm the drivers are in Northern Ireland. If you are in the middle lane on the M25 going less than 70 mph you are going to have a (foolish) person right up behind you pushing your limits. In Northern Ireland I barely saw anyone going even a single mph over the limit and people were more than happy to let me in without a moment's hesitation.

Castlerock as a village was stunning. It is right on the seafront and looks out onto the North Atlantic Ocean. The golf club also boasted sensational views as you played among the sand dunes on the links course.

We played the Mussenden Course and I have to admit, it was tough. I am not the best golfer, I will admit, but even some better players were telling me that they were struggling with the rugged terrain. Some of the holes have very narrow fairways and if your ball goes into the rough it is almost impossible to find it - trust me, I lost about eight.

Despite the course being unforgiving, it was beautiful and attracts players from across the globe with a large portion of golfers there on the day being American and Canadian.

My gang of journalists then travelled along the coast to Harry’s Shack in Portstewart. If you had to choose a place in the UK to have a restaurant, I think it would have to be this exact location. The restaurant is right on the beach and the views out onto the sea and the nearby hills were jaw dropping. The food was also fantastic. I chose the lemon sole and although I wasn’t too hungry after being battered by the sun all day (sorry mum for not bringing sunscreen!) it was beautiful.

We then travelled inland to Galgorm Resort and Spa to spend the next two nights. When we entered the hotel we knew we were about to be spoiled. You are welcomed into the building by an open fire and you know that you have stepped into a classy hotel. I was a bit worried that I would be treated differently as a scruffy little 23-year-old in a place that screams old money, but to my surprise the staff and atmosphere were not pretentious in the slightest - I felt extremely welcomed.

The room I was placed in was fantastic and had the best shower I have ever experienced in my life. This would be the perfect place to visit with a loved one to celebrate a special occasion - or if you just fancied a little treat away. The spa at the hotel was receiving praise from everyone I spoke to, and although I didn’t quite have time to enjoy the luxuries myself, it looked fantastic and the people I saw from my window looked very relaxed.

The hotel also knocked my socks off with their breakfast. I was allowed to dine in the conservatory and could have stayed there all day. The views of the serene landscape made me feel as if I was looking at a painting. Another journalist and I joked that it felt like the river and woodlands around the hotel were too good to be natural.

Now the food. I ordered the hotel’s take on a full English. I love when places put their own twist on a full English - we can all cook eggs, bacon and sausage - but I want to see places take initiative to elevate it to the next level or to make it their own. The sausages, white pudding, soda bread and potato bread on my plate did just that. The breakfast was excellent and they get a bonus point from me for their authentic Italian macchiato.

After breakfast I strolled through the hotel’s pristine gardens and soaked up the relaxing atmosphere. It felt like you could be here for hours still discovering new areas of the resort .

I then headed over to Galgorm Castle Golf Club for 18 holes. The club, which is also a host for the upcoming ISPS HANDA World Invitational, was very welcoming and the staff were extremely friendly.

I have to admit, I enjoyed this course a bit more than Castlerock as it was slightly easier to play as a beginner. The fairways were a bit wider and I felt as if I had more room to play with on this course. I was speaking to another journalist and he did make a good point that the course could be deemed as a bit generic, but courses dotted with idyllic lakes alongside manicured grass and trees are what we have come to expect in the sport - and this was beautiful. Despite personally finding this course easier, there are some complicated obstacles that you have to tackle that I think even a pro would have to think twice about.

In the evening we headed to Fratelli Ristorante - an Italian restaurant inside our hotel. I opted for the goat’s cheese bruschetta followed by the creamy seafood linguine. I am not sure what bread my bruschetta was on, but it was delicious and the thicker cut worked quite nicely with my cheese. The pasta was also very nice and ticked all the boxes.

In the morning we visited the Old Bushmills Distillery. I am fascinated by alcohol and its production so this was right up my street and I couldn’t believe how little I knew about whiskey. We were treated to a glass of one of the distillery’s whiskeys at the end (I chose the 12-year reserve) and it was delightful. I like whiskey and have to say that this is probably the best I have ever tried.

Following the distillery we went to Giant’s Causeway, which has always been on my bucket list. I often give the UK a bit of grief about not being as naturally scenic as some of our European neighbours, but I take it all back now. The views were breathtaking and genuinely left me speechless. I don’t think I could recommend this enough. We had the audio guide and it added to the beauty to hear about the myths surrounding the landmark.

To end my trip in Northern Ireland I visited the Titanic museum. I have to admit, I didn’t really know what to expect here but was blown away. At the start the experience is a bit slow as you learn about the history building up to the construction of the ship, but it picks up as you start to see photos, recreated rooms and digital impressions of what the ship looked like inside and out. As you walk through the exhibits the story develops and you read the communications from when the boat was sinking. Reading the notes and seeing the items of people who died was extremely emotional. I found it incredibly moving to read the thousands of names on the wall of people who tragically lost their lives. With the movie and its place in pop culture, it’s easy to forget the fact that thousands of families lost loved ones in this event. I cannot emphasise how harrowing the museum was, I was genuinely left speechless. I strongly recommend this to anyone who finds themselves in Northern Ireland.

I ended the day with some superb fish and chips at the Titanic Hotel opposite and made my way to the airport.

I love to visit new places and can safely say that Northern Ireland is one of the most underrated countries I have ever been to. In England people often talk about visiting Scotland or The Republic of Ireland, but you rarely hear of anyone planning to visit Northern Ireland - and I think this is a huge mistake. Northern Ireland is firing from all cylinders when it comes to tourism. The country is spoiled with natural beauty, fantastic hotels and dining options, and is incredibly accessible by car.

People love a staycation nowadays, and Northern Ireland is perfect for this. You are still in the UK but you get to visit a different island, experience a new culture and see something a bit unique.

I have already been raving to family and friends about my trip while encouraging them to get over to the country when they have the chance. I will definitely be back.

The two-night trip was organised by the Azalea Group and Jacob Panons was a guest of Tourism Ireland and flew EasyJet from Gatwick. For the latest information and prices visit https://www.easyjet.com/en and www.ireland.com/golf