Day 18 & 19 onto Belfast

Yesterday left Belfast early and headed off down the Mourne Coastal Route. Caught the ferry across from Portaferry to Strangford to check out  Castleward. What a great place, again a film setting for the Game of Thrones. Toured through the Manor house, we were the only two on the tour so it was great. The house was built half in Classic and half in Gothic as the husband and wife couldn't agree on the style! Amazing. Walked all around the estate , the money involved. The last Earl of Bangor couldn't afford the £80,000 death tax the English put on him after his father died, so he deeded the house and lands to the English government! Headed from here onto to Downpatrick to where St Pattie was allegedly buried, they actually have a monument to him at the Down Cathedral as they aren't sure where he is buried but think it may be under the Cathedral. Also checked out Inch Abbey, another GOT location (one would think we actually watched the bloody thing, it is such a money maker here!) Went onto Newcastle and stayed the night in a B&B called St Patrick's Stream. Maybe not the grandest of places but run by a lovely couple called Peter and Rosie.
Left Newcastle this morning to head to Dublin where we will spend the last 5 days before heading home. Stopped at Bettystown, bless her little heart ❤️Thinking of you Mum. Everywhere we go it has been St Patrick so it was nice to see something about Betty! Not much today to talk about except the hotel we are staying in. Was getting a bit desperate as we hadn't booked anything so eventually found the Regency Hotel about 2 kms from city centre! Mmmm let's just say, glad we will be out and about each day. Plan is to see what's in the city and then visit some of the places we didn't get to earlier, like Wicklow and Tipperary . Having problems with photos tonight so will just have to leave them until tomorrow