Happy Tuesday everyone! Feeling glum after a nice break at Easter?! I know I am! Then read this blog post for some travel and literary inspiration as I take a tour around Bronte & Narnia country in Northern Ireland!
So for those of you who don’t know the Bronte sister’s father, Patrick Bronte, came from what was then Ireland. In fact, his family’s cottage is only fifteen minutes away from where I live and this church is where he preached in on one of his only visits home to Ireland in the early 1800’s. How amazing is that! P.S. You can also get married in the church!
There’s quotes galore from my favorite Bronte sister book, Jane Eyre!
Beautiful scenery and flowers for miles….
And even a creepy model of Patrick Bronte himself if you visit the museum that’s open between April and October.
Moving on from Bronte Country you can take a breath taking drive through the Mourne Mountains and onto the lovely seaside village of Rostrevor. Unfortunately, the weather was against me on my drive and walk around Rostrevor and I couldn’t take any photos!
This was after nearly two hours of constant rain! But at least the weather cleared so I could take a walk around Kilbroney Park which is an amazing country park on the south County Down coast. A bit of a theme going on here don’t you think?! But I do love going for walks in country or forest parks as I love nature!
Rostrevor and Kilbroney Park is said to have inspired one of my favorite author’s, C.S.Lewis, when he wrote The Chronicles of Narnia. C.S.Lewis was born in Belfast but lived mostly in England but would summer in Rostrevor.
There is a Narnia themed walking trail in Kilbroney Park that starts of wonderfully then ends up with quite run down fibreglass structures and no signposts! A shame that the trail isn’t maintained!
This is the wardrobe door and the lamp post where Lucy meets Mr. Tumnus.
Amazing willow tree-people sculptures.
Wooden windows on trees that represent Mr. Beaver’s house as the trail is based on The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Though this part of the trail is particularly run down it is still worth going to Kilbroney as you can make your way up into the main part of the forest park.
Where you will be surrounded by beautiful trees and nature.
Stunning scenes….
And beautiful woodland paths…
I’d highly recommend coming to Kilbroney and Bronte Country even if you’re not as literary minded as I am as the scenery itself is worth visiting, even on a misty, rainy day! You’ll need a car to get to both places though Kilbroney is accessible by bus but it’s better to have a car so you can explore at your own pace. Enjoy my YouTube video below of my road trip and more beautiful Irish scenery!