Northern Ireland 3 - Derry

 Saturday 19th July 2025

Wake up on the building site which now has ten vans in total which means the limited loos and showers are undergoing intense use but at least the number of vans makes the place look slightly more of a camp site. It's an unloading low loader that wakes me.

Off at 8am aiming for Ness Country Park to do today's walk. Taking a scenic cross-country route I eventually arrive at this woodland area bordering on a river and featuring a waterfall. 

Again I am one of the first arrivals and I stride out heading for the waterfall on one of the well surfaced trails. The whole place is well tended yet feels natural. I see the biggest waterfall in Derry then return to the van for coffee.

As the first trail was short of three miles I head off on a second trail which is a circuit on the other side of the park.

It's remarkably warm and my shirt is soaked but now it's time to head for Londonderry and its famous city walls. 

Derry Walls

A leisurely stroll around the walls is completed in under an hour then back to the van and head for my final destination for the day - Glenpark.

Derry Girls, mural

Some confusion in my mind between Glenpark Caravan site and Glenpark estate but at length I find my pitch, well organised on a leafy site, separated from each other by twee little fences. This is quite different from last night's car park cum building site. I've chosen well by abandoning my second night at Friel's and booking the extra night here.

On the other hand the few campers in the tent area have dinosaurs and their roaring to deal with! There is a dinosaur park right next to their field and the roaring animatronic monsters roar from 9 in the morning until 6 at night. Bonkers!

However there is a restaurant and bar just down the road and I may avail myself of that tomorrow.