Belvoir Park Walk

stable-yard

I paid Belvoir Park, Newtownbreda, County Down, a visit this afternoon.

Belvoir was built by the 1st Viscount Dungannon; and later sold to Sir Robert Bateson, 1st Baronet.

Belvoir forest park is now in greater Belfast.

I have written quite a lot about this extraordinarily fine 18th century demesne, though little trace remains of it.

There are, however, several indicative features.

The stable-yard survives, mercifully.

retaining wall

The old retaining wall is largely intact. It stands to the east of where the mansion house stood (now the car-park).

former fish-pond

There were four or five ornamental fish-ponds below the wall, though their remains are barely discernible.

The sweeping lawn immediately in front of the house (above) is now completely overgrown.

I strolled along the old tow-path, beside the former river Lagan navigation and canal.

Orlock Hedging

I've spent the day at Orlock, a property of the National Trust between Groomsport and Donaghadee, County Down.

The former coastguard lookout stands adjacent to the public road.

This former lookout is now surrounded by residential homes.

Today our task was to construct a hawthorn hedge.

The hawthorn trees are already there; our job was to bend them horizontally, using bill-hooks and saws.

The trick is to leave a mere "strap", a sort of ligament of the tree, very thin indeed.

The tree can then be bent down horizontally so that it stays alive.

This is a most satisfying pastime.

Most of the trees were relatively large, so it wasn't as easy as it might seem.

Some of the straps broke, which meant that we had to remove the tree for firewood.

The intention is to plant new hawthorn trees imminently to fill the gaps.

We enjoyed sunny intervals today, though there was a heavy hail shower which lasted five or ten minutes.

I munched away happily on egg salad sandwiches at lunchtime.

S D Bell's Breakfast

I usually meet my aunt at the celebrated tea and coffee merchant, S D Bell's, at 516, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast.

S D Bell's is one of the longest established family businesses still operating in the city.

It is always busy.

I normally have a pot of their Directors' Blend with a fruit scone; though today I fancied a cooked breakfast.

The Ulster Fry, cooked breakfast, is particularly popular in Bell's.

They have the smaller, five item version; or the full-size eight item plateful.

I opted for the former, and had an egg, sausage, baked beans, potato farl, and soda farl.

This was a rare treat and I devoured it heartily.

I think that in this instance I might just pip Camilla Batmanjelly to the food-trough.

Everything was tip-top and there was no greasiness, either.

It cost £4.80.

Erin, my favourite member of staff, presented it to me at our table.

I noticed another patron with the home-made stew, which looked equally good; and Ewart's haddock and chips featured on the blackboard.

Well done, S D Bell's, and long may you provide the choicest teas, coffees and food to us.

Connswater Bridge

I happened to be passing the Connswater Bridge, Newtownards Road, Belfast, this afternoon and work progresses well on the Connswater Greenway project.

The river Conn's Water is culverted on one side for several hundred yards; while, at the Connswater Bridge, beside McDonald's, a Trench Shield (or box) has been placed in the middle of the river adjacent to the bridge.

Orlock Visit

The National Trust owns a fair bit of coastline between Ballyholme Bay, Bangor, and Portavo, just beyond Orlock Point, County Down.

This townland is called Balloo Lower.

To our south is Portavo Reservoir; whereas the town of Bangor is to the west; and the Copeland Islands to the east.

Today eleven of us drove to a field close to the old coastguard lookout at Orlock, a tight-knit community comprising about forty homes, I gather.

We endeavoured to light a bonfire in order to burn old branches and grass cuttings.

It seemed to take two hours to light the fire because everything was saturated.

Nevertheless, our persistence eventually paid off.

Will was cutting the lower branches from a kind of conifer tree at the entrance to Orlock.

Fodder today for self consisted of salmon sandwiches and a beaker of coffee.

Pecking Orders

My fellow blogger http://www.christopherbellew.com/ has drawn my attention to the fact that I omitted to mention the Right Rev the Lord Eames, OM, in my article about the OC dinner and Sir Ronnie Flanagan.

His Grace the Duke of Abercorn is, of course, a Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

The Right Rev the Lord Eames is a Member of the Order of Merit.

Sir Ronnie Flanagan is a Knight Grand Cross of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

Ulster's golden girl is Dame Mary Peters, a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour and a Dame Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

New DLs

APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY LIEUTENANTS

Dr Angela Garvey, Lord-Lieutenant of the County Borough of Londonderry, has been pleased to appoint:

Dr Lucinda WATT

Mrs Helen QUIGLEY

To be Deputy Lieutenants of the County Borough, her Commission bearing date the 8th day of February 2016.