Caroline greets Royalty

Prince Michael of Kent is attending the Battle of Jutland commemorations at HMS Caroline in Belfast.

His Royal Highness was greeted by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for Belfast, Mrs Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle CBE.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, the First Minister of Northern Ireland, Arlene Foster MLA, the Rt Hon Jeffrey Donaldson MP, and Gavin Robinson MP, are among those in attendance.

Glen Walk

By Jove it was busy at Mount Stewart estate, County Down, today. The overflow car-park in the large field was almost full.

Of course the popular Jazz in the Gardens event has been taking place this afternoon.

My purpose, however, was to explore the Glen in the demesne.

The glen is off the beaten track.

It begins at a junction on the Red Trail, where there's a small bridge.

One can follow the little river along a track till we reach the estate wall or boundary, where a stone arch passes over the river.

At this point the glen terminates.

There are oblong stepping-stones here, though the river is low at the moment and they are unnecessary.

Other features include a little hump-backed bridge and a more recent bridge in need of repair.

I will return to the Glen again in order to search for a former church or chapel, which was in another field beside the Glen.

On my way back I passed the former estate piggery.

HMS Caroline Video

HMS Caroline, a decommissioned light cruiser moored in Alexandra Dock, Belfast, will open as a museum ship on the 1st June, 2016.

Caroline was built in 1914.

Here's a fascinating video taken about five years ago:-

McCutcheon's Field

I spent a half-day with about eleven other National Trust volunteers at McCutcheon's Field today.

This comprises several acres of coastline near Groomsport, at Brigg's Rocks and close to Sandeel Bay, County Down.

There's a leisure park here called Windsor Holiday Park.

The field comprises 9.17 acres and was donated by North Down Borough Council in 2000.

This stretch of coastline overlooks Belfast Lough and the County Antrim coast at the other side.

This morning we were cutting off gorse stumps, a task which needs to be done to hinder future re-growth.

We treated the remaining stumps with a herbicide.

As we sat munching our lunch, lots of swallows were swooping over the field. Terns and field buntings were also spotted.

I brought along a box of little flapjacks for everybody; and lunched on the customary cheese-and-onion sandwiches.

A rather smart new "kissing gate" has been erected at the main entrance to McCutcheon's Field.

Royal Visit

The Prince of Wales has arrived in Northern Ireland.

His Royal Highness was welcomed by the Lord-Lieutenant of Belfast, Mrs Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle CBE.

In attendance were the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP; the Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Alderman Guy Spence; the First Minister of Northern Ireland, Mrs Arlene Foster MLA; and Gavin Robinson, MP for East Belfast.

The Duchess of Cornwall will join His Royal Highness in the Province on Tuesday, the 24th May.

Thereafter, TRH will undertake a joint official visit to the Irish Republic on Wednesday, the 25th May.

The visit to the Irish Republic is at the request of HM Government and follows a visit Their Royal Highnesses made there last year.

In Northern Ireland, TRH will host a musical evening at Hillsborough Castle, County Down, with the BBC Radio 3 presenter, Sean Rafferty.

Prince Charles will visit The Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (ECIT) at the Queen's University of Belfast.

Their Royal Highnesses will also visit a number of successful local businesses, some of which work in the food and drink sector, as 2016 is the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink.

Food and drink is Northern Ireland's single biggest industry. On May 11th, The Prince of Wales attended an event at Fortnum & Mason in London to promote the Province's produce, as part of his work in supporting the food and drink sector.

In the Irish Republic, Their Royal Highnesses will celebrate the area's heritage by visiting Magee's, a local company which has been producing tweed in Donegal for 150 years.

At the Letterkenny Institute of Technology, His Royal Highness will meet local entrepreneurs. Her Royal Highness will visit a local school.

Finally, at Glenveagh Castle, County Donegal, TRH will tour the gardens and meet children who have been learning about some of the conservation work which takes place in Glenveagh National Park.

Cregagh Glen

Cregagh Glen is a spot where the city of Belfast meets the countryside.

It is a property of the National Trust.

Parking is not particularly easy from the Knockbreda end, though I managed to find a place at a road off the dual carriageway; take care, however, if you park on the other side of the ring road.

This is a linear route, which returns by way of the same path.

My walk began at the entrance on the Upper Knockbreda Road.

I followed the path uphill through beautiful Cregagh Glen.

At certain points along the glen you can choose to follow the main path or a smaller path along the river Glen itself.

The path stays close to the edges of Cregagh Glen as it ascends through pools of sunlight cast by the trees.

Eventually you encounter a waterfall, and yesterday there were carpets of bluebells and wood anemones.

A sign points towards the former American military cemetery at Lisnabreeny, which is worth a detour.

At the top of the glen I crossed the busy Manse Road via a walkway and skirted the grounds of Lisnabreeny House, now a school.

A lane passes Lisnabreeny House, once the home of the Robb family; briefly a youth hostel and army headquarters; before restoration as part of Lagan College.

The old garden is now replanted with broad-leaves and a children's den in the natural play area.

I ambled for some distance further along the country lane before turning back and retracing my footsteps.

Fermanagh DLs

APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY LIEUTENANTS

The Viscount Brookeborough, Lord-Lieutenant of County Fermanagh, has been pleased to appoint:- 

• Mr Ernest Fisher, Irvinestown, County Fermanagh
• Mr Hamish Logan, Ballinamallard, County Fermanagh
• The Rt Hon John Henry Michael Ninian Earl of Erne, Crom Castle, Newtownbutler, County Fermanagh
• Mr Anthony Rasdale, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh
• Dr John Graham, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh

To be Deputy Lieutenants of the County, his Commission bearing date the 1st Day of June, 2016. 

Signed: Lord Lieutenant of the County