Donaghadee

Donaghadee, like Bangor, is a port town with a marina bordering the shopping district. Charmingly, both towns have a children's play park between the shops and the marina. I think in the U.S., such prime real estate would be reserved for an expensive restaurant, a high rise office block or condos.

The beach south of town was heavily trafficked with people and their dogs out for a stroll--all off leash. There was a paved path so a woman in a wheel chair, for instance, had no problem taking her dog for a walk off leash. The nearest road to the beach was lined with modest bungalows. Never having been an economic boomtown, Northern Ireland has managed, ironically, to preserve a very high quality of life for its residents. I see it in every beach, every park, every neighborhood where houses remain on a human scale.

4th and final random shot of the coastal path, looking back toward Helen's Bay.