Holidays in Northern Ireland – The Titanic Quarter and Beyond

I can't quite believe I'm going to mention the Titanic, especially as I live in Belfast and the Titanorak centenary celebrations and all the resulting guff are driving me MAD, but, well, it seems that 2012 being the hundredth anniversary of a Belfast-built ship sinking on its maiden voyage is both a) something to be proud of and b) something people all around the world are into.

The new Titanic Visitor Centre (don't start me) opened in Belfast at the beginning of April, with reports saying there were over 100,000 tickets sold in 23 countries before it even opened.

This is reflecting a very welcome trend over the past ten years or so, where Northern Ireland is now seen as an excellent holiday spot. Belfast was voted one of the top ten destinations in the world for 2012 by National Geographic, and it looks like this year will be one of the busiest tourist times in N Ireland ever.

There are loads of cheap flights to Belfast from all over the UK, and we've over 95 campsites all over the country from Belfast to Ballycastle – here are four of the best spots for a N Ireland camping holiday.

Belfast

Wandering around the Titanic Quarter is clearly The Thing For 2012, but there's a lot more to Belfast than that. The 'Queen's Quarter' – the area around Queen's University, Botanic Avenue and Bradbury Place – is full of good bars, restaurants, and spots for live comedy and music.

The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival in May is one of the best around and has most shows available to travellers on a budget, while the Cathedral Quarter itself is one of the oldest places in the city and has St Anne's Cathedral, the Duke of York pub, live music at the John Hewitt and cobbled streets to trip on in your heels.

Antrim Coast

 The north coast is probably the most popular tourist spot in N Ireland, with tiny villages, great views, seaside towns and the Glens of Antrim.

Try some golfing at Portrush, a top golfing spot hosting the Irish Open this year, climb the sand dunes at Portstewart, take the Bushmills whiskey tour, and wander around the seaside town of Ballycastle before taking the ferry across to see the puffins on Rathlin Island.

The biggest tourist draw of the Antrim coast, and N Ireland, is the Giant's Causeway, a World Heritage Site and managed by the National Trust, but forever sticking in my mind as this Led Zeppelin album cover.

Ulster Way

This 625 mile long distance walking route is one of the longest in the UK and Ireland, and takes in all of N Ireland around its borders. There are several 'quality sections' which are fully waymarked and which pass through Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

One of the best things about the Ulster Way is that it goes through cities and towns as well as rural areas – if you're staying in Belfast, the Lagan Towpath nine mile stretch from Lisburn to Belfast is probably the best walk from the city.

Fermanagh Lakelands

Fishing! The Fermanagh lakes with Upper and Lower Lough Erne are renowned for coarse fishing, pike fishing and winter roach fishing, with Lough Melvin the best spot for salmon and trout fishing. There's also plenty of boating and watersports  to get stuck into, and Lough Erne has 154 islands to explore – take a trip to the monastic site Devenish Island with its 12 ^th century round tower.

Away from the lakes, Fermanagh has woods and forests, wetlands, cliffs with views to Donegal, the Marble Arch Caves, and the Ulster American Folk Park charting Irish emigration to America 300 years ago.

So, see y'all in N Ireland this year then. Say hi if you see me – mine's a Bass. Just don't mention the Titanic. Cheers!