20 JUNE 2020

SENIORS \\MARCH, 2020 ESCAPE Irish luxury through the roof

IF it’s luxury you’re after, there are plenty of topnotch hotels across Northern Ireland. If it’s something amazing, unusual or even eccentric, here are seven self-catering options that will fit the bill. 1. Twilight Bunkhouse, Carnlough, County Antrim Cosy indie coffee shop downstairs, comfy getaway upstairs, with views over Carnlough Harbour – or the Braavos Canal for Game of Thrones fans (the harbour was a film location for the HBO blockbuster). The two six-person dorms and two four-person private rooms come complete with kitchen, guest lounge and access to a courtyard. 2. Finn Lough Bubble Domes, County Fermanagh

A cosy little bubble to call home deep in the forest of a lakeland resort. These polished, airy and 360- degree glass-dome suites, with complimentary Wi-Fi, flatscreens and tea- and coffee-making facilities, mean you can stargaze the night sky on comfy seats or recline on the four-poster bed. 3. Aurora, Bushmills,

CLEAR FAVOURITE: The Finn Lough Bubble Domes lie deep in the forest of a lakeland resort.

Picture: Contributed

County Antrim

Hewn from Canadian cedar, this pair of deluxe log cabins comes complete with supersized beds, wood burners, outdoor hot tubs and private verandas. Just 1.6km from the worldfamous Giant’s Causeway, there are myriad attractions to explore nearby. 4. Quarry Hill Church, Strangford County Down A unique opportunity to stay in a stunning converted Presbyterian church built in

Train of thought is taking off

1846. The spectacular fivebedroom property is at the entrance to the picturesque village of Strangford, overlooking Castleward Bay. 5. Blackrock Beach House, Portrush, County Antrim

This superlative holiday home overlooks a Blue Flag beach in the seaside resort of Portrush. The best local bars and fine-dining restaurants are no further than a pleasant stroll along the promenade. This is the perfect base for exploring the Causeway Coastal Route.

6. Waterfall Caves, Limavady, County Londonderry

A perfect getaway for a weekend in the outdoors, this quirky subterranean setup lies at the foot of Binevenagh Mountain. The luxury caves sleep up to four. 7. Further Space, Glenarm Castle, County Antrim

A distinctive comfort zone in the grounds of a 17th-century castle, these stylish glamping pods are set on a spectacular hilltop site with breathtaking views. Info: ireland.com.

BRAND INSIGHTS

WHEN Simon Mitchell came home one day and casually mentioned to his partner of 10 years that he bought a train, he got the rise of the eyebrows that he expected from Danielle Smith.

After all, she knew her partner had been a keen railway modeller for years. When he mentioned that the scale of the train was actually 12” to the foot, he finally got the reaction he was looking for!

It turns out Mitchell, a retired accountant, had bought seven ex-Southern Aurora sleeping carriages from the liquidators of the Australian Railway Historical Society (ACT).

The carriages travelled by rail to Lithgow Railway Workshops, where four twinette carriages were painstakingly restored to operating condition. They currently form part of the Southern Aurora fleet at the NSW Rail Transport Museum, Thirlmere, and have gone on a number of rail tours over the past nine months. For at least two of these carriages, it was their first passenger-carrying service since 1994.

Mitchell and Smith have also restored a further twinette carriage at the now-reopened Canberra Rail Museum, and two Roomette carriages at Goulburn Locomotive Roundhouse.

As a team they have gone on to buy 14 carriages, to be returned to operation.

The carriages have been kept in as original condition as possible. Mitchell said: “We’re amazed that the original vinyl wallpaper has survived since 1962. We’ve really grown to appreciate the mid-century vintage appeal of these carriages.’’ The pair’s passion comes

through when they talk about the rail heritage community. “We have had tremendous support from the community, who really want to see the return of this icon of Australian rail travel,” Mitchell said.

Trading as Vintage Rail Journeys, Mitchell and Smith recently released two exciting rail tours allowing you to travel for five days and four nights, sleeping and dining on the train and covering 1500km around rural and regional NSW. “We really wanted our guests to see everything possible, so we only travel during daylight hours,’’ Mitchell said. “We stable the train at night at rail stations, and it is quite a challenge finding somewhere to park up a 400m-long, shiny stainless-steel train.

“Our guests tell us they want to get out of the city and into the bush, so we have developed a northern loop (Golden West Rail Tour) and a southern loop (Riverina Rail Tour).’’

Both tours start at the iconic Sydney Central railway station. The Golden West Rail Tour goes north to the Hawkesbury River, the Hunter Valley, Orange and the Blue Mountains and then back to Sydney. The Riverina Rail Tour goes south, along the Illawarra line, up the escarpment to Moss Vale and on to Goulburn. Time is spent in Griffith, Temora (featuring Warbirds Downunder 2020) and the Blue Mountains before returning to Sydney.

Mitchell and Smith have sourced caterers from the areas the train will travel through. They have engaged a wine consultant who will travel on the train and assist guests with tastings.

The response from the travelling public has MOVING EXPERIENCE: Simon Mitchell aboard one of the trains in his Vintage Rail business. Picture: Contributed

reflected the desire to visit the bush, with the first Golden West Rail Tour, on April 1-5, being sold out. Tickets for the Golden West Rail Tour on September 9-13 and Riverina Rail Tour on October 14-18 are on sale now. www. vintage railjourneys .com.au.