We left Belfast with warnings of hurricanes fresh in our ears. It was very much a case of calm before the storm as the sun shone from a clear sky during breakfast. Further evidence of the unexpected brightness during the morning was that we had to change the lenses in our glasses from bright yellow to dark purple. However, while we enjoyed the pleasant conditions, we knew the sooner we got to Portaferry the better.
Heading East from Belfast, we had only a gentle breeze to contend with, which was absolutely tolerable and quite enjoyable as long as it remained dry and bright. After passing Stormont, we turned right at Newtownards and were soon flanked by the beautiful Strangford Lough. Stopping in Greyabbey for lunch, we were joined by the Doyle family. Getting back onto our bikes, the sky was noticeably different, as dark tones moved purposefully in our direction. We said goodbye to the Doyles, who I hope had a comfortable trip back to Dublin in their nice cosy car! We upped the pace for the remaining miles to Portaferry in order to keep warm.
By the time we arrived in Portaferry the evening had quickly become a cold one. We quickly checked into the Portaferry Hotel before going to the Aquarium for a few hours!
The storm has now hit the town with full force, with power cuts making this blog post slow progress! We managed to avoid any rain on the bikes today, but Mother Nature is more than making up for that now.
Tomorrow's destination is Newry. Hopefully the wind will relax a bit before then. Although if it decides to change direction and blow at our backs, I'd be more than happy for it to remain good and strong!
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