Update at Whitethorn Cottages

Finally the summer has arrived and the sun is shining and we are able to enjoy those long summer days.

Summer sun shine bouncing off the hanging baskets.

Family Fun day Out

Come along to Stormont this Bank Holiday weekend for lots of family fun and entertainment in support of Children in Need. 

Activities and events will include: sheepdog trials, motorcycle display, treasure trails, food zone, laser game and dog agility competitions.

10am - 6pm

List of Events

Zone Event 1 Parliament Buildings Children in Need Stand • Northern Ireland Children’s University • Jump in and have fun with Kinect for • Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive • Stem Truck - Mobile laboratory/workshop • Jenny’s Cakes (Bangor) • SEE.SENSE. • Story Teller - Lexy Higgins 2 Assembly Lawn - N.I. Karate-Do Wado-Kai Sports Day - ‘Old school’ fun for all ages... including space hopper, egg and spoon and sack races. Even competitive parents can join in the fun! Small prize for the winner of each race. Waterballs, trampolines and activity centre 3 Bikewheels and Broomsticks Come and see to get a taste of some of the experiments that W5 does every day! If you come along to watch our science demonstrators in action, who knows - you might even get to volunteer! You might learn a little something along the way too! Check out our website at www.w5online.co.uk Motorcycle Display Vintage and modern bikes Junior Motorcycle Trials Demonstrations - Ards Motorcycle Club N.I. 4 Kids Stand Treasure Trails - Treasure Trails Ltd create fun and unique ways for you to explore part of our beautiful Stormont estate. 4 Foodzone - Crepes, Milkshakes, Pizzas, Coffees, Desserts, Cupcakes, Indian Wraps - from Spice Restaurant Templepatrick, Noodle Bar, Simply Irresistible BBQ, 6oz Steak burgers with Cashel Blue Cheese etc., Olives & Baklava, Speciality Cheeses, Bridgefield Farm Ice-Cream, Chocolate Fountains, Salad Bar, Fresh Fruit Salad, Strawberries & Cream, Fresh Fruit Smoothies, Old Fashioned sweet bar 5 & 6 PlayBall Sport Zone Come along and take part in a variety of sporting activities organised by PlayBall, the state of the art floodlit sports facility situated in Stormont Estate Belfast. For further information on PlayBall please visit us at www.playball.net or check out our twitter and facebook pages for special offers and discounts. Sheepdog Trials Working sheepdog trials display by Eric Barfoot at 12 noon, 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm. Sport Northern Ireland Activ8 Adventure Activ8 encourages children and young people to do 60 minutes of physical activity every day and eat a balanced diet and uses eight simple steps to stay active and keep healthy. The Sport Northern Ireland Active8 Olympic Challenge is a high wire assault course so you can enjoy balancing on the wooden bridge, climbing a cargo net and crossing the rope bridge - just three of the fun and safe ways to get physical. Primary schools can register for Active8 at www.sportni.net 7 & 8 Environmental Exhibitors The Ark Open Farm • Assisi • Cats Protection Belfast Adoption Centre • Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust • Dogs Trust • DCAL - Inland Fisheries Group • Green Party • Hillmount Nursery Centre • IKEA (Belfast) • Mantella Environmental Education • The National Trust • Northern Ireland School of Falconry • People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals • Pets as Therapy • Rare Breeds Survival Trust • The N. I. Road Safety Partnership - A chance to hear and see what we do. Why not try out our speed detection equipment • R. S. P. B. • Segway self balancing scooters • Sustrans • Ulster Wildlife Trust • Volunteer Now - find out about local volunteering opportunities • Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust • Woodcroft Landscapes • World of Owls. Special Olympics Ulster providing information about sporting activities for anyone with an intellectual disability. Zone Event 9 Monoevents - Large Slide, Bouncy Castle, Sky Jumper and Kiddies Ride 10 G Force Amusements Juvenile Jet Ride • Safari Train Ride Las Vegas Games; Carnival Crazy Funhouse Kentucky Derby • Rodeo Bull Indy’s Trail Fun House; Miami Thrill Ride www.gforceamusements.com 10A 10B 11 Bags of Bounce Bouncy castles and inflatable play for the little ones. wwwbagsofbounce.com 12 Crafts - local and Children’s crafts 13 & 14 Monoevents - Slide and Bouncy Castle 15 Laser Games Test your accuracy and agility with Escarmouche, Ireland’s No 1 Laser Games provider. www.lasergamesireland.com 16 Employers for Childcare / FASA / N.I. Anti-Bullying Forum / Save the Children 17 NI Fire & Rescue Service - Fire Engine 18 Scruffts - Follow in the footsteps of crossbreed Becky from Bangor. In 2012 Becky, owned by Margaret McKnight, qualified here and went on to make history as the first ever Scruffts winner at Crufts. Is your crossbreed the next Scruffts Family Crossbreed Dog of the Year? Scruffts is the nation’s favourite crossbreed competition, the Kennel Club is co-ordinating Scruffts heats throughout the UK during 2014. Registration will begin at 10.00 am and Judging will commence at 12 noon. The winners from today’s heat will be invited to Discover Dogs 2014 at Earls Court 1, London in November for the semi-final where they will compete for a place at Crufts 2015. Dogzone - Dog Agility Competitions organised by Whinney Hill Kennels. Jubilee Veterinary Centre Guide Dogs for the Blind Association 19 Sizzler Family Ride - G Force Amusements 20 Stage Programme 11.00 - 11.30 11.30 - 12 noon 12 noon - 12.30 12.45 - 2.45 3.00 - 4.00 Urban Fitness Dundonald (Fusion of group fitness for men and women) Punch & Judy Show - the best one in the country! Urban Fitness Dundonald (Fusion of group fitness for men and women) Freefall - one of Northern Ireland’s most in demand bands, with a combined experience of over 30 years in the business.They recently played to 55,000 people at Belfast City Councils Monster Mash event at Titanic Belfast. Check out YouTube. Red Hot Roosters - have played from pub gigs to the Waterfront Hall in their home town of Belfast. The biggest show they’ve ever played was in Germany, in front 57,000 people, but because of their commitment, passion and experience every gig is special no matter what size.To have the privilege to play in front of their home crowd at Stormont for the first time, is something they are very much looking forward to, would like to thank everybody involved ...and from the

What's on this week?

Well we have had the North West 200 where the Northern Ireland boys did us proud.

Michael Dunlop completes the double.

William Dunlop wins wet first super bike.

This week we have the continental market in Belfast and Newtownards, where you can see and taste the delights of food from around the world.

Stormont is due to have a Family Fun day on the 26th May

 While in Belfast there is the Marine Titanic Festival from the 24th - 26th May when a fleet of Tall ships arrive.

Lots on to visit and discover when you come and stay at Whitethorn Cottages, North Down.

Day 3 of the Giro d'Italia

 Day 3 started off in Armagh, the final stage of the Giro d'Italia in Northern Ireland. Around 200 cyclists set off from the city at the start of the 187 km route.

 This is the route for you to see where they will ride.

The 2 Armagh Cathedrals altered their morning service times to accommodate the start of the race

German rider Marcel Kittel won stage 2 on Saturday which took in some of NI's most scenic routes all just an hour or two from Whitethorn Cottages. If you fancy getting on your bike and seeing the scenes of Northern Ireland come and stay at Whitethorn Cottages.

Belfast goes Pink

Belfast is Buzzing and the bikes are belting around, everything has turned pink. Belfast at its best welcoming people from all around the world.

Brilliant for Belfast to be seen in a good light, millions of people all over the world will see what Northern Ireland is like behind the scenes.

Watch Northern Ireland on TV and then you will want to come and visit us!!

Giro d’Italia 2014

Northern Ireland will host the opening stages of the Giro d’Italia in 2014. This annual multiple stage bicycle race is primarily held in Italy and along with the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, the Giro makes up cycling’s prestigious, three week-long Grand Tours.

The Grande Partenza or ‘Big Start’ of the Giro d’Italia will take place over three days from 9 - 11 May 2014 and involves routes in Belfast and Armagh before moving on to Dublin.

About the Giro d'Italia

First held in 1909, the Giro d’Italia is a long distance road bicycle stage race held for professional cyclists over a three week period in May and June annually.

The Giro is hosted primarily in Italy, with a tradition of the start of the race being held outside the country. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours (the others being the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España), and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. It is considered to be second only to the Tour de France in terms of prestige in the cycling world.

The Giro is viewed around the world by a potential audience of 800 million, and 12.5 million people attended the Giro in 2011. The 2012 Giro was completed over 21 stages (three of which were in Denmark) and involved 22 teams with over 200 of the world’s best riders taking part.

Coming to Northern Ireland

Over 200 of the top professional cyclists from across the globe will be in Northern Ireland to take part and there will be a supporting programme of events and activities.

There will be three days of pre-race celebrations in Belfast, followed by spectacular opening stages in Northern Ireland before racing from Armagh to Dublin. After the opening three stages the cyclists will fly from Dublin to continue the race in Italy.

Giro d'Italia 2014 - It all starts here - Big Start Northern Ireland

The 2014 Giro d'Italia Official Promotional Video can be viewed here

Good Morning Britain is live from Belfast Titanic

Belfast is live on Good Morning Britain, promoting to the World the Start of the Giro Italia.
Earlier this week if you had passed the area you would have seen the Harland and Wolf crane has turned Pink this week getting into the spirit of things.
For everyone here for the excitement enjoy your weekend, may the sun shine.