Top 12 Northern Irish Travel Blogs 2015

This is the third consecutive year I have compiled a list of the best Northern Irish Travel Blogs out there. Following on from last year’s 2014’s Northern Irish Travel Blogs and 2013’s Northern Irish Travel Blogs, here are the best 12 out there this year in 2015! That’s an extension of 2 on previous years where I limited it to 10 blogs! Congratulations to everyone that is included, I’ve enjoyed compiling it once again and catching up with all your stories. I’ll be doing best Northern Irish blogs 2016 for travel in February 2016.

On my own travels, I bumped into Abbi Morrison of Life In A Rucksack in England and Allan Wilson of Live Less Ordinary in Thailand! There is still no room for world number one golfer Rory McIlroy however 😉 He has been travelling apparently but not blogging to a high enough level to make the list. Ash’s Tim Wheeler also missed the cut.

Here is how the Northern Irish travel blogs qualified for the Top 12 list:

– The writer of the blog has to come from Northern Ireland
– The writer of the blog has to be regularly updating their content
– The writer of the blog has to be travelling around the world currently (or has extensively travelled the world and is still writing about it)
– The website has to be an actual ‘blog’ (i.e. no travel, flight, tour operator sites count, even if they are owned and run by a Northern Irish person abroad)
– Each Northern Irish travel blogger can only have one website on the list.

These are in alphabetical order by the way and there is no heirarchy – we’re all proud of each other’s blogs because they’re Northern Irish.

Don’t Stop Living by Jonny Blair

Jonny Blair left Northern Ireland in 2003 and has backpacked to 99 countries and 8 disputed republics across all 7 continents. Jonny’s jobs on the road include selling ice cream, pyrethrum planting, welcoming guests to events and telephone banking. Jonny has also featured on Asia Rooms, BBC, Boots n All and is off to visit his 100th country this month.

Eco Travel by Linda McCormick

Second year in a row for Linda who is a founding member of the Professional Travel Bloggers Association and writes passionately about being green and eco friendly on her ventures. Linda is a Maiden City lass.

Finding Patrick Burke by Patrick Burke

Patrick’s blog began with a crazy hitch hiking journey called “Belfast to Beijing” – the good news is that Patrick made it safe and well through countless countries overland and sea from Belfast all the way to Beijing. The bad news is he’s doing less travelling these days post trip but the story and his “Vlogs” are there for all to see.

Geriatric Traveller by Maura Ward

Maura Ward maintains her place for the third year in a row with her worldly blog which tells you how to live a little, even though Maura’s not a teenager anymore. This year has seen Maura visit South America and end up at Machu Picchu.

Helen Moat Travel Writer by Helen Moat

Helen keeps up the good work not just on her own site but on a load of other sites. Recent works include articles on Aushwitz, Belfast and London.

Ikimasho by Justin Egli

Egli enters the room shouting “Up the Joyriders” before speeding off in a hi-jacked red Astra. It’s later found burnt out in a beach in Groomsport. Thankfully Egli saw the brighter lifestyle beyond bottles of buckfast, boy racers and punk bands. However the sh*t that Justin gets up to these days is arguably more wacky. He bases himself in Japan but is currently planning to hit up Africa and record a new album of life on the road. Egli’s stuff goes on Ikimasho. He’s won blog of the week on Wanderlust, he’s been teaching Ulsterisms to Japanese kids (God love them) and he’s off travelling long-term soon to places like Tieland, Napalm then possibly Omaghn and Bangordesh.

Jude Malone Creative by Jude Malone
First time entry for Jude, Hey! Jude has some truly great photos and stories from her travels this year including the photo essays on Paris. I came across Jude’s blog by chance when she commented on something I had written.

Life in a Rucksack by Abbi Morrison

Abbi makes it for the third year in a row and her site is undoubtedly at its peak now with a redesign and a load of new articles on Abbi’s recent trips away from New Zealand and back to Europe. I met up with Abbi in 2014 and love her hard working yet laid back attitude to her blog and her travels.

Live Less Ordinary by Allan Wilson

Bangkok based Bangor man Allan Wilson goes from strength to strength and has now a load of articles on places like Brunei and China. Allan is also working on other projects these days such as Issan Tours.

No Carrick in Uruguay by Daniel McFaul
I got in touch with Daniel about a year ago when I heard he was backpacking through Uruguay and Argentina writing about it and that he was a Northern Ireland footy fan too. I tried to make it over for the Uruguay match to meet up with Daniel but sadly the timings didn’t suit and I missed him when I was in Brazil. His blog is jam packed with adventures from South America! A great real life read so it is.

** ENTRANT DELETED DUE TO STALKING MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND SAYING THAT LYING IS DOING NOTHING WRONG **

The Whole World is a Playground by Elaine McArdle

Elaine’s blog started out when she was travelling in Asia a few years back and is also a new entry this year in the top 12 Northern Irish Travel Blogs. Follow her adventures on the Whole World is a Playground where she is also based in Dublin with her partner David and she travels as much as she can, writing enthusiastically about it.

Web ‘n’ Words by Julie McNamee

Julie is on the list again and her blog is an excellent resource for SEO writers, new bloggers and anyone into social media. Julie is also currently in London and her travel writing can be read on other sites too, including We Blog the World.

So that’s it folks for 2015. Thanks to all those on the list who travelled, blogged and entertained us all in the last 12 months. If you know of any other Northern Irish travel blogs (or travel related) that are not on the list and that fit the criteria, please drop me a line:

jonny at dontstopliving dot net

Until next year, keep er lit yousens. I’m gettin frostbit here so I am. Keep flying the fleg!