Author: Ally Stewart

Walking|Ballymena

Posted by | Sep 26, 2014 |

Go walking!  Ballymena and the surrounding area certainly has no shortage of places to go walking either on your own, with friends or as a member of a walking group. Why start walking? It’s healthy! A 30 minute brisk walk burns off anywhere between 90 -200 calories and can reduce the risk of having a number of health issues like diabetes, osteoporosis, high blood pressure & heart disease. Walking gives you an opportunity to properly enjoy the countryside rather than speeding past it in the car. It’s a great time to get away from the business of life and get your head cleared. Meeting up for a walk with friends or a walking club gives you time to chat and catch up. Where can you walk around the Ballymena area? Obviously there’s many miles of roads and footpaths but if you want to get away from the traffic and enjoy some peace and quiet here’s some of the places you can go walking. Closest to us here at the Ballymena Today offices is the Lisnafillan Walk. At just under 3.5km this walk follows the River Maine for quite a bit and takes you on a circular path around the Gallaher/JTI site. Parking is available at the public car park in Galgorm. Another option is the Riverside Walk which is a flat point to point path starting in either Cullybackey...

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Gal-groom Dog Grooming

Posted by | Sep 22, 2014 |

A dog, just like us humans need love and attention, and part of that care is grooming! We called with Ellen who owns Gal-groom dog grooming business in Ballymena Business Centre, Galgorm to ask a few questions about what got her into this business. Have you always had an interest in animals, particularly dogs? “I think my first word was dog! I wasn’t allowed a dog at home which I think made me all the more determined to have one. As soon as I was married I got my first dog Poppy. I took Poppy to training classes to learn the basic rules of caring for a dog then became interested in obedience and agility & started to compete in competitions. I was hooked so then I got  Monty, followed by Florence and then Shiraz!! I’m sure there’s room for more if only I could sneak them past my hubby somehow.” When you were at school did you think your career would be a dog groomer? “At school I wanted to do music but my A-level choice didn’t allow for it and I ended up on the mathematics route. I went on to gain a First Class Honours degree in Maths, Statistics & Computing but with my  interest in dog agility and obedience I wanted to work with my dogs all the time. When personal circumstances changed I figured as...

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Gig ‘n The Bann 2014

Posted by | Sep 8, 2014 |

Gig ‘n the Bann 2014 is back this year again in Portglenone, outside Ballymena from 11th – 14th September. This will be the 15th Gig ‘n the Bann and the organisers have put together another fantastic programme of events. Song, music, dance, art, even a fun run, there’s lots going on! Ballymena Today is all about community and connecting communities , so why not take a trip to Portglenone and support this fantastic cross-cultural Festival. Just to give you a flavour of what’s on, here’s a few events we’ve picked from the programme. Thursday 11th September – Run ‘n the Bann, a 5k fun run, or you can choose to walk! Register at 1st Portglenone Presbyterian Church Hall – Adm £6 which will go to support the work of the Community Rescue Service. Time from 6.00 -6.45pm. If you’re a music fan there’s lots of events happening which you can enjoy including concerts in the Riverside Suite in the Wild Duck on Friday, Saturday & Sunday nights. Artists include De Danann, Niamh McGlinchey, We Banjo 3 and lots of others. Also accoustic sessions on Saturday in the local cafes – 3 Sixteen Coffee Shop & the Rose Cafe. These are only a few of the music events which are planned. Check out their full programme here for more details. There’s a free Family Fun Day on Saturday 13th from 2pm –...

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He-Brews Coffee House in Ballymena

Posted by | Sep 2, 2014 |

It’s fair to say there’s no shortage of coffee shops around Ballymena today serving good coffee and tasty food. It’s fantastic that we have a choice, but today it’s all about He-Brews Coffee House in Harryville. He-Brews opened in September 2013 – we know – we were one of the first customers! According to He-Brews Facebook page, it’s aim was “to see people connected in a relaxed atmosphere and enjoying good quality coffee and food in our unique retro style décor. A place to kick off your shoes and stay a while!” We think they have achieved what they set out to do. For those of you reading this who are really ‘into’ your coffee this is the place to get your Chemex, Aeropress or Syphon coffee produced from single origin beans….on the other hand if this last sentence was like a foreign language to you they also make amazingly good ‘normal’ coffee like cappuccinos and lattes as well as a great selection of teas and hot chocolate. There’s always something tasty on the menu for a light lunch and the home baked buns and cakes are just so good. But in He-Brews own words it is “more than just a coffee shop. As a Christian based organisation we have learned and realise the value of the coffee house setting and it’s importance in the community.” It has developed...

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Doggy Daycare

Posted by | Aug 18, 2014 |

Are you  looking for a safe and fun place for your dog to stay while you head off to work each day or go on a well deserved holiday? Doggy Daycare situated just outside Cullybackey can help. Opened in 2010, the owner Mark Stewart is well qualified to ensure your dog is well looked after and it’s within easy travelling distance for anyone in the Ballymena area. So if you need daycare for your dog get in touch with Doggy Daycare. There’s also a Pet Hotel here and training classes for man’s best friend! Doggy Daycare – open from 8am – 6pm daily. Leave your dog at the centre in the morning and your pet will have a fun filled day at their fully equipped outdoor centre. As the centre is located in the Cullybackey countryside the dogs can also enjoy the space in the surrounding fields. They also have use of a beautiful lake and a 12 acre forest to exercise in, all under the supervision of Mark. Pet Hotel Having seen a need in the Ballymena area, Mark decided to open a pet hotel. Here your dog can stay in a stress free, dry, warm and cosy boarding room while you enjoy your time away. The Pet Hotel is DARD approved and you can find out all that’s on offer for your dog by clicking here. Training Mark offers a great selection of...

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