I like that the Derry area is unexpectedly connected. It has a good variety of decent-sized towns like Coleraine and Limavady, as well as Derry City itself.
If I really need a larger city, Belfast isn’t far away but I don’t have to live there. I have everything I need here, and business trips through City of Derry Airport are so smooth!
I can leave my house and be in an office in central Edinburgh in a couple of hours! The facilities are perfect for me and my family where I live in Limavady, with playgrounds, a leisure centre and day-care centres nearby.
Everyone I have met has been really friendly. There’s a great local atmosphere. I’ve seen mid-lockdown live music being set up in housing estates with people watching from their own gardens. The town is also full of independent shops and cafes.
What makes Derry special for me, though, is the access to the outdoors. Within 15 minutes’ drive, I can go for a hike in the mountains like Binevenagh. I can go white-water kayaking in my local river – the Roe. Or I can head for a surf in the ocean at Benone, taking in the views of the Sperrins and the monuments and waterfalls at Downhill while I’m at it. For weekend adventures, it’s a tough choice between the Glens of Antrim, Lough Erne or Donegal.
Working from home isn’t new to me and I’ve always tried to find a place to suit my lifestyle. Derry makes it easy for me and my family to live life the way we want to.
Killian Halpin
destination derry