Thread: MQ...Aldergrove

Hi all, I am a new army wife due to undertake my first move with my husband. We are moving out to RAF aldergrove in November and i would just like to know what the married quarters are like out there as my hubby has been asked to put a choice of 3 areas/estates down. Somebody did explain the newer houses were in Wessex close area, but we are not really that bothered, its just we have quite a large house now with lots of stuff and i am also expecting my first child....very nervous about leaving my family and job etc.

Any help or advice would be very much appreciated.

I have no advice about raf aldergrove itself, but I did 2 years in northern ireland and I loved every minute of it. Lisburn is great for shopping and nights out. And of course Belfast is just down the road too.

My only advice to you is not to take a day crossing to/from birkenhead in the middle of winter! ukeleft:

Edited to add, you're only an hour or so away by plane-see the great esay jet debate http://www.rearparty.co.uk/cpgn2/For...opic/t=61.html

You can get a ticket for about £15-20 each way if you book early enough. Its not as bad as you think.


Have fun.

R_D xxxx

Hi– sorry – can’t tell you anything about u moving – but u’ll really love n Ireland. Scenery (Antrim coast, Portrush is quite quaint along the harbour, giants causeway etc – lovely for a refreshing day esp. in the winter – and lovely for a picnic), few restaurants do special meal time offers in Belfast - excellent!!!!
xxxxxx

Thanks...for the info it sounds great out there i am looking forward to it. Dont think the dog will enjoy the ferry crossing thou :grommit:

it'l all be fine - exciting and quite daunting though!
I'm getting married next year and my partner is in the army too - so, all quite new to everything - we live togther now (just a month) - but have spent a long time commuting.
x

Originally Posted by newgirl847

Thanks...for the info it sounds great out there i am looking forward to it. Dont think the dog will enjoy the ferry crossing thou :grommit:

I brought my dog across on the ferry (Stranraer-Belfast) he was treated like a king, large kennel with huge bowl of water.

Have been in NI since March. Still not sure about the place but thats cause I loved Salisbury Plain and Tidworth!!

Lisburn and Belfast are fab for shops, not been out of an evening...yet!

HIVE LINKY

You can also take your dog on the birkenhead ferry. But only if you get there first, there are only about 3 - 4 large kennels .

However , if i have to travel by ferry, I would always prefer the Liverpool route. Instead of travelling all the way up to scotland to go via stanraer, you can let the ferry take the strain and sleep for most of the journey.

Oooh, by the way, go during the day, It's half the price of the night time crossing and the cabins are about a quarter of the price too

Thank you all for the info, i think we are going to use the Scotland ferry as we can use the trip as an excuse to visit family on the way up. I am looking forward to shopping in Belfast sounds good.
Does anybody have any idea about the MQ in Aldergrove?

Not been stationed there myself but I'd try asking on E-Goat as well.

The only experienc I've had of the Aldergrove Married Quarters was when I lived there when I was a kiddie and i'm afraid, too young to remember. Apparently I did go off and explore the area and ended up wandering near the runway. I was duly collected and delived to my mum by the police.

So i don't think my recce really worked out. Soz

Hi, my hubby is RAF and we are moving to aldergrove in 10 days time - yikes! I went to uni in Belfast and loved it then so am hoping that I wll settle in ok this time. I'm not sure which estate our house is on - I will check with hubby. We are taking our cat with us, driving up tp stranraer from northolt and then getting the fast craft over. We have been allocated a 3 bedroom, link detached with a downstairs loo and a dining room as well as living room - much better than house we are in at the moment! I will post more once we move xx

Hiya newgirl, I couldn't tell you where to ask for in Aldergrove but as a newly wed 10 yrs ago we were posted to N.I. and lived in the quarters down the road from there called springfarm (probably not even still there) I remember visiting friends of hubby who had a quarter at Aldergrove and being very impressed and asking why we couldn't have lived there instead, lol allegdely there was a waiting list and he didn't want to have to drive to work everyday - that was his excuse anyway!!

Good luck with the move as others have said its a great area for sightseeing and a visit to Bushmills is also a good trip. Sample the Guinness too as its lovely over there.

They must have changed the rules regarding dogs on the ferries as when we came back you could take your dog upstairs with you, our dog was still a young pup and had a huge fuss made of her. She then spent the entire journey to Canterbury trying to crawl between the bars of the dog guard! :lol: