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Now is the pitch-perfect timing for a camping staycation in Ireland!

The best places for family staycations camping in Ireland and the very best reasons why you should choose to holiday at home in 2020

The time has never been more right for a camping holiday in this beautiful country. An increasing number of families are now considering holidaying in Ireland. A camping staycation. The desire to leave a smaller carbon footprint on the planet makes staying closer to home for your annual holiday, a very inviting prospect. The high cost of fuel, both to our own pockets and to the environment, means that long journeys are increasingly unappealing. A camping staycation in Ireland allows families to enjoy a wonderful break with the smug and self-satisfied knowledge that they are not contributing further to climate change, pollution or toxic emissions. Of course, the fact that we have the most awesome scenery and incredibly beautiful places to pitch your tent, makes the sacrifice of staying home, a very easy one to make.

Foreign travel involves a lot more organisation than a home camping trip. Packing for a staycation is a less tedious task. Airports and ferries can be expensive and stressful and you may lose a few days traveling to your destination. A staycation has a lot of positives to offer, particularly for camping families. No queues or cancelled flights/ferry sailings. Doggie people can enjoy the company of their best friend for the duration and no kennel fees when you choose dog friendly sites. It makes sense on many levels to vacation at home. Often you can be one short-dated passport, or one unfilled prescription away from disaster when traveling abroad!

The money you save on international flights can be invested in a family tent and some great camping equipment. The Vango Airbeam tent is a hassle free, no poles, no arguments, comfortable and stress free camping dream for any family to spend starry nights dreaming in. It has two bedrooms that are separated by a centre porch. Fits up to 8 people and only take 12 minutes to pitch. This is camping luxury that you will enjoy for years to come.

Camping can be quite luxurious now and has come a long way from burning a tin of beans over a fire before sleeping on rocks with various insects for company. See our blog on Glamourous camping.

Where to pitch up…

Here are some of Ireland’s unique and best camping sites for the family tent.

Pure Camping in Querrin Co Clare

On the Wild Atlantic Way and near the scenic village of Kilkee, Pure Camping is an eco-retreat that welcomes pitching tents and even has some pre-pitched, if that is your preference. A sauna, solar showers and rainwater harvesting add to the eco-friendly vibe. Children love the donkeys and chickens, and the nearby woods for adventuring. A communal dome tent provides a place to make new friends.
Visit www.purecamping.ie

Coomshanna Wild Camping in Co Kerry

The views over Dingle Bay are incredibly inspiring. A stream runs by and other than this, there is a field devoid of rocks and bumps in which to pitch your tent. Take your wee shovel when you want to use the toilet and no fire rule is enforced. This is eco-friendly and peaceful camping. The starry skies are incredible.

Nore Valley Camping and Caravan Park Co Kilkenny

Family friendly, child friendly and well… just really friendly. Nore Valley has a lovely vibe. Maybe the hay trailer rides, the crazy golf or the petting zoo have something to do with Nore Valley being one of the most popular family camping sites on the East Coast. Get lost in the wooden maze. Go for a trip on a pedal powered go-kart. This camping site is close to Kilkenny city and is a great camping base to just chill with the ostriches (Gail and Ragsy) or to explore the East Coast treasures.

Hidden Valley Holiday Park Co Wicklow

Classic campsite in Rathdrum which boasts fantastic facilities for families. Kayaking and swimming on and in the Avonmore River. Fish too, if that is your jam! Riverside campfires, a kid’s adventure fun park and cinema nights with beanbags are all on offer in this beautiful campsite. The Wicklow Mountains are on the doorstep for hiking, biking, sight-seeing and generally enjoying the wonders of the garden of Ireland.

Eagle Point Camping Co Cork

Eagle Point campsite is a 20-acre campsite, a few kilometres from Bantry in West Cork. A great family campsite which hugs the water, with pebble beaches and great views over the sea. A kids TV room, football, basketball and the usual facilities make Ballylickey/Eagle Point an easy place to pitch for a gentle fun filled holiday.

Perhaps in the rush to explore foreign climes, we have forgotten all that there is to offer here at home.
This is just a wee taste of the fantastic camping choices available around Ireland The Wild Atlantic Way has a trail of camping sites that will bring a new experience every day. Stay-cationing is fun and make sense. It contributes to saving the environment, by cutting down of fossil fuels and air miles. It is good for local employment and the sustainability of rural communities. But most of all its good for your own sanity, and isn’t that what a holiday is all about.

Seven of Ireland’s Lesser- known treasures and trails for the Outdoor Enthusiast to Explore

Just when you think you have seen all that Ireland has to offer. There have been those unforgettable times when you’ve been awestruck by incredible cliff walks, astounded by rocky mountain trails and chilled into a peaceful space beside secluded lakes. And yet, Ireland still offers more. There are always those hidden treasures to explore. Those just off the beaten track areas of unfrequented beauty. Sometimes these are places known only to locals and those ‘in the know’. Sometimes they are overlooked, as the more famous tourist attractions take the focus. Here is our list of seven hidden treasures that are worthy of inclusion in your Outdoor Adventures.

St. Catherine’s Demesne. Dublin and Kildare

A totally under-rated nature reserve, which features some of the oldest woodland in Co Dublin and is so accessible to the Capital city, that the calm solitary vibe of the trails and secluded pathways are always a mystery and a joy. You might imagine that this vast impressive amenity would be packed at all times, but you can pretty much have the paths all to yourself. The River Liffey is at its finest in these 200 acres of woodland and grassland. Cows graze, herons’ fish and while there is a playground, a dog run, a running track and football pitches, there is still a vast amount of unexplored habitat for the very best of Ireland’s wildlife to live undisturbed and untroubled. The playground is impressively big, with a maze, zip lines and swings etc. but, it is in the wilder side of St Catherine’s that its true beauty is revealed. The primeval landscape of St Catherine survives and welcomes season’s changes under a canopy of ash, beech and elderly oak trees. Explore the woodland trails by the River Liffey weirs and leave the nearby city behind as curious squirrels and foxes peep from the undergrowth. The OPW bought this estate, which had many previous owners, in 1996 and it remains one of Ireland’s most wonderful hidden treasures. It can be accessed by three Counties, Fingal, Co Dublin and Kildare, with adequate parking and is a perfect place to stroll, picnic and rejuvenate the tired spirit.

Dursey Island

Dursey Island lies of the tip of the Beara Peninsula in West Cork. It is as off the beaten track as you are likely to find. Dursey has no shops, no pubs and no restaurants. It does, however, have a cable car. Irelands only cable car. Opened in 1969, it is the only one in Europe that traverses open seawater and is one of the great attractions of the island.

On the island itself, there is a 4 hour loop walk from the cable car exit point and the village of Ballynacallagh. The loop affords unrivalled scenery and fantastic views. Taking the hardy traveller past the ruin of an ancient church, ascending to the remains of the Signal Tower, where the spectacular views of Bull and Cow Island and the beautiful coastline of West Cork will take the breath away! Dursey Island offers quirky and novel transport and a fantastic days hiking in the best that this country has to offer. Bring your sandwiches and enjoy on one of the Ireland hidden treasures.

Benwee Head Mayo

The North Coast of Mayo is one of Ireland’s closely guarded secrets. Of course, it’s on the Wild Atlantic Way, but the outlying villages around Blacksod Bay are often bypassed as adventurers head to other more famous places on the route. This is part of its charm. The cliffs, the sea stacks and arches in the Atlantic swells near the small Irish-speaking village of Carrowteige are every bit as impressive as the Cliffs of Moher or Slieve League. The fact that you may enjoy them practically to yourself only adds to their appeal. Carrowteige village is the base and the trail head for four signposted walks, of which the Children of Lir walk is the most rewarding. A rugged and breezy 10km coastal route through a wild landscape of bog and windswept mountainside. It follows surfaced roads, grassy tracks and paths and brings you past the Children of Lir sculpture, a sweeping and striking art work overlooking the outstanding beauty of Benwee Head. This loop walk is a little known gem and one of Ireland’s great lesser travelled routes.

Caves of Kesh. Sligo

Just twenty minutes south of Sligo town, nestled in the rolling hills near the town of Ballymote, the Caves of Keash are a natural wonder. Accessible and exciting, these caves can be easily climbed to by family groups and day trippers. The effort of the clamber up the trail is rewarded with incredible views. The lush valley and Lakelands stretching to the Ox Mountains are inspiring. On a good day, the iconic Mayo Mountains of Croagh Patrick and Nephin, can be seen to the South, while Sligo’s Ben Bulben peeps into view to the North. The caves are situated on the west side of Keshcorran Hill and are part of the Brieklieve Mountain range. Sixteen caves, some interconnecting, are magical, dark, dank spaces that spark the imagination of children and peak the interest of naturists. There are a few stalagmites and stalactites. Excavations carried out in the early 20th century, showed evidence of significant animal remains. Among these, there were the bones of brown bear, arctic lemming, Irish elk, and grey wolf. These days you may disturb a few bats, but the bears will be confined to imagination. Mythology and legend link the caves to Fionn Mac Cumhaill and other Celtic mythology.

The Arigna Miner’s Way

Walk in the footsteps of the Leitrim coal miners. The 112km route from Arigna to Dowra in Co. Leitrim takes the lonely traveller through bog lands and pathways traced by the men of this region who spent their days underground. Smaller sections can be traversed, such as the 8km route from the mine itself (now a visitors centre near Ballinamore) across the panoramic Iron mountains to the opulent splendour of Kilronan Castle. Not just a scenic walk, but a history lesson too, as you walk the miner’s way and end up at ‘the big house’! Coal mining was a back breaking part of life around Arigna for over 400 years. As you hike the hills above Lough Allen, and trek down to the villages of Keadue and Lough Meelagh on this network of beaten tracks, through heather and ferns, you can contemplate on the lives of those men. To spend life working underground when all of this amazing vista was denied to them above ground seems extremely harsh. The Miner’s Way preserves the heritage of this area and is a testament to these men, but also brings us luckier souls on an amazingly beautiful journey through one of Ireland’s most incredible areas of natural beauty.

The Coumlara Loop trail in Waterford

A wilderness walk for those who like to have the trail to themselves. It is also a dog friendly trek. This is a looped hike of over six and a half kilometres which climbs to 350 meters on track and trail, roadway and mountain terrain heading towards the lower slopes of the Comeragh Mountains. Waterford is just an hour away and a whole world away. The trail crosses the Nire River, which is usually little more than a stream flowing from Coumlara . The Comeragh Mountains are a remarkably varied range, stretching from the coast near Dungarvan inland as far as Clonmel, and this loop walk is particularly beautiful and remote with scenic views and has the added attraction that most day trippers are off at the incredible Mahon Falls, leaving you to relish your outdoor adventure on less travelled paths and revealing unexplored beauty of Ireland.

Blessington Greenway and Russborough House.

Blessington was once a quiet Wicklow town but is now firmly on the Dublin commuter belt. This does not mean it has been spoilt or that access to nature and quiet walks are not still close by. The Blessington Greenway is a short enough trek that will keep all the family happy on a Sunday afternoon. There is the added bonus of the grandeur of Russborough House as an end-of -trail prize! Blessington Greenway starts in the town itself and winds around the south shores of the famous lakes, and traverses through forest and woodland. It passes an ancient ring fort and is a wonderful place for flora and fauna of every variety. Sneak previews of the stately home can be seen as you walk the trail. The house can be accessed for an admission fee and offers all the graciousness and beauty of one of Ireland’s finest stately homes. The gardens are a’maze’ ing! Yes, they have a maze. There is a 2000 metre beech hedge maze and it is its most fascinating feature. A statue of Cupid stands proudly on a column at the centre of the maze, as a beacon to help you find your way. Very popular with children, it is open every day of the week March-November. The Blessington Greenway is 6km long and is a moderate to easy trek which has the added advantage of being just 30 mins from the capital city, yet still reveals to you another of the lesser outdoor adventures of Ireland.

Photo Credit: Best of Sligo

Tips for traveling light for the active man and woman

Travel clothing

Over-packing is much more common than most of us will admit. As we plan our expeditions, there is an aspirational intention to travel lightly through the world. But, somewhere in those panicked moments between putting the first sock in a bag and waving the folks goodbye, strange events occur and we end up completely over-packing. So, before you stuff a ridiculous amount of clothing into your backpack, let us help you avoid this tendency to over-pack, while still ensuring that you bring exactly what you need.

Packing correctly is a simple art.

Make a List, or adapt the one below for your own needs. This is essential.
Lay all the items out on the floor or your bed before packing. Then take a few items away before you even start.
To be pack-worthy, all of the clothes and accessories you choose should be a dual purpose item, everything should be interchangeable.
If you are clever, you will choose clothes that are monochrome, one pallete or block coloured, so that you can mix and match. Work with a base of brown, black or blue and add an accent colour to make sure everything works.
Only take footwear that you know is comfortable.

The Minimalists packing list:

Shoes – Maximum two pairs. One for walking or for day wear and one pair of dressier shoes if needed, plus a pair of light flip-flops if you’re staying in a hostel. If you need hiking boots, wear them on the plane. You can tie them onto your carry-on or backpack and wear your street shoes at your destination.
Trousers – You will never need more than three pairs in total. And for those so inclined, this can be swapped to two pairs trousers and one dress or skirt or one pair of shorts.
Tops – four tops at most, including two tee shirts, a light sweater and a vest top. Base Layer clothing is great for style, fit and practicality and can be used as outer wear too.
One cardigan or a light jacket that lends itself to being dressed up easily with accessories.
A Pashmina scarf for women. – This has so many uses: from beach sari, chilly night cover up and protection from the wind or sun.
Waterproof jacket. – Choose one that is light weight and stylish, which you can carry on to the plane. If the destination requires something heavier, you can also wear on to the plane.
Scarf, gloves, hat, head torch, pair of sunglasses (depending on the destination and the climate)
Bathing suit, if needed.
Basic toiletries.
Something to sleep in (This can be outdoor clothing that is easily rinsed out).
5pairs of pants, 2 bras, 5 pairs of socks.

This seem like a lot. But, it really isn’t. We are counting on you wearing some of the clothes while you travel! The rest you might consider rolling, rather than folding to ensure a better fit in your backpack and less creasing. Rinse clothes out when necessary. And finally, count what you didn’t use when you get back and don’t pack it again.

Traveling light makes sense. It means not paying for that extra bag on some airlines and it avoids the annoying queues for luggage drop off. The return journey is when you may really appreciate the joy of a traveling light. We all know how clothes, miraculously and inexplicably tend to expand when away. They refuse to fit back into the same space they enjoyed on the outward journey. Add to this, the few souvenirs or gifts you were given and it makes packing for the return journey a potential nightmare. But if you travel light from the start of the road, you should reach the finish line with a smile and light load for all your Outdoor Adventures.