Whether you want an adrenalin kick or an endorphin high, you don't have to leave the country. You only have to get off that sofa, writes ALANNA GALLAGHER
On your bike Killarney
Get active:Few places on earth are as beautiful as Killarney and the great thing about touring it on a bike is that you get so much more time to soak it all up than you do barrelling round in a car. You also get to whizz down those hills.
The National Park here runs to more than 4,200 hectares with a network of surfaced tracks that are ideal for cycling.
Best of all is to cycle the Gap of Dunloe. If you have the legs for it go the 45km land route via Muckross Estate and the magical Torc Waterfall, keeping an eye out for red deer and white-tailed eagles as you go.
Alternatively, take it easy with a boat trip from Ross Castle across the lake to Lord Brandon’s Cottage – boatmen will take your bikes for you – and cycle the mere 12km left to the Gap of Dunloe and Kate Kearney’s Cottage.
Rest up: Nurse any saddle sores in five-star style at Muckross Park Hotel, currently offering three nights BB with one dinner for two at €529.
* muckrosspark.com
Take a hike
Get active:To stand on your own two feet instead check out one of Ireland's National Waymarked Trails. There are 40 to choose from, all well-maintained and signposted and they cover the most spectacular parts of the country.
These include the wild Beara Peninsula, the well-knuckled finger jutting 50km into the sea on the Cork-Kerry border.
The Beara Way trail, established by a local voluntary group of more than 400 landowners back in the 1990s, has spectacular views, with mountains, lake and all that coastline to enjoy.
Given the effort that went into creating it, the least the rest of us can do is come walk at least part of the magnificent 196km circular route made up of quiet tarmac and bog roads, woodland paths and open moorland, peppered with standing stones and burial monuments.
Rest up: There are a number of hostels along the way but make sure to book accommodation in advance because it’s a remote spot. One alternative is to base yourself at Allihies Hostel, the last one on the peninsula, and walk a different trail every day, including out to Dursey Island, which features Ireland’s only cable car. Doubles from €45 a night.
* allihieshostel.net
Horsing around
Get active:If you fancy spending a day in the saddle exploring the countryside, trekking the Slieve Bloom Mountains is just the ticket.
Birr Equestrian Centre has a range of mountain treks on offer, suiting intermediate and experienced riders through fields, forest trails and mountain paths.
These mountains, which are of the old and rounded variety, offer terrific riding terrain, including a picture-postcard web of rivers, blanket bog, bog cotton and heather. The trail takes in Glenbarrow Waterfalls and Kinnitty Forest, a 60,000-acre preserve full of wildlife.
The higher ground is preserved by special conservation orders and on a fine day you can see across four provinces.
Rest up: Nearby Ardmore Country House BB is a great place to stay if you’re planning on doing the mountain-trek ride. At the time of writing it has great offers on its website, including three nights BB for the price of two, at €80 per person, on selected dates, plus home baking on arrival. A half day’s trekking costs €70.
* birrequestrian.ie,
* kinnitty.com
Mountain peaks
Get active:Whether it's mountain climbing or its quieter cousin hill walking, there is no better natural high than this, and there are loads of options.
For those starting off, get a guide. John Healy’s Simply Mountains provides a guiding service anywhere in the country, from Dalkey’s quarry to Kerry’s crags. You name it, he can meet you there and guide you through the rudiments of every possible mountain activity, from scrambling to rock climbing.
For sheer magnificence it’s hard to top Mount Brandon on the Dingle peninsula, standing more than 900m over the Atlantic. Healy reckons this mountain has something for both novices and experienced walkers alike. Guided family or other group-ascent rates start at €100.
Rest up: What goes up must come down. Tend your bunions at Ballintaggart House in Dingle, with double rooms from €100 a night.
* simplymountains.com,
* ballintaggarthouse.com
Octane highs
Get active:A complete antidote to anyone who gets stuck in traffic for a living, how about releasing your inner rally driver with a day out at Rally School Ireland, five miles from Monaghan town?
These guys have Ferraris and Porsches to take for a spin, as well as a range of souped-up BMWs, Minis and Subarus. You can spend a full day in a Ferrari for €445. Much cheaper, however, to opt for its “dads and lads” package (mums and daughters welcome too of course, it just doesn’t rhyme) at €130 per person for a half day.
For that you’ll all get two and a half hours driving, with dad in a super-charged Escort and son (typically 12 and over) in a dual-control Ka. The kids don’t even have to be 12 – if their feet can reach the pedals, they can drive.
Rest up: Stay at the nearby Hillgrove Hotel, on the Old Armagh Road, where one night’s BB in a family room, sleeping four, costs from €99, mid-week.
* rallyschoolireland.ie,
* hillgrovehotel.com
Segway across the sea
Get active:Segways, the stand-up transport option – think Mall Cop– take three minutes to master. Once you have done that, the world, or at least a large swath of Galway, is your oyster.
Segway Adventures was only set up last winter and, according to Eugene O’Reilly, who runs it with his brother John, the big surprise is how many Irish people are signing up for their tours.
Their latest is a rolling jaunt around the Aran Islands. Meet at Jurys at the Spanish Arch, before heading by minibus to Doolin and on by ferry to Inis Oírr. “This particular island is terrific because it’s very quiet, very non-commercialised and not full of minibuses,” says Eugene. Whether it’s history and culture, or having a laugh, he reckons he can gauge his clients’ preferences pretty quickly and will provide a running commentary to suit. An all-day tour of the island costs €130 per person, including minibus, ferry and lunch.
Rest up:Keep costs down by staying at Kinlay Hostel Galway, with a great location on Eyre Square and doubles starting at €29 mid week. Or posh it up a bit with two nights B&B plus one evening meal at Ardilaun Hotel from €119 per person.
* segwayadventures.ie,
* kinlaygalway.ie,
* theardilaunhotel.ie
Kayak through Cork
Get active:Talking about novel new ways to explore, how about seeing a whole new side to Cork? The water side.
Atlantic Sea Kayaking in Skibbereen has a Cork city tour that will get you up and under the bridges of Cork city, which, it says, is “often spoken of as the Venice of Ireland”, though possibly only by them.
The tour begins and ends at Lapp’s Quay in the heart of the city, near the Clarion Hotel, and all gear is supplied. And no, you don’t get wet.
At two hour’s duration, you’ll get a lot more exercise then you’d expect for sitting on your backside. Tours take place three times daily, at 11am, 2.30pm and 7pm, which means, if you go on the last trip, the bridge lights will be coming on by the time you finish up.
Once you’ve conquered the city’s waterways, you can follow it up for one of their half-day marine safaris or full-day kayaking adventures out in the Atlantic.
Rest up: The Clarion hotel in Cork city is currently running summer specials including dinner, B&B for €69 per person sharing.
* atlanticseakayaking.com,
* clarionhotelcorkcity.com
Scuba do
Get active:Ireland is awash, literally, with great places to scuba dive and snorkel, with wrecks aplenty, nutrient-rich water teeming with sea life and great visibility with which to see it all. Once you've got the skills, there is no end of places to visit including Keem Bay on Achill, sites off Mullaghmore and even the Kowloon Bridge wreck off west Cork – the biggest diveable wreck that recreational divers can explore in the world.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. If you’ve never done it before, you don’t need to spend a fortune to get started, as dive schools and adventure centres will supply all the kit you need.
Scubadive West in Renvyle, Co Galway, will take anyone from age 11 up on their “Discover Scuba” course, with a full day’s class, including two instructor-led dives with full gear rental costing €140.
A possibly more manageable – for those with youngsters, not least – half-day session costs €89.
Rest up:Go self-catering in style at Renvyle Thatched Cottages, a development of nine holiday homes in nearby Tullycross village, from €400 a week.
* scubadivewest.com,
* irishcottageholidays.com