Travel

Get moving: 12 great Irish activity breaks

From whale watching to cruising the byways of Ireland in a campervan, the countryside awaits

Gemma Tipton's face
Gemma Tipton
Sat Aug 1 2020 - 06:00

Lazy Days: Self-contained, independent, and with everything you need inside, Ireland is your oyster with Lazy Days Campervans. The classic two- and four-berth VW vans start at €155 per day, and €130 per day off-peak, with a seven-day minimum rental during summer. Includes your fully-kitted out van, with unlimited mileage, insurance and AA cover. Time to hit the road. lazydays.ie

Glasson Lake House, Co Westmeath: Tee off for the Family Golf Week at Glasson, starting tomorrow. Entry fees to the golf is €35 for adults and €15 for kids. Golf Week is August 2nd-5th, and includes plenty of fun games, B&B from €55 pps. glassonlakehouse.ie

Ziplining adventures at Zipit, Tibraddan Woods in Dublin

The Lakeside Hotel, Co Tipperary: Enjoy the Hidden Heartlands Special with two nights B&B, plus one evening meal and a cruise on Lough Derg with Killaloe River Cruises. Two nights from €270 pps. lakesidehotel.ie

Inchydoney Island, Co Cork: Find activities galore in this gorgeous spot. From surfing to starlight kayaking to whale watching. The Surf and Stay package includes equipment and tuition as well as B&B, from €229 pps. inchydoneyisland.com

READ MORE

Abbey Court Hotel, Co Tipperary: A two-night family activity break includes a picnic at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, and a family pass to Aqua Splash on Lough Derg, to try your hand at kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, paddle boats and more. Two nights from €355 B&B with dinner on one night, in a deluxe family room, sleeping up to two adults and two children. abbeycourt.ie

Kayaking and diving at Inchydoney

Coopershill, Co Sligo: Activities at the lovely Coopershill include hawk walks on the 500-acre estate, guided kayaking on Lough Gill, and a majestic picnic on the top of Benbulben. Two nights B&B, with dinner on one night, plus a Benbulben picnic comes to €590 per room. The climb up and down takes about four hours, map and directions supplied. coopershill.com

Finn Valley Cottages, Co Tyrone: Use these lovely self-catering cottages, looking over the Donegal hills, as your base for adventure. Try Todd's Leap adventure centre in Ballygawley, where you can get stuck into off roading, ziplining, archery, orienteering and more. toddsleap.com. Cottages sleep six to eight and start at £370 for three nights.

Castle Leslie, Co Monaghan: For people who already know their way around a horse, getting round the cross country course at Castle Leslie is great craic. The three- or five-night Horse Sport Packages start at €975 pps, and include a programme of show jumping, cross country, dressage and estate rides. As well as dinner, bed and breakfast. Intermediate and experienced riders giddyup. castleleslie.com

Lake Hotel, Co Kerry: Cycle the Killarney National Park, or kayak on the famous lakes, while staying right on the waterfront at the Lake Hotel. The kayak package for two adults and two teenagers starts from €650 for the total stay, including guided kayaking and lessons should you need them, plus B&B. Or try two nights B&B with bike hire and packed lunch to go nature spotting in the lovely countryside from €408 per room. lakehotel.com

Independent travel: The classic two- and four-berth VW vans start at €155 per day with Lazy Days Campervans

Indie Campers: Taking off, but don't want to leave your dog? Head out on your Ireland road trip in a Fiat Ducato, sleeping four, from approx €150 per night, add extras such as a BBQ, foldable bicycles, bedding kits and more for added comfort. €60 to bring your dog along too. indiecampers.ie

The Cliff at Lyons: You're right on the Grand Canal towpath, so dive in – but not literally – with a SUP (stand up paddleboard). The Picnic and Paddle package includes one night B&B, three-hour SUP session on a tandem board, and gourmet picnic in a fancy backpack. From €235 per room. cliffatlyons.ie

Stay right on the waterfront at the Lake Hotel, Killarney

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin: Take two nights at the Radisson Blu on Golden Lane, including a cruise with Dublin Bay Cruises to see the sights from the waterside. Two nights in a family room for two adults and two children, including cruise from €200 per room per night. radissonblu.com. After the water, take to the air. The offer includes parking, so take advantage, and drive up into the Dublin mountains for a wild afternoon discovering Tibradden Wood by aerial walkway and zipline with Zipit, who also have sites in Roscommon and Cork. Age seven and up, from €15 to €35, booking essential. zipit.ie

MagazineSummer of Family