Year after year, we have the same problem; we start to think about our summer holiday around about April and everything we fancy doing is booked up. This year we wanted to stay in lodges in Yosemite National Park but when I tried to book, I was politely referred to dates in the summer next year. So, I went back to trawling the UK farm holiday and self-catering sites. The boys enjoy getting up close to animals, and after months in Dubai, its refreshing for us all to get out into the countryside.
I rediscovered a holiday we had had on our wish list for some time; a week in a horse-drawn gypsy caravan, in Ireland. We're not campers and barely knew one end of a horse from the other so we were ideal candidates; it would be an adventure !
We could only get the second week in July, so I was then looking to tag a week either side. I focused on the Irish self-catering sites and stumbled accross
www.celticcastles.com. We were in luck and booked Smithsonian Castle. "Just a small castle," Sam (5) kept telling everyone. Indeed from the site, it did look small but it was the interior images that appealed; a real fire and a suit of armour. That would be an adventure too !
We picked up a hire car from Shannon Airport and drove North through Ennistymon to Kilifinora, and our castle home. We, like Sam, had a different image in mind to what we found; it's huge - you see the boys stood by the wall at the base of the castle here.
There are many authentic aspects to the castle, which dates back to the 1600's. All rooms lead off this winding stone staircase which seemed pretty treacherous at first but we soon got used to it. Not suitable for very young children though.
The kitchen/dining room on the ground floor has a big table suitable for a medieval banquet, overseen by a knight; well at least, a suit of armour. And it also has a washing machine, dishwasher, and under (stone) floor heating. Just a few welcome mod cons, to make castle life that little bit easier.
In the living room, upstairs, there is a beautiful Gothic fireplace and "castle chores" for the boys started each day with sweeping out the ashes from the grate and building up the fire ready for the evening. There were more treasures to be found, like these "bonnie knockers" (above), lances, swords and muskets. Leading from the staircase, all at different levels, there are four double bedrooms so the castle would suit two families holidaying together. One bathroom and two shower rooms, and all working well.
Exploring the West Coast, we didn't have to go far. It's all really very pretty; the greens are very green and the sea, bright blue, sunny blue skies with fluffy white clouds and pretty, chocolate box houses in pastel pinks and blues amd lemons. We were near to the seaside and although it was a bit cold for us to sunbathe, (the locals are a hardy lot...), the boys enjoyed the rock pools, and running around on the beach. We explored The Burren a little; leaping from stone to stone on the limestone pavement, and one day we took the ferry from Dingle to one of the Isles of Aran (pictured here and below).
The Cliffs of Moher (left) are spectacular. We were later asked if it was really very touristy, "I hear there are alot of coaches." Well there were 7 or 8 coaches at The Cliffs but it didn't occur to us that it was crowded; I suppose touristy is a relative term. What we saw of Ireland was pretty quiet, and relaxed, with an easy pace to life. We loved it.
We took the boys to a little farm at Moher where they could pet and feed the animals, race go-karts in the converted barn, and work off some energy in the playgound and bouncy castle. And another afternoon we tried the pitch and putt. Everything we did over the course of the week was no more than 20 minutes drive away.
At the end of the week we drove back to the airport to leave the car, and started our journey East, over to Port Laois for our second week in Ireland - on the road in a horse-drawn gypsy caravan. Were we looking forward to a week living, eating and sleeping in a caravan less than half the size of our kitchen. Well, I couldn't really get passed, "It's going to be an adventure..."
To be continued!.............