Picnic Spots

tulipandthistle · 09-03-2008 10:35am #1

My parents are coming over on Easter Sunday and they would like to go for a picnic (if it's not raining) on Easter Monday. Can anybody recommend some lovely picnic spots?
Also are shops open Easter Monday?

Mint Sauce · 09-03-2008 10:45am

in the county or the town, think there are some areas along the garvouge past the blue lagon, just follow the river out of town, not sure of the name of the area

think there also might be a few areas around lough gill as well

as for the shops, would propbably say their all closed, one or two at the retail park might be open

Gillie · 09-03-2008 11:31am

Hazelwood would be a good spot.
Slios Wood also.

Its a shame what has happeded to Hazelwood! Those who remember what it was like in the 80's and early 90's will tell you it was an amazing spot with some brilliant Wooden Sculptures until they were all vandalised!

TequilaMockingBird · 09-03-2008 1:16pm

We've had a few picnics out at Parkes Castle, and then take the boat trip back to town.

Gillie · 09-03-2008 1:26pm

That's in Leitrim!

Snark · 10-03-2008 12:53pm

if it's a calm day - that's important - the beach at Lissaddell (there are some benches) has a nice view over to Rosses Point. Likewise with a climb of Knocknarea - flasked tea nevers tastes as good.

TequilaMockingBird · 10-03-2008 12:59pm

Gillie wrote: »

That's in Leitrim!

I'm damned, damned I tell ya...

Roll out the Leitruuum (anyone know to spell it?) V Sligo anecdotes.

Basq · 10-03-2008 1:55pm

Gillie wrote: »

That's in Leitrim!

Sure we've claimed it anyways - that and Glencar Waterfall..

.. i'm joking! :eek:

tuppence · 10-03-2008 2:13pm

sueme wrote: »

We've had a few picnics out at Parkes Castle, and then take the boat trip back to town.

*clears throat*
Lough Gill. The nice bit as in the unspoilt bit with preservation of national heritage in Parkes castle, watch out for the deers, and wildlife etc. That would be the Leitrim bit (pls note spelling,

)
The Nasty bit with vandalism in Hazelwood and Spanish type apartments built on it and pallava about docking a boat..... That would be the Sligo bit.

*

* Gulp. Only kiddin really. I am from Sligo meself.

TequilaMockingBird · 10-03-2008 4:27pm

tuppence wrote: »

*clears throat*
Lough Gill. The nice bit as in the unspoilt bit with preservation of national heritage in Parkes castle, watch out for the deers, and wildlife etc. That would be the Leitrim bit (pls note spelling, )

Enjoy your moment of glory Tuppence....

It may be the only one you ever have...

takola · 10-03-2008 4:32pm

We've been through this before.

Leitrim is nothing but fields and farmers! Anything nice is in Sligo!

I would go with Hazelwood. It's lovely out there!

tuppence · 10-03-2008 4:35pm

sueme wrote: »

Enjoy your moment of glory Tuppence....

It may be the only one you ever have...

Why do I hear Ennio Morriconi music?
Gulp+1 :eek::D

tulipandthistle · 10-03-2008 4:50pm

takola wrote: »

We've been through this before.

Leitrim is nothing but fields and farmers! Anything nice is in Sligo!

I would go with Hazelwood. It's lovely out there!

Please don't forget us blowins, thank you very much!;)

Thank you very much for the suggestions though!

tuppence · 10-03-2008 10:50pm

Lissadell House and Knocknarea as snark says.
Otherwise, Carrowkeel in castlebaldwin. Wonderful megalithic tombs and view over surrounds is classic.
Cullentra on the Leitrim Sligo border (on trek called the Sligo way) where the government planted millenium trees for some of the population in 2000. From Dromahair- take the carraroe sligo road, after the turnoff for Ballintogher take the right down for about a mile or so down past a thatched cottage to a little jetty where you get view of lake isle of Innisfree. There's normally a couple of donkeys and even a public toilet (!). Theres some nice woodland walks before you get to the jetty which may be an idea for a picnic. Otherwise, there also a picnic area by the water near the Millenium sculpture.
You should make a trip to tobernalt holy well as its easter too. You could find a cosy spot around there too for a picnic. Its quite an interesting place.:)

takola · 11-03-2008 2:10pm

tulipandthistle wrote: »

Please don't forget us blowins, thank you very much!;)

Thank you very much for the suggestions though!

Sssshhhhhhhh! We're pretending you're in Sligo and all!

tulipandthistle · 11-03-2008 2:27pm

takola wrote: »

Sssshhhhhhhh! We're pretending you're in Sligo and all!

DOH! Done it again - blown my cover:o

Rossibaby · 12-03-2008 11:22pm

hazelwood on a nice day,go for a walk,feed the swans,picnic....= happy parents

kkontour · 13-03-2008 2:47pm

Ladies Brae in the OX mountains is nice, amazing views of sligo bay

Hail 2 Da Chimp · 13-03-2008 4:25pm

Hazelwood, or Rosses Point / Strandhill maybe?

Something I was thinking about the other day aswell, I know there was a lot of trouble around the Back Avenue, I often went for runs around that area.
There was signs for "gay cruzing" (think that was how it was spelt), heard a few people mentioning that it was getting a bad reputation, dodgy looking men hanging around there by themselves etc...
People I know who would have brought their kids out there on weekends have stopped going.

takola · 14-03-2008 1:02pm

Hail 2 Da Chimp wrote: »

Hazelwood, or Rosses Point / Strandhill maybe?

Something I was thinking about the other day aswell, I know there was a lot of trouble around the Back Avenue, I often went for runs around that area.
There was signs for "gay cruzing" (think that was how it was spelt), heard a few people mentioning that it was getting a bad reputation, dodgy looking men hanging around there by themselves etc...
People I know who would have brought their kids out there on weekends have stopped going.

Yeah I remember going out there with my mam and brothers when I was little. Used to be a great spot for picnic's during the summer!

Have heard a couple of bad things about it now though so wouldn't head out there now!

TequilaMockingBird · 14-03-2008 1:17pm

Where is the Back Avenue?

Probably best I don't ask anyone in RL, in case they think I'm y'know "looking" for it...

takola · 14-03-2008 1:22pm

Basically if you follow the river from fiddlers creek over by toffs and keep following it for a mile or two out that road. It's on the left there.

TequilaMockingBird · 14-03-2008 1:43pm

Gotcha, thanks. Doorly Park Walk to us blow-ins.

takola · 14-03-2008 2:02pm

That'd be the one!! Sorry, Brain = mush today (Actually that's fairly permanent!

) and it was the best I could do!

magnumlady · 14-03-2008 3:23pm

Doorly Park is a lovely place, great to walk along and look at all the boats.
Hazelwood is lovely too, although I spent hours looking for the sculptures and was told afterwards they'd gone.

redarmyblues · 15-03-2008 4:02pm

Glencar (The Glen is split half Sligo half Leitrim, Leitrim has the waterfall while Sligo has the more spectacular Scenery)
Before you come to the waterfall, there is bog road leading onto the mountain, it twists and turns quite steeply but you can drive up, walk or push a bike (a great cycle down). When you reach the top walk west (turn left) towards the sea until you come to the cliff top. Be very careful, while there is a path of sorts the grass can get quite slippy. Follow the path along the cliff top, the views are spectacular and the drop sheer, watch out for the peregrines. Break out the bottle of red wine and your sarnies and have a vertiginous and exhilarating picnic.

Culchie · 17-03-2008 5:22am

Streedagh excellent place if the day is nice.

il gatto · 17-03-2008 6:44am

redarmyblues wrote: »

Glencar (The Glen is split half Sligo half Leitrim, Leitrim has the waterfall while Sligo has the more spectacular Scenery)
Before you come to the waterfall, there is bog road leading onto the mountain, it twists and turns quite steeply but you can drive up, walk or push a bike (a great cycle down). When you reach the top walk west (turn left) towards the sea until you come to the cliff top. Be very careful, while there is a path of sorts the grass can get quite slippy. Follow the path along the cliff top, the views are spectacular and the drop sheer, watch out for the peregrines. Break out the bottle of red wine and your sarnies and have a vertiginous and exhilarating picnic.

Not nice in summer if there's no breeze. Last time i was up there the gigantic midges were mad. It wasn't so much that I was eaten as trampled by them.

GG66 · 21-03-2008 12:43pm

tuppence wrote: »

Lissadell
Otherwise, Carrowkeel in castlebaldwin. Wonderful megalithic tombs and view over surrounds is classic.

second this http://carrowkeel.com/

Hail 2 Da Chimp · 21-03-2008 12:52pm

magnumlady wrote: »

Doorly Park is a lovely place, great to walk along and look at all the boats.
Hazelwood is lovely too, although I spent hours looking for the sculptures and was told afterwards they'd gone.

Actually why were the sculptures removed?

Xiney · 21-03-2008 1:47pm

Hail 2 Da Chimp wrote: »

Actually why were the sculptures removed?

I believe they were vandalised.

There are a couple left standing, though.

To be quite honest, making outdoor sculptures out of wood was probably a stupid idea.

Gillie · 21-03-2008 2:32pm

Xiney wrote: »

I believe they were vandalised.

There are a couple left standing, though.

To be quite honest, making outdoor sculptures out of wood was probably a stupid idea.

I don't agree. Why shouldn't they! What's stupid is muppets who go and wreck them while "minker drinkin"!
When I was growing up Hazelwood was a lovely spot - even more so because of the Sculptures.
Still a grand place to have a picnic.

Hail 2 Da Chimp · 21-03-2008 2:43pm

I agree, they were awesome sculptures.

Xiney · 21-03-2008 3:02pm

Gillie wrote: »

I don't agree. Why shouldn't they! What's stupid is muppets who go and wreck them while "minker drinkin"!
When I was growing up Hazelwood was a lovely spot - even more so because of the Sculptures.
Still a grand place to have a picnic.

Wood doesn't stand up to the elements, though. Even if they hadn't been vandalised, they'd be falling apart by now anyhow.

Gillie · 21-03-2008 3:22pm

Xiney wrote: »

Wood doesn't stand up to the elements, though. Even if they hadn't been vandalised, they'd be falling apart by now anyhow.

If they were treated properly they would have!

Xiney · 21-03-2008 3:26pm

Eh, it just seems to me like it was a cheepo solution to try and get some culture into Sligo - an attempt to create something of a tourist trap that fell slightly short.

Don't mind me though, I'm rather cynical when it comes to publicly funded art...

magnumlady · 21-03-2008 5:33pm

There are still giant toadstools standing in the wood, so they have stood the test of time.
I can't stand mindless vandelism.

Hail 2 Da Chimp · 21-03-2008 10:38pm

Xiney wrote: »

Don't mind me though, I'm rather cynical when it comes to publicly funded art...

No body mention the project to house all the swans across from Toffs

Sorry - back on topic...

TequilaMockingBird · 21-03-2008 11:09pm

Hail 2 Da Chimp wrote: »

No body mention the project to house all the swans across from Toffs

Sorry - back on topic...

Hmmm...

I'd have preferred a few more hospital beds for the money. Swans wouldn't be a high social priority of mine.

Gillie · 22-03-2008 12:00pm

Xiney wrote: »

Eh, it just seems to me like it was a cheepo solution to try and get some culture into Sligo - an attempt to create something of a tourist trap that fell slightly short.

Don't mind me though, I'm rather cynical when it comes to publicly funded art...

Christ you sure are!
I really don't think that they had that kind of agenda!
It was an enchanting place when I was young so no matter what their methods may have been the end result was a success in my opinion!

I often headed down there with a roll/sandwich to get away from work for an hour.
Truely relaxing!

il gatto · 22-03-2008 7:26pm

Even without vandalism they were falling apart. The timber cracked, became slimy and the joints got loose. They were done in a once off project and seemingly had no provisions in place for maintainance other than hauling them away when they became dangerous.
It used to be brilliant when I was a kid. You were nobody if you hadn't been there:)

Xiney · 22-03-2008 8:15pm

il gatto wrote: »

Even without vandalism they were falling apart. The timber cracked, became slimy and the joints got loose. They were done in a once off project and seemingly had no provisions in place for maintainance other than hauling them away when they became dangerous.
It used to be brilliant when I was a kid. You were nobody if you hadn't been there:)

Yes, a good example of this is the statue of the sitting man. He's falling apart at the one shoulder... suspect it won't be long until they take him away.

The mushrooms are starting to show some rather intensive wear and tear too, although as a simpler structure they would have fared better anyway.

Another 10,15 years and I'll be surprised if they're still identifiable, frankly.

magnumlady · 25-03-2008 6:06pm

Did you have your picnic?

tulipandthistle · 25-03-2008 6:19pm

We thought we'd take it easy because Maw and Paw were driving ALL day Sunday, so we thought we'd give them a break.
The plan is, we're going to the eagles flying on Saturday (maybe not too early coz we're going to our favourite local pub Friday night so my Dad can get a traditional session as well).
Will keep you posted if you wish for a sunny day for us.:D

Picnic Spots

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