Summer holidays in Mayo!

Cartman78

Hi folks,


Looking for some local advice on this one..

I’m a Mayo native but haven’t lived there for about 20 years

Our summer holidays this year will be a week in Mayo with 2 active young fellas (one is nearly 4 and the other guy will be turning 1 in June)

We’re going up for the week beginning the 20th of June & will be based in my parent’s house near Castlebar.

Obviously if the weather is ok we’ll be camped out on the beach as often as possible but looking for other activities & attractions as well.

Is Westport House worth a visit?

Are there any petting zoos/farms around?

All suggestions welcome

Cheers cm

clogher71

Cartman78 wrote: »

Hi folks,


Looking for some local advice on this one..

I’m a Mayo native but haven’t lived there for about 20 years

Our summer holidays this year will be a week in Mayo with 2 active young fellas (one is nearly 4 and the other guy will be turning 1 in June)

We’re going up for the week beginning the 20th of June & will be based in my parent’s house near Castlebar.

Obviously if the weather is ok we’ll be camped out on the beach as often as possible but looking for other activities & attractions as well.

Is Westport House worth a visit?

Are there any petting zoos/farms around?

All suggestions welcome

Cheers cm

The pet farm near Ballyhaunis is worth a visit, plenty to do inside for kids as well as outside, has picnic benches also.....

irishgeo

Westport house would be worth a visit.

yop

Turlough house isn't bad.
U cud get a bike and trailer for the kids and cycle the greenway.

Coillte_Bhoy

Pet Farm in Kiltimagh.

https://www.facebook.com/Kiltimagh-Pet-Farm-105916106137617/

Kristopherus

yop wrote: »

Turlough house isn't bad.

Ah, now give it its real name:D Museum of Country Life at Turlough Park, Castlebar.:cool:

GIMP

clogher71 wrote: »

The pet farm near Ballyhaunis is worth a visit, plenty to do inside for kids as well as outside, has picnic benches also.....

Where is it near B'haunis, address?

PARlance

Lough Lannagh is worth a visit if you want to kill an hour some day. They've done a nice job developing it, nice stroll.

happyoutscan

- Old Head beach (think this is the most child friendly)
- Cycle the Greenway (do the 30km from Newport to Achill)
- Kiltimagh Pet Farm
- Indoor play areas the Wild West (Westport) and Funster (Castlebar)
- Cinema in Castlebar does a children's film each weekend as far as I know
- Lough Lannagh
- Ballinrobe Races

There's plenty to do, hopefully the weather will stay decent.

Cartman78

happyoutscan wrote: »

- Old Head beach (think this is the most child friendly)
- Cycle the Greenway (do the 30km from Newport to Achill)
- Kiltimagh Pet Farm
- Indoor play areas the Wild West (Westport) and Funster (Castlebar)
- Cinema in Castlebar does a children's film each weekend as far as I know
- Lough Lannagh
- Ballinrobe Races

There's plenty to do, hopefully the weather will stay decent.

Cheers - the weather is key alright.....opens up a lot more options in this country and especially in Mayo.

blinding

yop wrote: »

Turlough house isn't bad.
U cud get a bike and trailer for the kids and cycle the greenway.

I enjoyed Turlough house. The kids are probably a bit young but its certainly worth a visit.

clogher71

GIMP wrote: »

Where is it near B'haunis, address?

Gruane, about 2.5 miles out the Cloonfad road or 2 miles from Cloonfad coming at it from the opposite direction.

finisklin

Enniscrone is relatively near via Ballina with Belleek woods and the River Moy.

You will have a lovely sandy beach there to enjoy and of course a plane that will never take off in the proposed glamping village.

Cartman78

finisklin wrote: »

Enniscrone is relatively near via Ballina with Belleek woods and the River Moy.

You will have a lovely sandy beach there to enjoy and of course a plane that will never take off in the proposed glamping village.

Good shout - haven't been in Enniscrone in about 20 years :eek: but remember that it's an amazing beach alright.

Thanks to all that have replied so far - all suggestions welcome as it could be a long week if the weather isn't great!

kieran.

If its a nice day head out to Roonagh Point and get the boat out to Clare Island

whitey1

They might be too young to appreciate the Museum in Turlough itself, but theyre not too young to roll down the hill in front of it. There are also some pretty cool trees you can climb on the grounds.

The Round Tower accross the way in Turlough is great too...I convinced my guys I could see a ghost looking out the top window.

Kids love playgrounds and the one in Castlebar near Scoil Raifteri is excellent.....spent manys an hour in there. The playground near the new graveyard is also excellent, but I think some of the equipment was broken the last time I was there

You could also buy a kids fishing rod for short money off the guy accross from Rockys on New Antrim St and keep it in the car. Personally, I wouldnt go near a river with kids, but you could safely fire a line in from the shore of one of the many lakes around the countryside to pass an hour (I think I paid 15 all in for my rigout).

Enniscrone is great, but its a long way....takes the best part of an hour from Castlebar.

Another time, I took my guys to Mulranny....Stop off at Graineualies Castle, have lunch in Nevins then hit the beach. With kids that age, youre really looking at taking half day rather than full day excursions

Cartman78

Bump :pac:

Not long to go now....myself and the missus are actually going to get away on our own for a couple of days while in Mayo. We're staying for a couple of nights in Delphi so looking forward to that big time.

Again, it's been years since i was up that part of the world so would appreciate any current local knowledge on what to see/do nearby. We're having one evening meal in the hotel so looking for other dining options for lunch/dinner.

Cheers again cm

6541

Hit any of the Pubs in Westport, they are rocking at the moment.

Xenji

6541 wrote: »

Hit any of the Pubs in Westport, they are rocking at the moment.

They should be ashamed of themselves for not being open till after 6 last Wednesday, scorching day and a lot of people milling about and only 4 open, they must of lost a lot of revenue not opening on Monday or Tuesday either.

PressRun

Out the quay in Westport is a good spot for some lunch/dinner and a pint. The Creel, The Helm and The Towers are all very decent.

Cartman78

PressRun wrote: »

Out the quay in Westport is a good spot for some lunch/dinner and a pint. The Creel, The Helm and The Towers are all very decent.

Cheers....is there anywhere worthwhile out in or near Louisberg?

mzungu

Another shout here for Lough Lannagh.

CiniO

Cartman78 wrote: »

Cheers....is there anywhere worthwhile out in or near Louisberg?

If you're staying in Delphi, you might do coasteering with them on Old head. It's just a traversing along the coastline, jumping off the cliffs, swimming into the caves, etc... interesting thing to do if you like water.

Visit to White Strand and Silver stand might be a good idea. Very nice huge beaches in isolated area with very few people around if you like to have a beach for yourself.

Climing Mweelrea - the highest peak in Connacht - if weather is good then views from the top are fairly amazing.

Surfing on Carrownisky beach.


Maybe Sheep museum in Leenane

nuac

1. If heading to Louisburgh, or staying in Delphi, Glen Keen sheep farm about 5 miles out the Leenane Road worth a visit - open Thursdays and Sundays. Cafe etc

2 On way to Louisburgh you cannot miss Croagh Patrick. From carpark can bring the kids the few yards up to the statue of St Patrick. For years one of mine after that short stroll was telling people she had climbed CP,

3 Apart from Old Head there are a range of beaches from Carrowmore in Louisburgh all the way south to Tullaghbaun, Even on the hottest and busiest days there is plenty of space

nuac

I agree with Cinio's post above, but warn that Mweelrea can be a dangerous mountain in poor visibility.

If you really want to bring children up there get some local advice first

Enjoy West Mayo

CiniO

nuac wrote: »

I agree with Cinio's post above, but warn that Mweelrea can be a dangerous mountain in poor visibility.

That true actually.

There's a nice loop route through Mweelrea with beginning and end in Delphi (through Ben Bury) and it's relatively easy to climb without too much tough or steep terrain, but that's only provided one can follow the right route.
And as there's no patch or anything like that, you have to navigate yourself - which in good visibility might be quite easy, but when clouds come around without proper map and compass you might be completely lost within minutes.

And stepping out of advised route, might be tragical in consequnces. There were few fatalities over that area in the last few decades afaik.