1. kayaking wexford kayaking -...
TRANSCRIPT
1. Kayaking
Wexford Kayaking
Shane is down in Wexford Town, and he and his team cover 5
different locations including Enniscorthy, Ferrycarraig and Wexford
Harbour and can
cater for small or
larger groups. He
charges €15 per
hour with all
equipment
supplied and he is
available all year
round (both
beginners and
advanced) and 7
days a week. Also
he has linked up with Cycle Wexford with some great packages so be
sure to ask
087 673 9357
http://www.wexfordkayaksafari.com/
Gorey School of Kayaking
Ciarans set up is a little more intimate and perfect for smaller groups,
especially first timers !
The Ounavarra, is an exceptionally pretty river, flowing through an
ancient forest with trees hanging low over the water, and populated
with salmon and trout. Depending on your level of skill and/or
confidence Ciaran will take you further up the river where you will
find rapids and weirs to navigate.
Ciaran charges €35 for two hours, including an initial lesson and all
equipment supplied (Summer Months only)
087 249 1140
https://www.facebook.com/Gorey-School-of-Kayaking-
298770016900932/
The Farm Shop Tinahely Village,
This place is fantastic on sunny days
and invaluable on a wet day !
Outside is a lovely gentle walk
around small fields containing all
sorts of animals big and small with
plenty of chickens and ducks
scattered about the place too !
The barn has been converted into a
giant play area which is perfect for
rainy days with an indoor beach, go
carts, pedal carts and lots of ride on
tractors, diggers and toys,
Inside you will find a lovely shop and
café, though it feels more like
someone’s home, with its
mismatched furniture and giant Aga
gently heating the room.
http://tinahelyfarm.ie/
2. Wreckless Skate Park, Gorey Business Park
Indoor skateboarding and BMX Park for ages 2 and up ! The staff that
work here are fantastic, the perfect combination of fun and safety,
plus they are really up for beginners and all the equipment you might
need including both boards and bikes.
€5per hour or €7 for two hours
€5 flat fee for equipment rental including skateboards, bikes and
safety gear
Open 7 days a week 12 to
8pm and till late on
Fridays
All ages welcome from 2
years to adults
http://www.wreckless.ie/1075/Indoor/
4. Wells House
This beautiful
Victorian
Manor House
is €8 per car
to enter but
you can easily
spend a day
here, the
Gruffalo Walk
is a gentle
woodland
walk with all those much loved and well known characters hiding in
amongst the trees ! Also on site is Archery, a huge playground, an
Animal Farm and Falconry. There is also a café, and tours of the
house itself. With regular events like car shows, outdoor Plays and
Victorian Picnics held here during the summer its worth checking
out.
http://www.wellshouse.ie/
5. Kia Ora Mini Farm, Gorey
One of the best petting zoos in the country, it
has won numerous awards and a great place to
spend a few hours. So many animals, fluffy
ones, big hairy ones and feathered ones too !
They have all sorts of chickens and ducks. Also
on site is an old Fire Engine, ride on tractors and
go carts, a sand pit, and so much more. They
have a lovely little coffee shop but don’t mind
you bringing your own picnic, if it’s a dull day
they’ll even allow you to eat it inside. €7
entrance but everything inside is included
http://kiaoraminifarm.ie/
6. Fishing on Loch Mahon Lakes
Loch Mahon is a perfect place
to introduce children to fishing,
a beautiful lake, all the
equipment needed is available
to rent.
Also suitable for more
advanced fishing enthusiasts, a
great way to while away an
afternoon ! Various prices
depending on the size of your
group and level of expertise
http://www.wexfordanglingcentre.com/index.html
7. Cycle Wexford
A new start up here in Wexford and a brilliant idea. Jonathon and
his crew will bring the bikes directly to you, along with all you
need for a day out cycling,
maps, picnic blanket, even
buckets for crab fishing !
Great value for money at
€70 for a whole day and
they even have little
trailers for those too small
to pedal themselves !
Have look through the
website for suggested
routes, special packages and more.
http://www.cyclewexford.com/familyfun
8. The 'Pick Your Own' Farms
Wexford is known for its fruit, in particular our strawberries, you may
have notice how they are sold from the roadside all over the county.
There are a number of farms that
allow you to pick your own, a
messy but tasty activity that
everyone enjoys !
Martin in The Berry Farm in
Clonroche near New Ross is one
of the better ones for small
people, call him on +353 (0)87
285 9737 for directions, his farm
is open to the public from May to
September
Ballycross Apple Farm is another
popular spot, very busy in
October with pumpkin picking !
This farm in the gorgeous
Bridgetown area of Wexford is
another real working farm but
has recently converted the farm
courtyard to accommodate visitors, with a small café on site. Open
from March, look out for their juices in local shops too
http://www.ballycross.com/
9. Seal Rescue Ireland
One of the hidden gems of Wexford, this seal sanctuary is open for
tours of their ever changing
residents. All held in special
purpose built “homes” so you can
get up close without frightening
them. Surviving on donations and
revenue from visitors you can be
sure whatever you spend here is
money well spent ! With so many
seals on all the coasts in Ireland, it
is very sad that this is the only rescue centre. The poor Seals arrive
here exhausted and injured and
usually very frightened, passing from
car to car owned by vets and
volunteers till they finally reach the
sanctuary in Courtown, so this makes
it extra wonderful when they are
then released a back in full health a
few months later. Follow them on Instagram or Facebook for the
releases !
http://www.sealrescueireland.org/
10. The Surf Shack at Curracloe Beach
Right on the beach itself, the Surf Shack on Curracloe Beach rents out
all equipment necessary for a fun filled day on the beach, they also
run camps and classes. Set up by a group of friends it has a lovely
informal atmosphere with lots of laughs. Advanced or complete
novice, you’ll be welcomed.
Also worth noting that you can rent a Beach Wheelchair from them,
so all family members can enjoy the sea. Plus the beach itself is
spectacular. Perfect for surfing and with all the huge dunes its also
perfect for dune surfing !
Steven Spielberg filmed Saving
Private Ryan here, due to its
similarity with Normandy in
France. A bit grim looking in
the film, but not on a sunny
day !
Phone 087 915 4786
http://surfshackireland.com/
11. The Irish National Heritage Park
Now this place is very
special, this huge park is
scattered with Mesolithic,
Viking, celtic and Norman
houses, inside you will find
furniture and even smoking
campfires. It is very easy to
trick small children into
believing the Vikings are just
gone out for the day ! The
guides in the park all wear
period dress adding to the
sense of magic. Kids can also
pan for gold and if you are
lucky you might come across
a re-enactment group
making weapons, weaving or making money. At the Norman Castle
everyone can try some Archery
for only €3, The relaxed friendly
staff are brilliant here, and have
always been that way. I began
bringing my children here
nearly 20 years ago and my
younger niece and nephews
love it just as much today.
Plus if you have a history lover in the family you can even arrange to
stay overnight in the ringfort, exploring the park, dressed as a Celt, in
the dark is a totally amazing
experience !
A walk around takes about 2 hours
and it is open all year round, ticket
prices vary depending on group size.
Plus the café is surprisingly good,
especially their Irish Stew !
http://www.inhp.com/
12. Secret Valley Wildlife Park
This small wildlife park has a huge array of animals, from monkeys to
Meercats including llamas, Shetland ponies, snakes and spiders and
so many more. On the
main road from
Enniscorthy to New
Ross, it’s well worth a
detour. Check the
website for details on
their “experiences”
were kids can get
involved at feeding
time. A place were you
will get some great photos and make a lot of memories !
Prices vary depending on group size
http://www.secretvalley.ie/
13. 3D Archery Norman Style
Kilmokea Manor House offer a Norman-
themed woodland archery activity
suitable for all the family. Follow a
Norman historical themed trail as you
shoot at a wide range of 3D animal
replica targets at various distances.
Learn about and get to shoot a range of
bows. Duration 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
(Included is practice and instruction
time before taking to the woods.) Leave
with a new or improved skill! They also
have a "have a go", "Popinjay" and
"Clout" archery range on site.
Recommended age for this activity is 6+ but they can cater for lower
ages where possible.
Prices depend on the size of
the group and type of
equipment/course but
booking is essential as this is
very popular. At the end of
the course you will find a
large wooden castle to climb,
gorgeous laid out gardens
and woodland walks. Inside you will find a wonderful restaurant,
with incredible views of the flower gardens.
To book archery 087 2673958 or 087 6758087
Kilmokea Country Manor, New Ross
14. Tacumshane Windmill
This little windmill, is a magical little place, you won’t be here for
long as it is so tiny ! But the element of naughtiness is so much fun.
The first time I brought my kids here, I ran into the bar next door
alone under the guise of checking out their lunch menu (instead I
asked for the key to the windmill (its kept behind the bar but given
freely to visitors) I then suggested to the kids we go stretch our legs
before we got lunch, when low and behold we found a windmill. I
said a magical spell which opened the door. The kids were amazed !
They had great fun climbing the ladders to the top floors, staring
down through the wheels to the ground floor and guessing who lived
here. The best thing about this place, its totally free ! It is in a slightly
hard to find spot near Kilmore Quay, but set the satnav to search for
Meylers Millhouse Bar and you should find it.
15. Courtown Adventure & Leisure Centre
Tucked away in Courtown is this Leisure Centre, depending on the
size of your group it can be a little
expensive, however it is still great value as
the kids will be utterly exhausted and yet on
a total high by the time they finish up ! A
range of activities including archery, laser
tag and the indoor pool with slides, but the
number one reason they have made this list
is Gravity, a huge climbing platform with a
zipline through the trees to the bottom ! I’ll
admit, I haven’t done it myself, I’m far too
chicken ! However, my kids, my sister, and a
lot of friends have done it, and they all
loved it !
Prices vary depending on the package and size of your group, plus in
high season, it’s a good idea to book early, certainly book in advance
as it is a busy village during the summer so slots can fill up fast.
http://www.courtownadventure.ie/
To be entirely honest, you can spend a full day in Courtown, there
are plenty of amusement arcades, crazy golf, Laser Tag, The Seal
Sanctuary and lots of coffee shops, bars and more. However it can
get very crowded during high season and it can, very quickly, become
a very expensive day out !
http://www.piratescove.ie/
16. Wicklow Gaol
Wicklow Gaol is a dark and scary place when you are little, and so
much fun when you are with a group of
teenagers ! On arrival you are greeted
by the Gaoler, dressed the part, who
leads you past “The Gates of Hell” and
into the Gaol itself. The tour only lasts a
short while, once you reach the main
body of the Gaol you are left to your
own devices, giving you ample time to
explore the cells, lock each other in the
stocks, and
even graffiti
the walls !
The strange
layout means you meander your way
through different sections, each area very
different, so if a little one does get
freaked out you can quickly move on.
http://www.wicklowshistoricgaol.com/
17. Chocolate Factory
Who doesn’t like chocolate ? Just over the border into Carlow
you will find The Chocolate Garden of Ireland. This factory has
opened its doors to children, they get to see how the chocolate
is made and then make their own ! After seeing how the
factory does it, the children are led into a special room where
they get to fill a mould with both milk and white chocolate and
then decorate the resulting “masterpiece”!
Rathwood next door is a
great spot for lunch and a
little retail therapy. It has a
large playground outside
and plenty of green space
outside too/ just what you
might need to burn off any
`excess chocolate energy !
http://chocolategarden.ie/
18. Archery for All
This is not for everyone, and perhaps only if you are self-
catering as it involves a lot of dirt and muck ! However if you
have a future commando or SAS leader in your house, they are
going to love this ! A former medic now Archery Instructor has
converted an old farm yard into a child’s paradise! First up is an
easy and relaxed archery lesson, followed by target practice
with rubber foam “bullets” and then its outside for the army
style assault course. It’s a fairly short course that runs through
big puddles and bigger still mud baths! Never have I seen kids
enjoy themselves so much, the sheer joy that rolling around in
a muddy puddle can only give ! Wonderful to watch, and you
can join in too ! There is a “help yourself kettle” on site so you
can make a cup of tea or coffee but no other provisions are
available, so I would suggest you bring a small picnic (for
yourself), a couple of large towels (there is a “cowboy shower”
ie a hose) a change of clothes and shoes.
€15 per person with a minimum group size of four children
head over to Don’s facebook page for more information
. https://www.facebook.com/archeryforallireland/
19. Crab fishing
Crab fishing is a past time that has been enjoyed by children
living and holidaying on
the coast for as long as
we’ve been here !
Obviously the are
thrown back in
afterwards so it is an
exciting yet eco minded
way of spending a few
hours. Amongst a poll of
friends of mine, two
places came up, Kilmore
Quay and our personal favourite, Cahore Pier. The local shop in
Ballygarret Village at Cahore will sell you a crab fishing set and
bait as will Kehoes Shop in Kilmore Quay. A kit consists of a
bucket, a net, some string and a small net bag with a few bits of
bacon rind inside. Catch as many as you can, just don’t forget to
put them back !
20. Greenan Maze
Greenan is a working farm high up in the Wicklow mountains,
just across the border.
The main draw for most
people is the Celtic
design hedge maze. The
maze covers a half acre
and the sides are 7foot
tall, it is surprisingly tricky
to solve, even for grown
ups ! There is a lovely
meditative Solstice Maze
next to it too, very good for the soul ! You will also find a nature
trail, sculptures, a really pretty tea room, the farm itself and a
wonderful meandering
path, which follows a
stream down to a
dragonfly pond. This has
always been a favoured
spot for picnics in our
family, soft grass, a
stream to splash about in
and big leafy trees to
provide shade. The
Museums are also rather fascinating, the old barn has some
great examples of old farm machinery and the old farmhouse
dating from the 16th century was a safe-house for Irish rebels,
such as Michael Dwyer, in the 1798 rebellion.
Genuine weapons,
including pikes, are on
display. The Farmhouse is
fully restored with original
furniture and utensils in
the bedroom, dairy and
kitchen. One word of
warning, bring cash, as
the farm is in such a rural
area, phone lines, internet etc are not reliable, so they don’t
have credit card facilities. Other than that, this hidden gem, its
an absolutely heavenly places
to send an entire day !
http://www.greenanmaze.com/ Adults €8 /Children €7 Pay online beforehand Or at the gate
21. Enniscorthy 1798 Centre and the Castle
Fanned by flames of
Revolution in America and
France, the events of 1798 in
Ireland are etched forever on
Irish history. Vividly re-told in
an exciting interpretation of
events the “Rebellion
Experience” at The National
1798 Rebellion Centre is not
to be missed.
On your visit you will meet the key figures
of the Rebellion, get a chance to dress up
in period clothes, brandishing weapons of
the day, The state of the art 4D battle of
Vinegar Hill Experience, complete with
holographic actors is very emotional. You
can discover how weapons from the period
worked and learn in gruesome detail how
some 20,000 insurgents faced the might of
10,000 well-trained and well-armed Crown
Forces.
Prices vary depending on groups
size, a family ticket being the usual
€20, but you can purchase an
integrated ticket that included
Enniscorthy Castle, a five minute
walk away. Which is a great spot to
visit, for kids you can dress up
again, there are lots of costumes
to try on, for all ages and some
lovely old toys on display. You
can also explore the tiny
dungeon and see the ancient
graffiti left by prisoners,
including a rough painting of a
soldier.
http://1798centre.ie/
Finish the day with a picnic on
Vinegar Hill, the site of the
battle, with some fantastic views
of the surrounding countryside.
22. Kite Flying
There are many shops that
sell kites, Byrnes Toyshop in
Wexford town certainly do,
but you can usually find them
in Tescos and in the seaside
shops during the summer
months.
Cheap, bright and colourful
and there is only one place
better than a beach to get
them flying and that’s a cliff !
Kilmicheal Point in North
Wexford, Hook in South
Wexford and Carne Point in
East Wexford are our top
recommendations. Any time
we have been out flying our
kites, we always get lots of
children coming over to
watch and shyly ask if they can
try it. It’s a great way to spend a
few hours, a lot easier and more
fun than you might expect if you
haven’t done it before !