Grainne
Curracloe camping, Wexford
Miles of glorious white sandy beach in Ireland’s sunny south east The beach the beach the beach the beach…that’s all you need to know really. Curracloe camping is in Co. Wexford nestled in the sunniest and warmest (most of the time) corner of Ireland. It’s our go-to camp site not only because it’s close (1 hour 20 minutes door to door) but because it’s so gorgeous and easy. The beach is just stunning. Long and wide, but not too wide, spotlessly clean with fine white sand, it’s really safe for swimming and sheltered by rolling sand dunes perfect for dune surfing. The camp site is just behind the dunes, about […]
Dunmore East holiday park
Family camping in a classic Irish seaside village I got a major wave of nostalgia this summer in Dunmore East which makes no sense at all because I’d never been there before. We camped at Dunmore East Holiday Park for the August bank holiday weekend, and I felt like I was reliving a family holiday from my childhood. It was less the place itself and more… just everything. The ice-cream shop on the corner; the kids racing down the slipway to the beach every morning; the instant friendships they made; the furious sand castle building; the begging us for money for the sweet shop. It felt so familiar, except now […]
Connemara camp site (Lettergesh)
Magnificent camping on the edge of nowhere Did that really happen? Looking back on the photos from our trip to Lettergesh this summer and honestly I’m pinching myself. We had such a brilliant, action-packed few days, but I don’t think it hit me at the time how utterly gorgeous the place is. We were a few weeks out west by the time we landed at Lettergesh and in hindsight must have acclimatised to the visual awesomeness of Connemara. In fact I remember being a little disappointed on arrival. We were a large group of families with a gaggle of kids, so had booked well in advance. I called en route, […]
Inishwallah food truck on Inishbofin
The best darn eaterie west of Galway city Boy was I excited to get back to Connemara this July. The camp site was booked, the weather was glorious and the food mecca of Clifden beckoned. Little did I suspect that our most taste-buds exploding experience would be at a food truck! Inishwallah is an old London double-decker bus parked up in the westquarter of Inishbofin island serving delicious Indian fusion street food. We had heard about it at our camp site, so got the 11am ferry from Cleggan, arriving just before midday and headed straight there (about a 20 minute walk). I ordered the insanely good fish stew – delicious […]
First time camping tips
Are you planning your first camping trip? Excellent choice my friend, you are about to have some fun! Below are a few helpful hints to avoid any major pitfalls.
Eco Camping Clifden
Waterside camping in Connemara with panoramic views of the Twelve Bens There’s something about Connemara that feels so wild and remote. Situated in the western extremities of County Galway, beyond the majestic Twelve Bens and Maumturk mountains, you enter an ancient and tranquil landscape of white-washed cottages, stone-walled fields, windswept bogs, wild ponies and enormous skies with moody, constantly-shifting clouds all bound in by the wild Atlantic ocean. Oscar Wilde loved the “savage beauty” of this “wild mountainous country, magnificent in every way”. The coastline here is long and varied, a mess of jagged inlets, sandy coves and tiny islands surfacing and disappearing again with the changing tides, that has […]
Vango Iris family tent
An affordable but durable family tent that’s easy to set up This is our current family tent. We upgraded from our trusty but compact Coleman Sundome when we moved back to Ireland because the kids were bigger and the climate wetter. It ticks our 4 major boxes: 1. It fits us all, 2. it’s easy to put up, 3. it holds up to the unpredictable Irish weather and 4. has space to hang out in when it’s wet outside. Good fit for family of 5 The Vango Iris is divided in to a living and sleeping area. The sleeping area is actually a separate piece that hangs off the main […]
Camping checklist
It’s not easy to remember everything when you go camping! There’s the usual stuff like the tent, sleeping bags and camping chairs you can get together in advance. But it’s the last minute things like the frying pan, phone charger or God forbid, the wine opener! that are so easy to forget when you’re rushing out the door. Of course your definitive camping list will change depending on time of year, who’s going with you and where etc. As a starting point, take a look at our core list for our family (2 adults, 3 children). Feel free to save (right click and save) or share it with friends. You’re […]
Cadac Safari Chef camping stove
A lightweight gas camping stove with a selection of cooking surfaces After the tent, the camping stove is probably the most important piece of kit for a camping holiday. We spent a long time researching the best one for us. We wanted something small, sturdy and versatile – the Safari Chef ticked all those boxes. The Safari Chef is basically an adjustable burner plus a variety of cooking surfaces, all of which slot in snugly together when packed up in its carry bag. THE BITS EXPLAINED 1. The grill lid. It can also be flipped and used as a large pot for cooking stir-fries and other vegetables. 2. Aluminum non-stick […]