City is shore thing
THE WELCOME Head up the long impressive driveway through the 300-acre estate to the majestic castle, a converted ancestral home overlooking the vast expanse of Lough Rynn. We were greeted with classic Irish hospitality. THE NEIGHBOURHOOD Lough Rynn is just outside the small town of Mohill, which seems to have more pubs than people if you fancy a pint of Guinness. Visit Carrick-on-Shannon, the pretty county town, for a boat trip, the Glencar Waterfall, and the Costello Memorial Chapel, the smallest church in Ireland sandwiched between two pubs, of course. We also took a drive out to Sligo on the wild west coast, visiting Rosses Point and an excellent surfing beach, yes really! at Strindhill. THE ROOM We stayed in a huge selfcatering cottage in the grounds. It had three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, dining area and a cosy living room. French doors opened on to a large grassy area. THE FOOD They most certainly have a talented head chef – the Sandstone Restaurant offers top class al la carte dining. Starters range from foie gras three ways to tuna carpaccio with wasabi caviar and oysters Kilpatrick. And for main, seared fillet of Irish beef with beef cheek cannelloni and pommes Anna, or poached halibut with artichoke, yuzu gel and sautéed samphire. There are also delicious afternoon teas, and cracking breakfasts. THE SERVICE Faultless. The staff were attentive, friendly and accommodating about tricky dietary requirements. They were also great with our kids, who may well have been less than welcome in the sumptuous dining room. THE SCENE Peaceful, tranquil and beautiful. LOVED Wandering around the beautiful gardens and the lake. And did we mention the food? HATED The somewhat changeable weather – which can’t really be blamed on the hotel! VERDICT Grand and luxurious, yet comfortable. BOTTOM LINE Rooms from 50 euros pp per night. CHECK IT OUT loughrynn.ie. SEE the city then relax on the shore with a twin centre tropical trip to Malaysia.The deal features three nights B&B at the five-star Majestic Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, followed by seven at the four-star Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort and Spa in Langkawi, room only, for £1,199 each, leaving Heathrow on October 23. Call 01293 762 456 or see hayesandjarvis.co.uk. AT Halloween the gap between our world and others becomes wafer thin, and various ghoulies and beasties wiggle through. Purely for fun, of course. And here is our pick of Halloween jaunts you can plan. 28 – 29 OCTOBER As Halloween draws close, do you dare spend the night at the fabulously ancient Hampton Court Palace, one of the most haunted buildings in the country, where the grey lady and a couple of Henry VIII’s ill-fated wives come gliding down the staircases after dark? This sleepover with a difference offers the chance to tour the palace after hours, hear bedtime ghost stories and enjoy a hearty three course dinner before bedding down in the historic Cartoon Gallery. Price £145. See hrp.org.uk. 25 – 31 OCTOBER The ruined silhouette of Whitby Abbey is what inspired Bram Stoker to create Dracula, and this Halloween it will be bathed in dramatic illuminations. Visitors get to explore its gothic splendour, while costumed characters will introduce the darker side of the past with tales of grave robbing and witch trials. The visit ends with a live – or undead – alive) performance of Dracula, the play. Price £9.50 adult. See englishheritage.org.uk/events. 22 – 31 OCTOBER The doors to Bolsover Castle – one of the spookiest castles in the country – will be opening after dark for Fright Fest. It is built on the site of a pagan burial ground and there have long been reports of ghostly apparitions. For Halloween, expects actors, special effects and scary surprises. Before taking a wander around the haunted castle, call in to the bar for a special Halloween brew, catch a performance of the brilliantly titled play Only Fools and Corpses and practise your screaming on the spooky fairground rides. Adult tickets £13. See english-heritage.org.uk/events. 21 – 29 OCTOBER Who can resist the challenge of Zombie Archery? Sewerby Hall and Gardens, set in 50 acres of coastal parkland just outside the Yorkshire resort of Bridlington, is cooking up a whole host of spooky house and garden trails, including family archery with a Halloween twist – October 27, minimum age eight. Archery targets are dressed as zombies. There is a load of creepy crafts to do too. Helping to make Witches’ Brew and Witch Puppets are among other craft activities at Witch Crafts and Potions – October 25. Plus the UK’s only interactive photobooth – also October 25, which comes with props and live actors. Various prices. See sewerbyhall.co.uk. 28 – 31 OCTOBER The National Showcaves in the Brecon Beacons include a unique 16km cave system with 13 – 31 OCTOBER (Friday-Sundays) Fe FearFest-Evil is a live immersive and interactive H Halloween event staged around a disused lim limestone quarry, historic railway line and