The look of the Irish
JANE HAASE and family have a blooming good time in the garden of Ireland
IF YOU are going to miss the first half of a European Champions League final because you will be 20,000 feet in the air when it kicks off, you want to be heading somewhere special.
Luckily for us we were – beautiful County Wicklow in Ireland. And as our Ryanair flight from England took only 30 minutes, we were out of Dublin airport in record time so my football-mad husband and son could watch the second half on a mobile phone while we were driven to our destination, just 30 minutes south of the capital.
Ignoring the groans from the back seat as their side let in a goal, I sat back and enjoyed the journey.
Motorway soon gave way to verdant countryside as we neared Enniskerry, which our driver informed us is known as the gateway to the garden of Ireland.
And what a garden. Rolling countryside as far as the eye can see, pine forests and the conical Sugar Loaf mountain in the distance... and this was just the view from our suite at the five-star Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa.
Built in a palladian style, the hotel certainly has the wow factor. It forms a majestic crescent, cradling perfectly manicured gardens and a fountain, leading onto that aforementioned vista.
Powerscourt Hotel has a vast lobby with columns, chandeliers, plush sofas, gilt mirrors, two huge fireplaces and vases filled with fresh flowers. This leads into Sugar Loaf lounge which has floor-to-ceiling windows and is the perfect spot for afternoon tea.
Our suite was large and rather grand in a regency style, with striped wallpaper, sturdy striped sofas, heavy drapes, dark wood furniture and fancy mirrors. We had a spacious terrace where we could sit outside and marvel at the views. Our kingsize beds were super comfy and as well as a white marble bathroom, we had a walk-in wardrobe.
There were the usual mod cons: large screen TVs, including an integrated one in the bathroom mirror, and lights and air conditioning operated by touch screen.
As I get older I find that I wake earlier in the mornings, so I was up and making use of the fabulous spa before 8am. I practically had the 20-metre Swarovski crystal-lit pool to myself as I did my 20-or-so lengths.
This area is all very calming in muted browns and creams, with soft music adding to the ambience. There are time restrictions for children using the pool, between 9-11am and 4pm-6pm, so my husband Ian took ours – James, 14, and Nina, 12 – swimming later that day while I made use of the award-winning spa.
As well as a 24-hour gym, there is a thermal spa, serenity room and a host of treatments on offer at ESPA, from mindfulness to a massage with a locally hand-carved Irish shillelagh (a thick stick). I opted for the more gentle-sounding aromatherapy massage which certainly left me feeling relaxed after a day of sightseeing. We didn’t need to travel far to visit some of the area’s most notable attractions as they were quite literally on our doorstep.
Just a five-minute stroll away is Powerscourt House and its spectacular grounds – named number three in the world’s top ten gardens by National Geographic. Originally a medieval castle it was transformed into a 68 room mansion in 1741 by the first Viscount Powerscourt, with the beautiful gardens being developed over the years.
Stretching over 47 acres they are just breathtaking with statues of Greek gods scattered about and an Italianate Triton fountain flanked by silver-winged horses. There’s an impressive walled garden and a deliciously scented Japanese Garden, as well as a pet cemetery where the family’s dogs, ponies and even a pet cow are buried.
After exhausting the gardens it was time for tea and cake at the cafe in the mansion, which also houses artisan shops selling locally made wares and a museum of childhood called Tara’s Palace, which Nina found fascinating. It is home to Ireland’s largest period doll’s house as well as an array of vintage toys. There is a small entrance fee but all the proceeds go to children’s charities.
We also popped into a new attraction next door, the Cool Planet Experience. This provided a good hour of educational fun for all the family about climate change, including interactive games. You also answer a quiz about your lifestyle which works out your carbon footprint and at the end of your visit you make a vow to change something in your life to help the environment such as eat meat one day less a week or lick your plate clean so you don’t waste anything.
There were clean plates all round when we dined at our hotel’s SIKA restaurant – named after the Japanese deer brought to Ireland by the seventh Viscount Powerscourt.
Priding itself on contemporary Irish cuisine, we enjoyed starters of seaweed pesto risotto with scallop ceviche; slow braised pork belly; and goats cheese with honey, beetroot and hazelnut tuile; followed by mains of rib eye of Hereford prime beef; crusted cod in a lobster bisque; and monkfish tail, chorizo and sauteed samphire with brown shrimp. They were all beautifully presented and tasted delicious. A highlight for Nina and James was their chocolate bombe desserts which collapsed when hot chocolate sauce was poured over them.
Breakfast is served in the same restaurant and when weather
permits you can sit outside on the large terrace. It’s a buffet affair but to a high standard with cereals, pastries, fruit, cheeses and hams, as well as a full Irish available (think full English but with white and black pudding and fried potatoes) but it was the first time I have seen a honeycomb with fresh honey dripping out of it on display. And as was evident throughout our stay, staff were friendly and efficient.
Also on the Powerscourt estate is the highest waterfall in Ireland at 121 metres. It was a short drive away and again you can only marvel at the landscape here.
It was so peaceful standing before the waterfall, listening to it cascade and just soak up the beautiful surrounding scenery. It’s a great spot for a picnic.
From the highest waterfall in Ireland to the country’s highest pub. I even felt my ears pop as we made our way to the famous Johnnie Fox’s in Glencullen.
As well as featuring in the romcom P.S. I Love You, which starred Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler, it is one of the country’s oldest watering holes and features traditional Irish music every night. It has played host to many dignitaries and celebrities over the years as its photo-covered walls testify.
From prime ministers and politicians to movie stars and musicians, this place has welcomed them all. It is deceptively small on the outside but once inside it is Tardis-like with myriad rooms and a large entertaining space. And of course it would have been rude not to have toasted our visit with a glass of their own special stout.
If that’s not enough to pack into a short break, there’s also a Powerscourt golf club featuring two championship courses, flyfishing and horse riding nearby.
So even though our football team might not have lived up to expectations, our weekend break certainly scored a hit.