WHERE OLD MEETS NEW
The Boyne Valley region is home to a number of areas of historical significance but it’s also filled with family-friendly adventures to entice all ages
YOU can’t move more than a couple of miles in the Boyne Valley region — part of Ireland’s Ancient East — without happening upon a site of historic interest. Sure, there are the heavyweights like Knowth, Dowth and Newgrange, but there are also just random towers, beehives and forts hanging about the place too.
The ancient sites across Meath and south Louth are so prevalent that many aren’t even marked, you just point them out in fields as you drive past.
The region is home to a number of fabulous greenways, waterways and even its own camino and is a haven for heritage buffs, but it’s also a great region for a family break, with a bonus history lesson thrown in without the kids even realising.
One of the most important educational but fun places in the entire country can be found at Beewise, just outside Kilmessan.
Owner Paddy Gorman has cultivated an area that’s rich in insects and wildlife and is keen to hammer home to both adults and children how vital it is that we protect bees by affording them the food they need to continue doing their essential work.
We had two boys, 12 and 16, with us, as well as an 11-yearold girl. The two younger ones have a fear of bees and wasps but Paddy was great at putting them at ease.
The nature walk takes you around a 1.5km path through the five-acre site, which is filled with bee-loving trees such as sweet chestnut, rowan, maple, sycamore, white beam, arbutus (strawberry tree) and oak.
There are a number of fun games for the children to play as you make your way around the site and the boys loved lifting up large rocks and tree stumps to see the slugs and ants underneath. There’s an I’m a Celebrity... type game that’s not for the faint of heart, and you can also get up close — perhaps too close for some — to a working hive.
Did you know that worker bees live around 45 days, working their entire lives until they die? I fear that’s a familiar feeling for too many of us!
At the end of the trail is a fun maze and if your family is as competitive as ours, it will be the highlight of the trip.
We also came away with hand cream, lip balm and honey from the gift shop — with ingredients as fresh as these, it’s no surprise that they are all fantastic products and I’ll probably be visiting again soon to restock.
Nearby Causey Farm in Fordstown also offers fantastic family-orientated tours and its current Ice Cream Adventure offers fun for all ages. A working farm, it’s home to cattle, sheep, ponies, pigs (and often piglets), hens and a noisy gaggle of geese. As well as seeing all the animals in their natural habitat, there are also games, puzzles, trails, characters, giant bubbles and art installations.
This year has also seen the launch of a Roald Dahl tribute, which you can see by train through the Willow Wood. And of course, there’s a giant ice-cream at the end of your trek to savour.
Now, as we all know, our children have had a tough time of it over the past 16 months, so if you want to give them (and you) a break from educational issues entirely, take a trip to Tayto Park in Ashbourne.
The theme park and zoo has grown exponentially since its opening and will continue to expand further over the next few years, with more new rides already in the planning process.
Cú Chulainn, the gigantic wooden rollercoaster is, of course, the flagship offering and as you enter from the car park, you’ll probably make up your mind there and then about whether you’re going to get on it or not.
It’s strategically placed so that the first big dip happens right along the side of the entrance — the screams will help you decide if it’s for you or not.
Even if high-octane rollercoasters are not your thing, there’s still so much to do at the park. A scond, less intense coaster, Flight School, will give you back that airport feeling so many of us have been missing, with the entrance set out like a departure lounge.
There’s also the Viking Voyage, a water ride that, if you’re strategic enough, you can ensure you don’t get too wet. My advice is to look at the people getting off the ride ahead of you and that will give you a good indication of where best to sit.
There’s a huge number of other rides for big kids and small, as well as a driving school, an elaborate carousel and a huge playground. It will be a rare child who will be bored here.
A couple of tips: if your child likes water, bring towels as there is a water feature that they can run through and play in; and if you want to avoid lengthy queues get there early — even though numbers are restricted it’s still busy and queuing time can run past the hour mark for some of the bigger rides.
The zoo area allows you to get up close to a range of animals, including the new Lemur Woods, which is a winding path on which lemurs also walk alongside you, which the children adored.
There are also a range of food options, from sausage and chips to burgers to pizzas. The Lodge Restaurant has the tastiest fare but if you’re eating on the run, any of the main dining outlets will do the job.
We spent over six hours there and still had to convince the children to leave at the end of the day — but boy did they sleep that night.
They also slept well after a trip to Navan Adventure Centre, where we did the Adventure Family package, which included archery, mini-golf, foot golf and an assault course, indulging our competitive streak once again. It’s a perfect blend as the kids will love getting down and dirty on the assault course, while the adults will enjoy the precision of the archery and mini-golf. There’s also an inflatables area and gokarting, plenty to keep everyone occupied.
After all those activities we were all just fit to be fed before crashing out and there are so many options for both throughout the Boyne Valley area.
If a family-friendly hotel is on your list, just minutes’ walk from Trim Castle is the Castle Arch Hotel, in the heart of the
picturesque town. It has a lovely, homely feel with large, wellappointed rooms and wonderfully pleasant staff.
A short walk away, in the shadow of the castle itself, is the StockHouse restaurant in Trim. The decor is a tribute to all things Meath and Ireland and the walls adorned with so much paraphernalia that you’ll spend most of your time there gazing at them.
Staff are helpful not only about the food, but about the area itself. Owner Tom Darcy is a mine of information about things to visit and hidden treasures so don’t be afraid to ask him for tips.
The food is exquisite — the chateaubriand is divine — and there is a bigger-than-usual children’s menu on offer. Take a stroll around the castle afterwards to burn off the excess calories.
If a bigger hotel suits your needs better, the City North is in a prime location just off the M1 for easy access to all areas of the Boyne Valley. It has a range of deals on offer currently, including dine and stay breaks that would be perfect for a girlie break or family getaways that not only offer large rooms but also tickets to local attractions as well as sweets and popcorn, perfect for a movie night, and picnics you can take on the road with you as you check out.
The on-site restaurant has a wide range of tasty dishes, with a set menu that can be added to most stays.
In the quaint town of Kells lies the Tom Blake House boutique hotel. Ideally located with easy access to the town’s shops, restaurants and, of course, the imposing Abbey, the 130-year-old house has been given a stunning makeover by owners Avril and David, and their adorable daughter Maisie.
It feels like staying in a friend’s country home — down to the books dotted around the place and the board games in the communal living room. It’s worth the trip for the breakfast alone, made fresh from your order using local produce, it was delicious.
Just a short walk away is the Headfort Arms Hotel, which has a number of offerings for lunch and dinner. We had an outdoor meal on the new terrace, which has been well-appointed to ensure you’re covered — literally — whatever the weather.
If like our family, yours is filled with fussy eaters, a new destination stop and food court near Kells could be the perfect choice while you’re on the road too. Park Rí features a Supermac’s, Papa John’s, Kanoodle, Kells Kitchen, the Cook of Kells carvery and many more options, so everyone is catered for — even the coeliac in our group wasn’t found wanting.
Home to a 5,000-year-old UNESCO Heritage Site, monastic ruins and magnificent high crosses, Boyne Valley is rich in unique Irish history.
After four days of exploring, I still feel like there’s so much we never even touched on in the area — I definitely want to return to see more of Slane Castle and it’s been years since I visited Newgrange. But having heard so much about the historical significance of the Boyne Valley, it’s good to see the family fun side of it too.