My days of trying to entertain the kids on wet days are long gone - my kids have flitted the nest, but the memories haven't left me. A few ideas to keep them happy and healthy and broaden their interests.

You might have a hobby or sport that you might like to 'hand down' to your children - e.g. golf, hill-walking (with the right equipment and clothing).

The crisp winter air is beautiful at the moment - just go for a walk and watch the wildlife (birds mainly, but you might see an Irish Hare if you're lucky). Even a trip to the coast can be excillerating (watch yourself along any cliff tops or piers - freak waves or gusts of wind can take you unawares). Tell people where you're going though, and let them know when you'll be back,

 

Enjoy one of Ireland's many summer festivals, gourmet food, music, art, gardens, or a mixture of all of them.

A Blue Flag beach is a wonderful place to go (so long as really heavy storms aren't forecast, and then they should be avoided, as they can be very dangerous, with unexpected rogue waves washing you off your feet). Take your dog(s) for a walk along the sands, and for a swim, but please clean up after them, if they leave a mess. Children enjoy beaches too!!

There are probably some very good deals to be had with B&B's and guest houses. If you have no ties (i.e. children at school) take some time out to enjoy your countryside.

If you've booked a foreign holiday for now, be prepared for delays, and even airlines and tour operators going out of business. There does seem to be a pattern developing. Paying on your credit card seems to be the best bet for getting your money back. Pay it off as soon as you can to avoid interest charges. Calculate the carbon dioxide you'll be creating, and plant trees, either on your land or someone else's, to counteract it.

Alternatively, rely on your own devices and stay in Ireland, not dependent upon airlines for getting to your destination. The local economy needs a boost, and we're due a good summer (fingers crossed).

The Irish government has announced (January 2008) investment in new scenic walking routes in many counties (Cork, Sligo, Wicklow and Tipperary), and these will open up huge areas the general public have never been able to view, except from a distance.

They will also spend about the same (0.5 million Euros) on beach management works (whatever that means) in Kerry and Sligo, along with angling facilities in County Wexford.

There are more and more 'eco-tourism' and activity breaks springing up, with farmhouse cottages generating their own power, and using their own produce for their guests.

 

 

 

Going away to guarantee good weather?

It seems that Ireland is not the only place to have freak weather conditions. No matter where you're planning to go, prepare for good, bad and absolutely intolerable weather. Areas such as Sicily, Greece (July-August 2007), the Greek and Canary Islands suffered heatwaves, and huge forest fires. 50 degrees Celsius in the mountains of Tenerife couldn't be comfortable (July 2007). A state of emergency was declared on the Greek island chain known as Cyclades, because of severe water shortages. Ankara's water supply (Turkey) to 4 million people was reduced to 2 days on, 2 days off, as their reservoirs were at 5% capacity (August 2007). Check before you travel, to make sure you're still going to get a vacation, or whether you're just going to become a 'tourist refugee' at an airport. Only a week later, we had severe floods in the same areas, including Bulgaria , where some places were inaccessible with no drinking water supply.

Enjoy a day out at a nature reserve or wildlife park. The latest additions (16th August 2007) to the Killarney National Park in County Kerry are White-tailed Sea Eagles, reintroduced after 100 years absence in Ireland due to trapping and shooting. At 3'4" long, with an 8'4" wingspan (maximum) they are spectacular creatures. They eat fish, birds, carrion and take the occasional small mammal. Farmers will not suffer at the beaks and talons of these magnificent creatures. They will bring income from extra tourism to the region. John Gormley (Green Party TD) was on TV and can be quoted 'farmers will be compensated for any losses they endure from these birds'. They have been seen recently near Ballycotton in County Cork, so keep your eyes peeled (if you're not driving of course).

Indoors

Bookworms - what do you do with your books once you've finished them? Do you give them to someone else, put them in a bookshelf, or in a box in the loft? Maybe you just recycle them.......why not give them to a charity shop. Public libraries are great places to find new (or old) books, and you can return them when you've read them, for someone else, free of charge (unless you incur late fines). This is a great service, and we should really be encouraging this. More people should read books rather than rely on TVs and computer games for their entertainment.

Magazines can be viewed online in many cases, saving paper, ink, energy-intensive printing and fuel-intensive distribution, although you do need a PC, monitor, electricity and internet connection to do this! It's nice to read the paper version on long journeys I agree, but most of us scan through the pages then throw them out. The printed versions also keep newsagents in business too, so think about what you read on a regular basis, and maybe just reduce the number you buy. Pass them on to doctors, dentist, hospital waiting rooms.

Night out

Even going to the pub causes emissions, but it's a meeting place and holds the community together - nothing wrong with that. If you enjoy 'a pint' this is actually better for the environment than buying alcohol for consumption at home. The barrels are returned to the brewery, rather than the bottles and cans that have to be recycled. Rural transport schemes, especially since the ban on smoking in the workplace, are becoming more widespread - make use of them, or make sure there's a designated driver, or you can walk home!

Getting more exercise should be higher on our priority list of things to do, but we as a nation are not very good at this. Joining a gym and/or visiting a swimming pool after work would be good for all of us, me included! The good thing about these places is that many people enjoy the facilities, rather than having a home gym where only one, maybe two, people get to use the equipment. You get to meet people too! Your children need to learn good habits, so get them interested in a sport, and go to watch them when they take part whenever you can. Having a meal after exercise is the best time, as your metabolic rate is already increased, so burns more calories.

Angling and sport-fishing are big draws to Ireland, even with a decline in catches! There are many kinds of fishing - coarse, fly, beach and boat fishing, so just about anywhere in Ireland you can cast a line. With the many associated businesses comes employment - even part-time shops for bait and tackle running out of the back of pubs. Fishing gets you into the fresh air, and doesn't rely on good weather! You can enjoy not only the scenery, but can catch a glimpse of many Irish species of birds and mammals (although Herons, Cormorants and Mink aren't very popular with fishermen I believe). Catch and release is the order of the day for many species currently, and there are daily limits and minimum sizes of others. Make sure you have the relevant fishing licence as that pays for restocking and breeding programmes, as well as maintenance of fishing piers and footpaths. Many studies have been carried out to determine what level of catch is sustainable. Allowing certain species, such as Sea Bass, to grow to a minimum size before taking for the table allows them to reach their breeding age, without which the species, and all associated tourism revenue, will disappear.

Sailing is a very popular pastime which can be relaxing or exhilerating depending on the windspeed, craft and ability.

Whale and dolphin sightseeing tours can be enjoyed (by powered vessels of course), and birdwatching trips to the many islands that support thousands of birds in breeding colonies. There were 2 sightings (with photographic evidence) of Blue Whales in Irish waters in 2008 (the first time in I don't know how many years). Many of these boats were previously commercial fishing boats, but with the reduction in fish stocks and quotas they now provide an equally valuable service. Make sure you wear a lifejacket (mandatory equipment on leisurecraft).

2007 was a disastrous breeding season for Puffins and Kittiwakes, (on the Hebridean islands only 1 in 8 nests raised a chick) as their only source of food, the sand eel, was displaced by the normally more southerly pipe fish, which the chicks couldn't swallow, and died from malnutrition. This has been blamed on warmer seas.

Of course, there are other ways to enjoy the coastline. Less expensive, but requiring more fitness, is surfing. Many of our beaches have great surfing waves, and with a wetsuit many brave extreme cold so as to pursue their hobby (or way of life in some cases) throughout the year. Remember there are safety issues when you go into the sea on your own, at any time of the year. Tell someone where you're going, and when you'll be back. There were 131 drownings in 2006 in Irish waterways - far too many, and some at least could have been prevented I'm sure.

One thing I have always appreciated is the unspoilt Irish coastline. You can enjoy the natural wild environment - take a picnic if you're going for the day, cool box and a flask of tea. With folding chairs and tables and instant barbecues, you can have a great time without the amusement arcades and nightclubs associated with holidays abroad. Take your litter home of course, as it not only spoils the enjoyment for others, but can be dangerous to many forms of wildlife.

'Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints'

In order to appreciate this Emerald Isle it is best seen at a slow pace. Cycling, walking, even horse-riding holidays can be enjoyed along with good food and a friendly welcome at the numerous guest houses, bed and breakfast and farmhouse accommodation. A full Irish breakfast can set you up for an energetic day, and many provide packed lunches and a flask of coffee or tea at very reasonable cost. There are plans afoot to re-establish the towpaths along the canals in Dublin, for amenity use, so even if you can't get to the wild Ireland you can still enjoy exercise in a pleasant setting. It is possible that there will be a 'right to roam' across many farmers' land area that were not previously open to the public. Yes, it's time to explore - but, please keep to footpaths and field boundaries, and don't go wading through fields of crops or disturbing livestock, and close gates after you, even if they're open (someone may have left it open). Cigarette ends can cause extensive fires, so be sure to be extra careful during hot dry weather (if we ever get any).

Golf is also a popular pastime - with many mid-week business meetings taking place on the 19th hole! Although the greens do cause a degree of an eyesore on the landscape, some can be quite unobtrusive if care is taken, with plenty of 'rough' to draw the eye away from the huge areas of weed-free grass. This also provides wildlife sanctuaries.

Music and food festivals punctuate the Irish calendar - there always seems to be somewhere to go! These attract visitors from abroad as well as within the country, along with traffic, pollution and rubbish. There are coach tours which can take many like-minded people on trips around the tourist attractions, using only one set of emissions and parking space.

Camping and caravan holidays used to be popular, but with cheap flights and full-board package holidays they don't appear to be as good value as in the past. But they do have advantages - they give you freedom - you can get up when you like, travel when you feel, and move if you've run out of things to do in that area. Tents are affordable, and some are available with a solar panel on the roof to run small appliances off, and charge phones and torches, or just batteries. Caravans can be purchased second hand, but of course you need a towbar on your car, and you need to find Irish roads wide enough. You could of course just hire one for 2 weeks, either static or tourer.

 

< Prev   Next >