I will be honest and say that it was not without a little apprehension that I set off on my “holidays” this year. I love holidaying in Ireland and “staycation” seems to be the buzzword of Summer 2020. The big questions are not “What will the weather be like?”, “How long will the journey take?” but “Is it safe?”, “Can we relax?”. Thankfully I can answer yes! As I drove the 90 kilometres down to Wexford I felt the freedom of a motorway in the longest journey I’ve undertaken in over 6 months – I felt a little thrill to see the “Welcome to Wexford” sign – we were truly “away”!
The four star Ferrycarrig Hotel overlooks the stunning Slaney River Estuary and is 3 miles from Wexford town. Each bedroom has soothing panoramic river views. There’s a playground for kiddies, a bar serving food all day long with an outdoor dining deck overlooking the River Slaney and a multi-award winning restaurant. Ferrycarrig is a hotel for everyone. I was travelling with my 14 year old son but there were families, young couples and more senior guests – it was lovely to see families reconnect.
The first thing we noticed on our arrival was that the car park had lots of empty spaces. We walked into the reception area, no queues – within two minutes we had our room keys. There’s hand sanitiser at the door, a Perspex screen around the reception desk and every member of staff is wearing a mask but it feels oddly normal. The cheerful welcome from the receptionist reminded me that I was on holiday and in friendly Wexford to boot. We had downloaded a brand new Ferrycarrig App which allows guests to browse and book hotel services, send messages to the Ferrycarrig team, browse all menus, check the local weather and even check out all of the local attractions and outdoor activities in Wexford. The hotel is obviously working on a reduced capacity as per the guidelines – it didn’t have a ‘buzzy’ feel which suited us perfectly; rather there was a calm, laid back feeling which instantly put us at our ease.
Our room was wonderfully spacious and included a table and two chairs and a very comfy couch from where you could sit and enjoy the lovely view of the river flowing by…We also had a fine sized balcony which I imagine on a less blustery weekend would have been heaven to sit on with a sneaky pre-dinner glass of wine! The huge bathroom was spotless and a very nice touch was a box of Butlers chocolates on the bed and there are little sachets of alcohol wipes dotted around the room. It might be important to note for those travelling with teens that Wi-Fi is accessible and speedy!
On our first night we dined in Reeds Restaurant, an elegant white linen table clothed affair. The tables in both the restaurant and bar are very well spaced out and we were shown to a table by a corner window and as Storm Ellen had shown her prowess the previous evening the waters were at a very high level. I mean REALLY high level and much to our amusement we felt like we were on a boat as little duck families swam past our window. It even captivated a 14 year old who was delightedly watching the waters rising higher and higher. My soup was served as I had never seen done before – in a little heated jug perched in the bowl which was then poured by our waiter. A little touch, but I liked it. Wexford of course has wonderful seafood on offer and my monkfish was excellent and Alex could order pizza from the bar menu without an eyebrow raised.
Service was unobtrusive but overwhelmingly relaxed and charming. It was particularly lovely to be welcomed by name at breakfast which is a far more relaxed affair where one can choose from the menu and sit back and watch the (mercifully receding!) waters floating by. You can’t beat a good old fry up but there’s a continental breakfast on offer and of course pancakes and Nutella – always a hit with the kids. The banana bread is delicious with a post fry coffee.
On our second evening we had dinner in the Dry Dock Bar – this is more casual but the menu still reflects the finest in locally sourced dishes as Ferrycarrig is committed to supporting local food producers. It’s also worth mentioning that Afternoon Tea is also served between 3 and 5pm.
As many attractions are also running at a reduced capacity it is definitely advisable to book ahead where you can. We also had to do this for the swimming pool in the hotel. Initially this can feel a little bothersome as many prefer to spend their few days away not tied to a schedule but actually it meant that we did everything that we set out to do. The large, heated swimming pool had no more than 10 people in it! The restrictions are of course for the benefit and safety of the guest but we really did feel that benefit time and time again.
Ferrycarrig is literally a stone’s throw from the wonderful Irish National Heritage Park – where as an open-air museum you experience hundreds of years of Irish history. A fabulous spot for the kids to run around and learn something of our past which is brought to life with various dwellings through the centuries from monastic cells to Viking houses to Norman castles – it really is a fantastic day out.
Less than ten minutes drive away is Johnstown Castle. While we didn’t take a castle tour we wandered around the beautiful gardens and lakes and gave up counting how many little stone towers dot the landscape. There is also an agricultural museum and a very spacious café. Peacocks abound as do swans and ducks – kids will love it!
We also made the journey down the Hook Peninsula to visit Hook Lighthouse – the world’s oldest operational lighthouse! The drive along the peninsula is just breathtaking – to be able to see the sweeping waves of the sea on both sides is magnificent (keep an eye out for the super spooky Loftus Hall – Irelands most haunted house!) The lighthouse comes into view and it’s everything a renowned lighthouse should be – it’s solid, majestic and the rugged coastline with crashing waves as you approach will leave you giddy with excitement. Our super friendly and very knowledgeable tour guide talked us through the 800 year old history as we climbed the 115 steps to the top. We were warned that when we stepped out onto the balcony we would be blown away – and he meant it! The gusts you were hit with were tremendous but only added to that sense of daily reality these brave monks and lighthouse men after them were subjected to hour after hour, day by day. It is a wonderful attraction to visit but it’s more that that – you get the sense of the truly important job that is being done here over the centuries – saving peoples lives and a chart on one wall depicting where all the shipwrecks are around the coastline is a stark testament to that.
On our second day we headed to Waterford as we had booked The King of The Vikings tour. This is not to be missed. It is a unique virtual reality experience in which you become quite literally immersed in the world of Vikings – it was incredible! In an effort to calm us down after such a thrilling adventure we headed a short distance south to the beautiful seaside town of Tramore to visit the Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens. Patrick Lafcadio Hearn was a Japanese writer of Greek-Irish descent and is best remembered for his books about Japanese culture which offered the Western world a glimpse into a largely unknown but fascinating land at the time. The gardens are elevated giving a wonderful view of the vast beach of Tramore. There are many Japanese architectural features – a tea house, pagodas, little bridges and water features and volunteers are delighted to pass on their knowledge about the various plants, layout and history. It’s a place of serenity, calm and introspection – a perfect place of repose in these times!
We were sad to head home after a few wonderful days, it was a treat to take a break and some time out. It was as relaxed and enjoyable as any few days away I’ve had before but this trip was even more beneficial in terms of doing something special with family after so many uncertain months.
A change is most definitely as good as a rest!
– Sonya O’Donoghue, Editor
For further information on Ferrycarrig Hotel and Holiday packages see www.ferrycarrighotel.ie
http://www.kingofthevikings.com/
https://www.lafcadiohearngardens.com