Horseback Riding Reviews
Staff Review
Failte in Ireland
Biggi Hayes
September 2001
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An excerpt from Biggi's comprehensive review of the Irish rides following her visit in September 2001
I found myself on the road again, heading towards the northwest coast. The last couple of days the weather had been quite warm and sunny but the closer I got to the coast, the more cloudy and misty the weather became. The Sligo area was covered in a thick blanket of clouds and I got a first hand experience of the misting rain I had been describing to clients all year. I spent the next three nights in the grandeur of Markree Castle and experienced my first full day of cantering on the beach on a steady Irish Hunter named Serpico. He was a joy to ride and I was grinning from ear to ear as we cantered along the beaches of the Sligo area.
Michael was a wonderful guide and set a great pace and we were exchanging horse stories while facing the wind and weather of this spectacular coastal area. The stop at a local pub for a sandwich and Guinness was a must before " carrying on, " as the Irish say, cantering along the Sligo Bay area. Even though the Irish mist accompanied us all day long, I did not find it inhibiting as it was quite warm. Dinner was at the award-winning Knockmuldowney Restaurant in Markree Castle which serves specialties of the area.
The next day the rain gave way to sunshine and beautiful views of Knocknarea Mountain and County Sligo as we followed an old shepherd's path across Slieve Deane mountain and along the shore of Lough Lumman, a bottomless mountain lake. After a picnic lunch I visited a hotel in town which we now offer as an alternate accommodation on the Markree Castle Trail. This four-star hotel is situated in the heart of Sligo town and is adjacent to the railway and bus stations. It blends old world intimacy with modern conveniences. The leisure center offers an indoor swimming pool, gym, jacuzzi, sauna and a steam room, which makes it especially attractive to riders after a long day spent in the saddle. Afterwards we had dinner in Sligo at one of the local restaurants and enjoyed live Irish folk music in one of the many pubs.
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