Love To Explore? 11 Reasons To Check Out The Lakelands of Ireland

We regularly get itchy feet here in Her Towers, and love nothing more than to daydream about adventurous getaways.  One of our obsessions is finding amazing Irish destinations to satisfy our travel bug without having to root out the passport. The Lakelands of Ireland are the perfect spot for a mini-break - whether you're a history buff, a water baby or just in need of some R'n'R surrounded by beautiful scenery, you'll find what you're looking for in this gem right in the heart of Ireland. Our Megan Cassidy was lucky enough to visit The Lakelands recently and has compiled eleven reasons that you NEED to follow suit.

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1. Arrive with a splash.  Leitrim Village Waterways Marina has to be the first stop to make the most of the Leitrim coastline. We LOVED the stand up paddleboarding at Leitrim Surf.

Up first is paddleboarding @leitrimsurf we got this!!! #thisisLIVING @DiscoverIreland pic.twitter.com/73TL6u7p7Q

— Megan Cassidy (@meganmcassidy) August 20, 2015

Only fell in 12 times!! ??@discoverirl@leitrimsurf#ThisIsLIVING@s0phie_white@conorheneghan1@ConanDohertypic.twitter.com/1zzYcCoRNi — Megan Cassidy (@meganmcassidy) August 20, 2015

2. Cruisin'  Next up we headed to Carrick Craft (not pottery) for a scenic mini-cruise with our fantastic Captain Charlie. We explored the Shannon and JOE's Conor Heneghan explored new fashion frontiers. 

Salmon is definitely his colour @conorheneghan1#thisisLIVING@discoverirl@Herdotie@JOEdotie#captainconorpic.twitter.com/IzmFC6bCc1

— Megan Cassidy (@meganmcassidy) August 20, 2015

3. Zipit Zip-lining at Lough Key Park is a must-do if you fancy channelling your inner Lara Croft.

Lara Croft buzz zippin' it at @Zipitfa unreal craic, highly recommend it! @discoverirl #thisisLIVING pic.twitter.com/BybIHYTcrX

— Megan Cassidy (@meganmcassidy) August 20, 2015

4. Boda Borg Fans of the Crystal Maze will LOVE this one. Also situated on the Lough Key Park site, this is a series of physical and mental challenges that we failed spectacularly. But we had a LOT of fun while doing it. 5. Schtone mad for schpeed...  The kind folk at Lough Key were crazy kind enough to let us drive a speedboat around the lake. So much fun.

Gas craic on a speedboat on Lough Key Forest Park. Got to drive it and all! #thisisLIVING @discoverirl @meganmariecass @s0phie_white @ConanDoherty @colmreid0

A video posted by @conorheneghan on Aug 20, 2015 at 1:10pm PDT

6. Gooood grub.  We popped into The Oarsman in Carrick-on-Shannon for a well-needed feed. The atmosphere, food and music were spot on.

Well we certainly worked up an appetite... Amazing food, music and company @TheOarsman @discoverirl #thisisLIVING pic.twitter.com/KMVdKZvE62 — Megan Cassidy (@meganmcassidy) August 20, 2015

7. Nightlife. The Barrelstore Bar was absolutely buzzing when we arrived. This place is craft beer heaven.

The BarrelStore Carrick On Shannon???? #barrelstore #thebarrelstore #carrickonshannon #thebarrelstorecarrickonshannon pic.twitter.com/50FKc5xWzs — Carrick On Shannon (@CoraDromaRuisc) July 8, 2015

8. Accommodation that would rival Downton Abbey.  We stayed in the family-run Lough Key House, a small but stunning Georgian Period house in Co. Roscommon. This was the absolute lap of luxury, and they had peacocks. We were excited about the peacocks.   9. The pleasure was all Mine.  Next up were the Arigna Mines. Our amazing guide Michael actually worked in the mines for years so we heard the tales straight from the horse's mouth. Speaking of which...    10. Horsing around.  We saddled up at the Moorlands Equestrian Centre for a leisurely trot down to the lake. This is fun for beginners and pros alike. Good for the glutes too - just be aware that you will be walking around like John Wayne for a few days after. 

Oh Hay guys @discoverireland @conorheneghan ?? A photo posted by Megan Cassidy (@meganmariecass) on Aug 21, 2015 at 6:54am PDT

11. Strokestown Park and National Irish Famine Museum This Georgian Palladian mansion is preserved with all its original furnishings. Ghost stories, children's schoolbooks, and fake sideburns in little boxes mean we wouldn't visit this sprawling estate after dark, but would highly recommend before taking a stroll in the stunning gardens. Right next door is the Irish National Famine Museum - a treasure trove for any history buff.

For your chance to win an action-packed trip to the Lakelands for you and three of your pals, enter our Discover Ireland competition here. For more information on Lakelands Adventures visit Discover Ireland.