The effect of nature and the outdoors on wellbeing is front and centre at the new spa at the Ice House Hotel in Ballina, Co Mayo. It will have four new two-person outside baths for shared bathing rituals when the spa reopens in early July. A relaxation room stands on stilts over the River Moy with 360 degree glazing for views into Belleek Woods. An outdoor pod with floor-to- ceiling views of the river estuary is where the new treatments on massage beds covered with quartz sand will be conducted.
Niall Kerins, general manager, said: “Following a significant investment at the hotel, we are in the process of adding a new wellness focused extension which adds over 250 sq metres of additional space.”
Cliff House Hotel in Ardmore, Co Waterford, is trebling its number of outdoor baths. This summer their ‘Well by The Sea Spa’ will introduce a new menu of treatments that can be taken by guests outdoors. The ‘listen to the birds sing’ approach will mean guests can request a hot towel scalp ritual outdoors. The ‘Peat for the Feet’ grounding treatment uses organic peat sourced from ancient bogs in Co Laois. The third treatment, ‘The Sea Escape’, involves soaking your feet in warm seaweed harvested from the south coast while your therapist eases away the tension in your arms, shoulders, neck and scalp. Meditation was another popular tool for dealing with stress during lockdown and the hotel recently added a Movement Room for yoga, pilates, barre and meditation, designed with floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Ardmore Bay.
The famed Thermal Spa Village, the first of its kind in Ireland, is the jewel in the crown of Galgorm. Inspired by the understated beauty of the landscape, natural wood and a palette of hues inspired by nature piece together in harmony to deliver a feeling of restfulness and calm. Manicured gardens reveal meandering paths that lead you on your journey of rediscovery.
Here at Perfect Irish Trip we have a huge appreciation for nature, animals and wildlife. We also believe in admiring said wild life from affair in their natural habitats. We are lucky in Ireland to have many amazing animals to admire in the wild. Some animals even have regular interaction with humans in the wild, like Fungie The Friendly Dolphin in Dingle or Dusty the Dolphin who can be spotted around County Clare. Below we have listed some of the best wildlife spots around Ireland.
Wild Ireland
Wild Ireland is an animal sanctuary set up by Killian McLoughlin, that rehabilitates animals and also houses animals once native to Ireland. Amongst the animals are 3 brown bears, European wolves, a lynx (the original Celtic Tiger), an otter and red deer, red deer, red foxes, an owl, an otter and many more. All animals have been rescued from cruel circumstances such as circuses, illegal trade and neglect. Killian worked closely with three international charities to bring the animals to his 23 acre site that they now call home. To visit Wild Ireland or to learn more click into – Wild Ireland
Fungie The Dolphin
Fungie the friendly bottle-nosed dolphin has built a home and a fanbase for himself on the Dingle shores. Fungie first said hello over 30 years ago to fishermen who gave him his name. He comes and goes as he pleases in and out of the Dingle harbour to say hello to passing boats. He is quite a rare dolphin who chooses to spend more time playing alongside boats with a frequent jump out to say hello to humans, rather than spending time with other dolphins. No boat tour guarantees that you will see Fungie and if he is not on the shores of the harbour where he knows the boats will be, he is then left alone to do as he please wherever he may be. For more information click into – Fungie The Dolphin
The Saltee Islands
The Saltee Islands are a haven for sea birds, nurturing an impressive array of birds, from Gannets and Gulls to Puffins and Manx Shearwaters. The Islands consist of the Great and Little Saltee and are situated approximately 5km off the coast of Kilmore Quay in County Wexford. The Great Saltee also has a breeding population of Grey Seals, one of the very few in eastern Ireland. Up to 120 animals are present in autumn and up to 20 pups are produced annually. Since December 1943 the Saltees have been privately owned by the Neale family. The Neale family have always respected this bird sanctuary and treated visiting Ornithologists and bird watchers alike with hospitality. Day visitors are allowed on Great Saltee between 11am and 4:30 pm only. Arranged trips from Kilmore Quay are approved within these hours. Any visitors landing a boat outside of these hours will be asked to leave. The Saltee Islands are both rare and beautiful. All are welcome to see and enjoy. For more information click into – The Saltee Islands
Phoenix Park Deer
Phoenix park is home to a herd of 400-450 fallow deer descend from the original herd introduced in the 1660s. They can be found throughout the park in various locations. Friends of the deer are advised not to feed them any food and only to admire them from afar. For more information click into – Phoenix Park Deer
Dusty The Dolphin
Dusty The Dolphin is another rare bottle nose Dolphin who has taken a particular interest in human companionship over the years. First spotted in Doolin in county Clare, Dusty can be found in various locations across county Clare and as far as the Aran Islands, although she received bad press over the years, most people who swim with regularly said the bad press was actually mostly due to human negligence and people acting in appropriately, since then, Dusty has taken on more solitude. If you are lucky to come across Dusty, we advise you admire her from afar or the shallow waters and allow her to come to you if she pleases. As someone who has been lucky to swim with dusty in the early years, I can attest she is an amazing being who should be respected and loved.
As we said at the beginning of our post, wild life is to be respected and admired from a far, we are also huge believers in ‘Leave No Trace’ and ask that any time you are in nature that you leave everything as was and enjoy everything for what it is.If you would like to download our Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Tour of Ireland for €15.99 click here – Eco Friendly & Sustainable Tour of Ireland
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