Things To Do

 

Nature is the star of the show, and we don’t give her nearly enough credit. Roundwood lives at the foot of the Slieve Bloom and from here there is easy access by car, bike or foot to her many beautiful natural features. The Slieve Bloom is the oldest mountain range in Europe, and the view from the summit of Arderin (her highest peak) is the most all encompassing in Ireland. In the words of T.L. Cooke, the view on a clear day* is, “bounded almost solely by the powers of vision”. Woodland trails, deep glens, rivers, waterfalls, remote bogland and picnic areas invite adventurous visitors to explore and experience the unspoilt beauty of this inspirational landscape.

Walking

There are countless walking trails for all levels of trekkers. From the imposing 70 km Slieve Bloom Way for the serious hiker, to the 20 minute loop at Monicknew, the variety of walks leaves little room for excuses. There are walking festivals on the May Bank Holiday and in July
( www.slievebloom.ie ), and any time of year, guides can be arranged to take you off the beaten track to get lost in the beautiful heart of Ireland. (Well, not literally lost, as they wouldn’t be up to much as guides if they did…but ‘lost’ in the surrender-to-the-experience kind of way.)

On yer Bike

The quiet roads and forested trails of the Slieve Blooms are ideal for leisurely and safe cycling either on or off the surfaced road. Your bike will be sheltered safely away from the elements in the old stable block. If you don’t have a bike, we can arrange one for you.

By Horse

Slieve Bloom and the midlands in general have a strong background in horses. There are a number of Riding Centres in the area, which offer trail riding and trekking on the farm, bogland, forest and in the Slieve Bloom Mountains. We recommend Birr Equestrian Centre.

Fishing

There are many mountain rivers and lakes which are excellent for fishing. The large sister rivers, the Nore and the Barrow, which rise in the Slieve Bloom mountains, have trout and salmon, while many of their tributaries (e.g., the Whitehorse, Delour and Camcor) offer very good trout fishing. Meanwhile, there is an excellent angling centre in Coolrain, just five kilometres from Roundwood Laois Angling Centre

Golfing

We don’t get out of the kitchen enough to do much golfing, but for the avid golfer, Roundwood is within a 15 minute drive of no less than 5 golf courses. And since we are probably busy cooking, you can borrow our clubs.

A Whole Lot of Nothing

In saying all that I have above, I feel it is worth mentioning another very popular pastime with many of our guests. Doing absolutely nothing. This can be slightly embellished with a book, a board game, staring into the fire or talking about going for a walk/bike/horse-ride/fishing. Remember, there is no right answer for how you should spend your time at Roundwood, it is only important that you spend your time at Roundwood.

* often not included

For more information on local attractions visit our location page