In need of some time out, Ireland seemed the perfect destination for a few days away from London. Enticed by the number of spas available in the area, LAURA JANE FILOTRANI picked a less well-travelled part of the country to spend a day out horse riding followed by a welcome spa pamper session
Arriving at Knock airport and collecting the hire car was hassle-free - I was behind the wheel driving out of the airport having landed only 30 minutes previously. Sligo is only half an hour away from Knock airport and with everywhere so well signposted I didn't get lost once - amazing for a feel-your-way type of person rather than a planner of routes.
The Radisson, where I stayed and home to the Solas Spa, is a perfectly respectable four-star hotel on Rosses Point, just outside Sligo.
The members of staff were very helpful and very welcoming. I was overwhelmed by the fruit baskets which appeared in my room every day in ever more elaborate displays.
As I was there for a pampering, I sent down for room service and spent my first night watching tv and eating strawberries. The bed was incredibly comfortable and I had a great night's sleep. The only aspect of the hotel I was disappointed in was the reataurant's menu. I had hoped to see some traditional Irish recipes to try and was surprised to find Thai dishes instead.
Driving over to Bundoran, only about 40 minutes away from Sligo in the county of Donegal, I got a chance to see some breathtaking scenery. Donegal has more sandy beaches than any other county in Ireland and is flanked by dramatic cliffs and imposing mountains.
I was headed for Donegal Equestrian Holidays which is owned by globe-trotting, Pat. I liked her immediately. She is a person for whom age knows no bounds - her unquestionable passion for life made it difficult to guess her age. I had such a good time with her, I nearly changed my flight to spend an extra day with her and partner Leo at the races.
Now the weather wasn't exceptional - the bursts of sunshine were often followed by a shower but horse riding in the rain was exhilarating. Riding into the heart of the sand dunes was like entering a secret world. With nothing else in view but sand and tufts of grass, the silent thuds on sand, made me smile.
There is something moving about being in tune with a horse's rhythm - you feel a unity which takes you out of your body. They are magnificent beings and I have a healthy fear of them - their size, intelligence and power demand respect.
With Morris, my guide, leading the way I felt at all times looked after. Morris is a man who is happier with the horses than with humans. He has spent all his life with horses, first as a jockey and now as a horse breaker and guide.
He is at all times reassuring and a great judge of what kind of rider you are.
After the ride I had a very tasty sea bass cooked beautifully by Leo the chef at La Sabbia, the restaurant at Homefield which is the backpacker accommodation for Pat's equestrian holidays - you don't have to stay here though, there are guest houses or three or four-star hotels.
I stayed at Fitzgeralds Hotel run by John O'Donnell and his sister, whose grandmother founded the place in the 70s. She has been an inspiration to both of them: "Nana Fitzgerald was born in Co.Tyrone but emigrated to America when she was only 16," John explained.
"She returned to Bundoran a single mum with five kids under 12 in 1939. She started a shop and guesthouse in the early 40s, bought the neighbour's house in 1969, expanded the guesthouse in 1970 and registered the hotel in 1975. On Main Street she bought my aunt a guesthouse and restaurant and a takeaway for my uncle. She was a remarkable woman who never gave up in hard times and always looked on the glass as half full.
"She casts a warm, long shadow here. Of course my sister and I represent that potentially-dodgy third generation!"
The hotel is right on the water - a soothing sight after the night out with Morris - it was a case of a splash of ginger with half a long ball of whisky or two - by the second bar things were decidedly hazy.
It was a stroke of genius to have booked myself into a spa for the following day. Not having been on a horse for 20 years I ached so much I had to roll myself out of bed, taking care not to exert any part of my body and shuffle myself down to the treatment rooms.
The spa is a haven of hushed tones and fluffy robes. It has the feel of a Moroccan bath all stone and water features. The best room in the whole place is the relaxation room. It has huge big wicker chairs you crawl into and lie looking at the star flickering ceiling, listening to water trickling over stones.
I booked a deep leg and thigh massage starting with an ice cold exfoliator applied to my legs, front and back, followed by a hot roller and a deep manipulation with oils.
I then sat covered in mud in what was like a stone temple watching lights go through a coloured sequence as the room filled with steam until everything disappeared apart from the blues and reds and greens of the lights.
Once the steam dissipated I was sprayed by a fine mist and then the whole thing repeated. I finished off with 10 minutes in the herbal sauna and then 10 minutes in the invigorating steam room. I had had a mild chest infection before I went to Ireland but it completely cleared after my spa session.
You couldn't get a warmer welcome than I received and I will definitely book myself into another Irish spa soon.
For more information visit discoverireland.com, donegalequestrianholidays.com, radissonsas.com, fitzgeraldshotel.com, europcar.ie
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