Monday 7 September 2015

Rabbits & Romance: Glamping in Belmullet

Recently I starting dating a very nice chap I met on Plenty of Fish (don't judge yo) and we headed to Claggan Island in Belmullet for a romantic weekend away. I asked my mum for a recommendation on where to stay and she suggested glamping in a wooden pod in Belmullet. She's stayed there before so she was able to tell me exactly what they were like.  
It took us around 1 hour and 40 minutes to drive there from Sligo, so by the time we arrived we were glad to stretch our legs. You can't beat the fresh sea air after a drive! We had a bit of a hairy moment when we tried to drive over the beach but thankfully we made it without any car parts falling off into the sea.

When we arrived we were greeted by Laurence - which was funny because my boyfriend is also called Laurence! - who owns the Belmullet Coast Guard Station and the glamping pods. He gave us a brief explanation of the surrounding areas and the nearest town, before showing us to our pods. The pods are made out of wood and reminded me of log cabins - I'd imagine they'd be extremely cosy in winter! As soon as we walked in we were hit with the smell of wood and the natural warmth of the pod.

Each pod contains a double bed, sofabed, toilet & sink, and a table and chairs. There are 2 pods on the island with a couple of picnic benches beside them and a fire pit so you can get that real camping feel and toast marshmallows while singing Kumbaya.


As well as the pods, there's a fully equipped kitchen and showers in the converted barn. I went camping once at Sea Sessions and it wasn't the most pleasant experience, so this was about 500x nicer. I actually felt super relaxed after going - after Sea Sessions I felt like I needed a Valium and some brain bleach.

After enjoying each other's company for a bit we decided it'd be a great idea to walk to the pub. We were walking for around 40 minutes before I decided to check Google Maps to see how much longer we had to walk. Turns out the pub was a 2 hour walk! We took a slow walk back to the pods and watched the beautiful sunset over the water. It was so serene - we even got to see loads of baby rabbits hop across the sand! Apparently the island is rife with them and they try and burrow under the pods. We ended up driving to the pub for a quick drink to check out the 'nightlife' nearby. 

When we came back we had a gourmet dinner of a Pot Noodle in the converted barn kitchen and stayed up chatting.  The beds in the pods are really comfy and the island is so peaceful you're guaranteed to get a good night's sleep. I find hotels can sometimes be noisy and less romantic so this was a perfect alternative. I did wake up at around 7 a.m. to a cow stampede - it's a bit scary to wake up to deranged moo-ing and trampling noises!


The next morning my lovely boyfriend cooked me breakfast with the duck eggs Laurence (not my one) left out for us. I've never tried duck egg before and was pleasantly surprised. You can't beat fresh eggs, especially when you've seen exactly where they come from.

After a brief chat with Laurence and his dad Laurence (3 Laurences in the vicinity, what a coincidence), we got some duck eggs to bring home which was a lovely touch. Then it was sadly time to leave. It was a shame to snap straight back to reality after a nice relaxing break, so we decided to stop off at the Gateway in Belmullet for a spot of bowling. I got brutally beaten but I beat Laurence at air hockey so we were even. After a quick bite to eat we were on the road home again - but I'm certain we'll go back!

If you're looking for an Irish break with a difference away from the hustle and bustle, definitely check out Belmullet Luxury Pods

2 comments:

  1. I've always wanted to go glamping and this looks fabulous! Delighted you had a fab time and so funny 3 Laurence's in the vicinity lol x

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    1. I would highly recommend it. It's a great experience - so relaxing. Thanks for commenting!

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