A summer resident of Co Leitrim in her childhood, Norah Casey is still a regular visitor. On this weekend, she discovered a host of new reasons to enjoy the soul soothing wonders of Ireland’s loveliest county.

 My father instilled in all of us a love of Ireland. He insisted that we would never travel abroad until we had seen the length and breadth of it. I may not have been an enthusiastic fellow traveller back in my teenage years but now I am so glad he showed us the beauty of our own country before we sampled others.

With a mother from Leitrim and a strong heritage in the west we spent most of our summers helping to bring in the hay and walking the deserted lanes of her home county. I discovered an ethereal and remote beauty there that is unparalleled. Leitrim is part of my blood and I escape there as often as I can. I am almost loathe to let you in on my secrets because I cherish the wilderness and unspoiled charm of this often overlooked corner of Ireland.

My mother comes from strange sounding places in the remotest part of Leitrim. My family are scattered throughout Aghanlish, Largydonnell and Fertagh, with the family farm still in the Glenade Valley, one of the finest glacial valleys in Ireland, nestled at the base of the Dartry Mountains. An aunt and uncle settled in Kinlough where they ran a local shop and I have cousins nearby at the base of Benbulben and my aunt, since departed, went into the closed order at the convent in Rossinver.

For this trip, I spent a weekend in south Leitrim to sample some culinary delights, slow adventures and fantastic scenery.

Experiences

THE MOON RIVER CRUISE: Take the 3pm sailing for a great way to kick off the weekend. Within minutes of boarding, we were sipping prosecco and the entertainment was just warming up.

Our singer and guitar player switched from contemporary to traditional with ease and there was even a bit of dancing on deck on the return journey. There are some lovely tranquil moments to be had too as we glided past the rushes and lush green pastures of south Leitrim. The river is home to year round swans and as the evening drew closer locals in small fishing boats cast their lines and the Shannon cruisers headed towards the dock for a night’s stop over.

Visit moonriver.ie

CYCLING THE SHANNON BLUE WAY: In Leitrim Village I met up with Eileen Gibbons, former environmental scientist and now co-owner, with her husband Seamus, of Electric Bike Trails. I discovered the joy of electric bikes this year and once I got over the guilt of cheating the uphill struggles, I wondered why I hadn’t embraced this brilliant invention sooner.

One of the best ways to see the beauty and tranquillity of Leitrim is cycling. We headed out on the Shannon Blueway, cycling along the Lough Allen Canal, stopping to pet the horses and enjoy the cruise boats and barges gliding by. It’s an easy route, far away from the busy traffic and Eileen is a font of knowledge about the local area and places to enjoy for coffee stops and lunch.

The final section takes you over the floating boardwalk at Acres Lake, a stunning way to arrive in to Drumshanbo.

You can cycle from Leitrim Village to Kilclare on the Shannon Erne Blueway route if you only have time for a shorter trip. Electric Bike Trails have regular bikes and electric bikes for hire, they even have tandems. They provide route maps and lots of local information. They also have a bike hire base at Lough Key Forest Park during the summer where you can take a one hour woodland cycle.

Visit electricbiketrails.ie

THE SHED DISTILLERY: Next stop was a Curious Journey of The Shed Distillery (home of Gunpowder Gin) in Drumshanbo Village. In 2014 the distillery began making the first whiskey in Connacht in over 101 years. As well as the famous gin, the Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is now joined by Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka. ­ The distillery is the brainchild of entrepreneur and world traveller PJ Rigney and the curious journey experience is as much about the exotic places and people that inspired him to create his own distillery.

Drumshanbo, on the shores of Lough Allen, at the foothills of Sliabh an Iarainn (­ The Iron Mountain) is also home to another curious and elusive mythical creature, the Jackalope. You may not glimpse this strange jackrabbit with antelope horns in the fields but the gin and whiskey labels pays homage to the Jackalope and he is very much in evidence on the walls and artwork. ­ The tour is a glimpse behind the scenes into the inner sanctum of the distillery, from the wild grains, botanicals and flora to the workings of the traditional gleaming copper pot and column stills.

We had a little taste of that Single Pot Still whiskey and enjoyed a Gunpowder Gin and tonic served with pink grapefruit in the bar afterwards, as per PJ’s recommendation. We arrived early, lunch is casual but delicious, cocktails are great and the atmosphere is fun. Allow around one and half to two hours for the whole experience.

Visit thesheddistillery.com.

UISCE HOUR AT ARD NAHOO: ­ This magical spot is nestled in the hills of Leitrim. Ard Nahoo is an award winning eco retreat and yoga school, run by Noeleen Tyrrell and Brendan Murphy. ­ There are three self-catering Eco Cabins, Hawthorn, Holly and Willow. It is the perfect place to immerse yourself in a slower pace of life for a while. I arrived for Uisce Hour – time in an infrared detox sauna and a session in the outdoors hot tub afterwards. It was my first time to try an infrared sauna (although I had read much about it from all the celebrity fans).

I don’t usually last too long in a traditional sauna so I was amazed I lasted the full time. Because it heats from the inside out it doesn’t feel as intense or drying and I definitely sweated out pints of water and hopefully toxins. A brisk cold shower was followed by the hot tub, looking out over the wild and beautiful remote setting of Ard Nahoo. I loved it so much I am going back in November for a yoga retreat. Noeleen has practiced yoga for over 27 years and she is a registered yoga therapist and certified Anusara Yoga Teacher. Check out the website for retreats, Noeleen teaches at Ard Nahoo and abroad. Visit ardnahoo.com.

Where to Stay

­The whole Casey/McGowan clan are regulars at the award winning Landmark Hotel with it’s beautiful grand façade facing the River Shannon in the bustling town of Carrick-on-Shannon. I’ve stopped off on the way up to north Leitrim for respite and food, had dinners with family and spoke at conferences at the Landmark but it was my first time to stay. My room was tasteful and elegant with chairs, cushions and throws in blue and silver and lovely views of the river.

­The hotel boasts some great artwork (lots of ducks) and the décor and furnishings have character. You always know when a hotel is family-run, the staff, the attention to detail and the service are exceptional. ­ The Landmark is owned and managed by local brothers Ciaran and John Kelly and is a great base for exploring the hidden heartlands.

Rooms are competitively priced and there are lots of dining options, with local sourcing and seasonality. If you are passing then stop off for afternoon tea – it’s a real treat. Visit thelandmarkhotel.com.

Where to Eat

THE COTTAGE: Arrivals are always important and the beautiful idyllic setting of ­ the Cottage, nestled roadside, with views of the river and weir in Jamestown set the scene for the evening. Dusk was setting as we were warmly greeted at the half door.

­ The traditional entranceway opens into a bright contemporary space with an eclectic mix of modern and brightly coloured art adorning the wall. Chef Sham Hanifa, a native of Malaysia, moved to Ireland 18 years ago and has built a well-deserved reputation for inventive fusion Asian Irish cooking.

It has been on my food list for some time and lived up to my expectations and then some.

We dined on pork belly with charred pak choy and miso pork sauce, seared scallop with cauliflower purée, kerabu pea and laska, to name but a few wonderful dishes.

It was a veritable feast.

Visit thecottagerestaurant.ie.

THE OARSMAN: ­ The award winning Oarsman is a firm favourite of locals and visitors to Carrick-on-Shannon and with good reason. Firstly, seven generations have been serving great food at this family run establishment (stretching back to 1781) and, as well as multiple awards for great food, it is a Michelin Guide bar and restaurant.

It is now owned and managed by the 7th generation, Conor Maher. Dara (my son) enjoyed some great seafood chowder to start while I had a beautifully presented plate of crab, smoked haddock and Burren smoked salmon with spring onion and coriander bon bons served with a seared scallop and curry aioli. For mains I had marinated pan friend Irish chicken with chicken, olive and hazelnut rissole along with savoy cabbage and some delicious carrot and star anise puree. Dara had some great beer battered haddock with all the traditional sides. Visit theoarsman.com.

For more visit leitrimtourism.com

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