Road to Sligo

Our Summer Adventure

By Melissa Keizer

November 22^nd, 2020

Like many, I look forward to spending some time away from home over the summer; soaking up the rays in a different country, sipping on sangria and doing some sight-seeing. 2020 threw us all a curveball. The pandemic has meant we've had to spend a lot more time at home and cancel our trips abroad. A little disappointing, but in the grand scheme of things, not a big deal.

My perspective about a lot of things has changed over the these last few months. I realise how lucky I am to be able to work as normal (albeit, remotely) without having to worry about losing my job. I'm lucky to have such close relationships with my family and friends — I'm grateful we can rely on each other for support and laughs during such a strange time. I'm also really thankful to have my partner, Mikey, who never fails to listen, comfort me, and boost my happiness on a daily basis.

Not content to be completely stuck at home, Mikey and I found new ways to entertain ourselves. This included exploring our own country and making the most of the beauty right on our doorstep — so, we decided to book a little weekend get-away to Sligo.

First Stop: Cuilcagh Boardwalk

Early in August we set off on our trip down south. It's a 3.5 hour drive from Bangor in Northern Ireland to Castlebaldwin in Sligo where we were staying, so we planned to make a stop in the middle for fresh air and exercise. After fuelling up at a nice restaurant in Enniskillen, we drove to the Cuilcagh Boardwalk trail to begin our journey up Fermanagh's highest mountain.

The route had us traverse a dusty, gravel track to reach the boardwalk that covers the large expanse of blanket bog. We were met by a lot of vocal sheep who inhabited the area, greeting us as we reached each checkpoint. It was a warm, bright day and the views of the surrounding lowlands were beautiful.

Stairway to Heaven

The initial part of the boardwalk was relatively easy, as it was a gentle climb upwards, but things got tougher when we finally reached the steps. The aptly named "Stairway to Heaven" zigzags up the mountain, with the views getting better the higher you climb. It was a hot day, and I came unprepared. I made incorrect assumptions about the difficulty of the climb, or perhaps just my own fitness level! As we climbed the stairs my heart was pounding heavily and I was regretting my decision to pack only a single bottle of water.

At last, we reached the summit. The tough climb was worth the effort for the stunning views and sense of accomplishment. I was relieved that the rest of our journey was downhill.

An Adorable Surprise

After a swift descent back down the stairs, I felt more relaxed and took in more of the bogland habitat. It was when we were reaching the end of the boardwalk when I spotted something in the long grass.

It was a fox! A small, bright-eyed cub with a curious look on his face. In that moment I was overjoyed to have brought my camera, and I slowly made my way closer to him. To my surprise he let me approach him and get within arms length of touching him. It was amazing!

The young fox followed us towards to gravel path and when I offered him a few tidbits from my lunch, he was happy to sit near us to nibble. A few others gathered round, quietly oodling this adorable, little fox and enjoying the close-up encounter.

I felt incredibly lucky to have had this rare experience. I hope this little guy is doing okay. If you visit the boardwalk anytime soon consider packing a little bit of food to help him survive this unforgiving habitat.

Welcome Home

After our hike in Enniskillen we made our way through the very rural roads to our AirBnb; a cosy, little cabin in Castlebaldwin, Sligo. I knew I'd picked the right place to stay when our host, Michelle, greeted us upon arrival, along with her two little dogs and her daughter, who was holding an adorable kitten.

Our cabin was nestled deep into the Sligo countryside, about 25 minutes away from the main town. It was an incredibly peaceful spot, we only heard one other car pass by the road adjacent to it the whole weekend.

Beautiful light shone through the windows in the mornings, and we awoke to the sound of gentle scratching at the door. Tibby and Ozzy, the two resident dogs, were keen to greet us as we began our day. We invited them for cuddles, happy to have canine company since we couldn't bring our own little dog Matisse on the trip.

On the Saturday morning we decided to explore our surroundings a little deeper, driving down roads not listed on Apple Maps, eager to get a closer look at the lakes we passed on our journey to our cabin. We parked off-road, literally in the middle of nowhere, and explored more by foot.

As we walked down paths, fenced with large hedges either side, the biggest dragonflies we'd ever seen flew by us. Walking down the path further we came across a friendly face, a beautiful white horse, who came trotting over to the fence upon spotting us.

Eagles Flying

Later in the afternoon we made our way to a local animal sanctuary and raptor research centre, Eagles Flying. I'd spotted this place on Facebook about a year before, and ever since, I'd been desperate to visit. In typical Melissa-fashion, I'd arranged a trip around animal activities!

Based in Ballymote, further south in Sligo, the centre is home to many different species of eagles, owls, hawks, falcons and vultures. They also have a petting zoo area with many more animals for visitors to get up and close personal with.

During our visit we perched on a bench in the sunshine to watch the interactive bird show where the staff exhibit the various birds, having them fly freely overhead and return to the handler for a meal. When the staff asked for volunteers for the show, my hand shot up, and I displayed child-like giddiness when I was chosen to have a bird flown to my hand. Minutes later, one of the handlers emerged with a beautiful Barn Own, who she quickly released — within seconds the owl flew to my hand. It was fantastic!

Encountering these birds in such close proximity was thrilling, and it was great to see the passion oozing from the scientists who work with the animals.

After the bird show, Mikey and I made our way around the rest of the park, coming across different animals around every corner.

One of my favourite animals was this gorgeous, tame fox who was practically purring on the lap of his carer. Another highlight of the visit was when the centre's ponies interrupted the interactive bird show, looking for food to nibble on.

A striking Himalayan Vulture resting in its enclosure. Don't get too close!

The Petting Zoo

Despite the name, Eagles Flying is not only home to birds, but many different animal species. I loved getting the opportunity to pet and hold the little critters, from the tiny little mice, to the piglets running around the barn.

Seriously though, how cute is baby pony?

A Real Life Trash Panda

Before visiting, I spotted this guy — Grizzly the racoon, on the centre's Facebook page. I'd never seen a racoon in real life before and I was very excited to not only see one, but be able to pet one! I witnessed him pickpocketing treats from his carer and checking to see if the people around him had any snacks.

We ended our visit with cuddles from baby rabbits and guinea pigs. What a great day.

If you get the opportunity, I highly recommend that you visit Eagles Flying. If, like us, you love animals, you'll have so much fun getting up close to so many beautiful creatures.

Last Stop: Benbulben

After a relaxed Sunday morning in the cabin, we waved goodbye to our lovely Airbnb hosts and set off homeward bound. We had time for one last stop, parking up by Sligo's iconic mountain; Benbulben.

With a 3 hour drive ahead of us, we decided to stretch our legs first by completing the Benbulben forest walk. We took in the panoramic views of Donegal Bay and Benbulben head, before walking through the secluded forest back to the car.

Until Next Time

Our Sligo trip proved to me that we don't have to go far to have a wonderful holiday away from home, and it has left me feeling inspired thinking — "what part of Ireland shall we travel to next?" 🙂