Seaweed baths and stargazing in Sligo

Night hikes, horseback beach rides and a seaweed spa experience: this northwestern Irish gem offers a perfectly balanced break, finds Fionn Davenport

Wednesday 04 August 2021 12:08 EDT

Astral show: venture out on a night hike for Sligo stargazing (North Adventure Tours)

It was a bit of a hard sell at first. “How about a quick trip to Sligo for a night hike to the top of a mountain and a bath in some seaweed?”

My wife Laura is usually pretty adventurous, but her enthusiasm was about as weak as a milky cup of tea. She said something about clambering through the woods in the dark, and why on earth would anyone enjoy getting into the cold ocean just to feel some seaweed against their skin?

All fair points, really, but once I’d explained that the seaweed was in an actual bath and that the bath was in a spa – and that the whole point of the night hike was to behold the majesty of a star-filled sky – her scepticism melted away. Then, the clincher... “and we’re going horse riding on the beach”.

Fionn and Laura explore on horseback (Horse Holiday Farm)

Sligo has more than its fair share of gorgeous beaches. Strandhill, Mullaghmore, Enniscrone and Easkey are stunning stretches of sand as well as firm favourites with seasoned surfers looking to bag big waves and clean water.

I’m certainly seasoned, but I’m definitely not a surfer and neither is Laura. We ignore the lure of the ice-cold autumn ocean and stick to wading through the limpid shallows atop a pair of horses from the Horse Holiday Farm in Grange, a tiny village about eight miles north of the town of Sligo. I’m frankly not much of a horseman either: my mother-in-law, an experienced rider, once critiqued my seat, which immediately prompted me to google what she meant by “seat”.

But the farm had us covered and put us on a pair of easy-going horses so relaxed they responded gingerly to every movement, and the barest of tugs on the reins brought them to a full stop.

Below us, the twinkling lights of Sligo Town glimmered in the night and, beyond them, the blackness of the Atlantic Ocean stretched out towards the horizon

We spent an hour riding on Streedagh Beach, in the shadow of Benbulben, the distinctive mountain that so entranced poet WB Yeats. It was a fraction of the usual rides, which can last up to six hours, but we had seaweed to rub all over ourselves.

I’ve worked on Lonely Planet guides to Ireland for more than two decades in which my co-authors regularly praise the putative health benefits of seaweed baths, but I’ve never actually tried one myself. Voya Seaweed Baths, on the beachfront in Strandhill, is one of only a handful of dedicated seaweed bathhouses in the country, so I figured it would be as good a place as any for our first soak.

After a short session in a steam shower to open up the pores, we settled into twin baths of locally picked seaweed designed to deeply moisturise the skin, increase circulation and promote healing – at least according to the literature. Whatever the health benefits, a 40-minute soak felt bloody good, and we both got out feeling incredibly relaxed – and hungry.

Seaweed bath, anyone? (Suzy McCanny Photography & Fashion)

There are a few places in Strandhill to eat – Shells Cafe right next door is wonderful – but I wanted to introduce Laura to one of my favourite pubs in all of Ireland.

Hargadons in Sligo Town is everything an Irish pub should be. Uneven flagstone floors, roaring peat fires and bowed shelves heaving with old bottles are a big part of the appeal, but what makes this Victorian classic really stand out is the quality of the food. Garlic chilli prawns and fresh oysters to start, a pair of crab risottos to follow and some wine from the pub’s very own French vineyard was complemented by a traditional music soundtrack, courtesy of a live session in the front bar. By dinner’s end Laura was as much in love with the place as I am.

It was the ideal mood-setter for the dreaded night hike. We made our way out to Union Wood on the outskirts of town and met with the Northwest Adventure Tours gang, who would lead us up through the woods and onto the star-kissed summit. Within a few minutes of setting off it was clear there was nothing to dread at all. The walk was easy and was lit up by head torches, fuelled by hot drinks and informed by titbits of knowledge about the ancient Celts and their connections to the stars.

Hargadons is the place to grab a crab risotto (Hargadons)

It took a couple of hours to get to the top, and on this cold, clear night we were treated to an astral show of shooting stars and crystal-clear constellations. Below us, the twinkling lights of Sligo Town glimmered in the night and, beyond them, the blackness of the Atlantic Ocean stretched out towards the horizon.

There was talk of stand-up paddle-boarding the following morning and, at first, I was dead keen. But when they said we would meet at 5.45am, “just in time for sunrise”, I looked at Laura and we reached an instant, silent agreement. Maybe next time.