Travellingto County Louth
As County Louth isjust a short drive away from Dublin Airport, it is easily reached by touristsfrom around the world. Dublin Airport is the busiest in the Republic of Ireland,open 24 hours a day, every day of the year except Christmas Day. Over 21million passengers per year pass through it, making use of routes from all overthe world supplied by 50 airlines. Once your flight has landed and you’ve madeuse of the facilities such as bureau de change, banking and shopping, you’ll beonly an hour’s drive away from the centre of County Louth.
Beaches
County Louth sits onthe coast looking out to the Irish Sea, making it an excellent base for a beachholiday of the more rugged and windswept variety. There are three beaches in CountyLouth that have been awarded coveted Blue Flag status. ClogerheadBeach is by the fishing village of the same name. Positioned on a headland, itoffers stunning views north towards the Cooleyand Mourne Mountains and south towards Lambay Island. The beach has a longstretch of sand backed by dunes, and is the perfect place to try your hand at fishing,bathing or simply soaking in the magnificent views.
A few miles north of Clogerhead you’ll find Port, aremote beach with a stretch of sand dunes that are ideal for enjoying a picnic.Templetown and Shelling Hill, to the north of County Louth,on the Cooley peninsula, are remote beaches offering a smooth stretch of sandand shingle with a south-facing aspect.
All three of these beaches are patrolled bylifeguards during the bathing season, and signs on each beach should be checkedto verify whether a patrol of this kind is in place.
History
The river Boyne runs through CountyLouth, and many of the most famous historical and cultural sitesof the county are situated close to its banks. The arts centre in Droghedaactually stretches from one bank of the river to the other, and within a shortwalk you’ll discover Carberry’s Bar, a traditional music venue dating back 150years, and Beaulieu House, which is home to a museum of motor racing.
Fans of the more sedate side of historical Louthshould visit Knockabbey Castle and Gardens, which was built around 1399 andboasts stunning water gardens dating back to the 11th century. The 30 acressurrounding the castle take in every kind of landscape, from meadows to formalVictorian gardens, and a day spent here will be one spent travelling back intime to a quieter, more sedate era.