Things to do in Robertstown

Canal cruise

See the canal from a different angle! A three-hour boat trip can be arranged locally at a cost of €150.00 including a light lunch. Contact Robertstown Holiday Village for details and to book.

Family activities

A day on the bog

This part of Ireland is famous for its raised and blanket bogland, some areas of which are now protected by law as unique habitats. Just ten minutes’ drive from Robertstown Holiday Village are two fantastic attractions which bring to life the bog in fun and informative ways.

Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park

Lullymore, an’ island’ in the middle of bogland, has been transformed into a wonderland for families. There’s a heritage park with recreated dwellings from Ireland’s past, a fairy bower inhabited by a whole colony of little people, a pet farm, the Funky Forest indoor play area, The Fionn Mac Cumhaill outdoor adventure playground, the very popular road train, woodland walks, crazy golf and much, much more.
Tel: +353 (0)45 870238  www.lullymoreheritagepark.com

The Bog of Allen Nature Centre

The Irish Peatland Conservation Council has its headquarters in Lullymore at a centre devoted to bog conservation and research and the huge part it has played in Irish life. The centre has lots to see and do including peat-free gardens, a collection of insect-eating plants from bogs around the world, a typical Irish cottage kitchen from days gone by to illustrate the importance of turf as a fuel, examples of the weird and wonderful objects found in Irish bogs including bog butter and an ancient canoe and an exhibition on how bogs have been used and how they might be used in the future. The Centre also manages a protected bog which can be visited; Lodge Bog is a real, living example of the amazing diversity of flora and fauna the boglands sustain. The centre holds talks and workshops throughout the year.
Tel: +353 (0)45 860133 www. Ipcc.ie

Fishing

“Get hooked” at Robertstown Holiday Village!
With the Grand Canal running right alongside the self-catering cottages at Robertstown Holiday Village, you can literally fish on your doorstep. The Grand Canal is renowned for coarse fishing with good supplies of Bream, hybrids, Pike, Rudd, and Tench. You don’t need a licence, but you should abide by the catch-and-return convention and use no more than one rod or pole.
There are fishing stands for people with disabilities at Ballyteague, approximately one mile away. Prosperous, famous for its competitions, is just four miles away. The Royal Canal from Kilcock to Killucan lock, flowing through the bog of northwest Kildare, it is favoured for its dark waters.
Bait can be ordered from James or Paddy at TJ O’Mahoneys Hardware in Prosperous on +353 (0)45 841720. Ask for the Fishing/Angling counter. You can pre-order bait or just pick up live and ground bait at the counter. They have large stocks available and are open seven days a week. You can also contact Countryman Angling in Naas on +353 (0)45 879341 where bait can be pre-ordered or collected on arrival.
If you have any questions, just telephone Karen on +353 (0)45 870870 or email her at Robertstown Holiday Village [link to email] and she can point you in the right direction.

Walking and Cycling

Walking or cycling the canal towpaths is a fantastic activity, ideal for all levels of fitness because it is all on the flat (apart from the bridges that you will need to cross to traverse from one tow path to another). Technically, you can walk from Dublin to Shannon Harbour in five days taking in 117 kilometres or about 73 miles of rare and tranquil scenery, flora and fauna. If 117 km seems a little challenging, don’t forget that the beauty of the towpath network is that you can walk as long or short a distance as you like.
Lowtown, just a 10 minute walk from the Holiday Village, is the ‘crossroads’ of the Grand Canal in Ireland, which means there are plenty of routes to choose from. At Lowtown, the canal branches off to Shannon in the west in one direction (21 miles to Edenderry) and Athy to the south (13 miles), where it joins the Barrow river to St Mullins in Waterford.
Walkers may also choose to walk northeast towards Dublin (12 miles to Sallins) or take the Milltown Feeder which will lead to the source of the Grand Canal in Pollardstown (near Milltown). Pollardstown Fen is recognized as an internationally important fen ecosystem with unique and endangered plant communities. For more on the fen, click here.
Cyclists note: some of the towpaths are grassy verges rather than paths, suitable for mountain bikes rather than city bikes or racers. There are plenty of quiet rural roads in the area too. Karen will help you find a suitable cycling route.

Guided walk of Robertstown and the Grand Canal

Walk Robertstown to Lowtown with Karen

Get your bearings for your walking holiday right here in Kildare and join me for a complimentary guided walk of the historic Village of Robertstown and the Grand Canal. The walk commences at Robertstown Holiday Village, we journey to the centre of the village to the Grand Canal Hotel and from there we stroll along the Grand Canal over Binns Bridge to Lowtown, the highest point on the Grand Canal. But there are no uphill struggles, just a relaxing and informative exploration of Robertstown and the breath-taking scenery of the canal.
Guided walks are available on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
The guided walk takes approx 1.5 hours. SPECIAL OFFER Come Walk With Me Break – we are offering a 3-night stay during June or September with a guided walk of historic Robertstown and the Grand Canal. Also included: tea and homemade scones on arrival with real Irish butter and homemade jam. Each cottage Sleeps 4/5 people Click here to book your Come Walk with Me break.

Taste of Robertstown

Stay at Robertstown Holiday Village and enjoy an unforgettable evening at The Ivy Cookery School. Ballymaloe- and Cordon Bleu graduate Niamh Flanagan makes delicious food look simple as she demonstrates a full menu in the state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen at The Ivy. The best part of the night has to be that you get to eat the delicious food as it is produced. The evening starts at 7pm with an aperitif and a chance to get to know your fellow culinary students. After she has shown you how to make each course or dish, you follow your nose into the dining room where you discover it tastes as good as it smells. By the time dessert and coffee are done, you have a whole new repertoire of recipes and yet you’ll feel like you’ve been out to a fabulous restaurant for the evening. Click here for upcoming dates and prices.

Trace your family tree!

TV programs like Who Do You Think You Are? have made us more interested than ever in our family heritage. If you’d like to find out more about your family history, we can help. Stay at Robertstown Holiday Village and with the assistance of the Kildare Genealogical Society, Karen can trace your Kildare ancestry and do tailored genealogical searches for your family name. Email us today