Saturday 19 April 2014

A visit to Ireland

I am not a keen flyer. No scrap that, I hate flying. This has not always been the case but two bad flights and I have been slightly put off. This hasn't stopped my love of travelling but it does put a dampener on the start and end of any holiday.
Gatwick airport
                       
So anything that distracts me before flying is a definite plus. No 1 Gatwick is an airport lounge which is the perfect place to escape and while away a few hours before any flight.


airport lounges
When I was invited as their guest during a recent trip to Ireland for a friends wedding, it was a resounding yes. The lounge is lovely and light, with fantastic views of the runways where you can sit and watch planes arriving and taking off. 

No.1 Gatwick

They also have complementary hot and cold food, drinks and WiFi. 

Airport Lounges


Airport Lounges

Nothing settles a foodies nerves than indulging in their favourite pastime, eating of course!  
No.1 Gatwick

A bacon roll, followed by a Waffle...
airport lounges

At £22.50 for three hours, No.1 offers a nice relaxing space to prepare you for your flight. It certainly helped to settle my nerves before takeoff. 

On the ground from Dublin it was a two hour drive to our destination Slieve Russell Hotel in Cavan. We passed through lots of beautiful countryside and Bessie the cow popped out to say hello on route. 

We arrived at Slieve Russell Hotel which is set in beautiful grounds on a huge valley, 18 hole golf course and most importantly spa and wellness centre. 

Slieve Russell Hotel
                       
Most hotels generally disappoint me on the food front. Mainly I think because they have to cater on mass to so many diners, food is often either boring or sounds much better on paper than what is delivered. 

The Conall Cernach Restaurant I am pleased to report delivered on both counts a great menu and lovely food. 

For starters I opt for warm goats cheese salad, heather honey, hazelnuts and figs. There is something very naughty about warm cheese and fig; totally delicious. 
My dining companion goes for melon with orange Sorbet. 

For the mains it's an easy choice, we both plump for the Tournedos of Prime Irish Beef Fillet. 

Served with mash and vegetables. 
The steak was absolutely delicious, cooked to perfection and the bullion juices divine. The steak was straight of a local farm and was amazing. 

Having spotted dessert on the table next to us it was an easy choice for me. 
Ice cream no matter how full I can always find room. 

However when I spotted this heading to the table I was a little jealous...
The Strawberry Meringue Medley, I was reliably informed, was definitely the better choice. It was polished off in nano seconds and I didn't get a look in. 

The wedding was a truly wonderful occasion, the bride looked beautiful and I was so very pleased that I got to share in my friends wonderful day. A brilliant stay in Ireland. 


www.slieverussell.ie
Slieve Russell Hotel,
Ballyconnell,
Co Cayan 




 photo foodieforce_32.jpg

17 comments:

  1. The lounge looks great! We tend to find we don't get much time to chill out at airports, by the time we've eaten and done the shops we're running to get to our gate on time!

    Not been to Ireland for a long, long time! Glad you had a nice trip

    Chloe x

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    1. We normally do the same shop eat and run for the gate but having a lounge was really civilised. Happy Easter x

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  2. That trip looks absolutely incredible, and the pictures of the food are amazing. I could almost taste it! Happy Easter.

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    1. The food was absolutely lovely and I am quite picky. The steak was my favourite. Hope you have had a nice Easter

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  3. I'm not a great flyer either. I have no idea how I'll cope on my flight to America. It goes at 10am so I don't think a VIP bar with unlimited drink will help me!

    Corinne x
    www.skinnedcartree.com

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    1. You will be fine I prefer long haul as you have a bigger plane, films and food. If you load up your phone with downloads and games the time will go very quickly. You will have a great time. Happy Easter Lucy x

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  4. That lounge looks great. i actually love flying but I am slightly apprehensive about our next flight as it will be with our baby girl. I an usually disappointed by hotel food too, but that looks delicious. One of the main reasons we chose our wedding venue was the amazing food! x

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    1. The food was yummy. What food did you have at your wedding? Make sure you take lots of entertainment for your little one and you will be fine, comfortable clothes, comforter and Dr Brown microwave bags for steralising bottles Lucy x

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  5. what a great place and food :D

    WWW.PUTRIVALENTINALIM.BLOGSPOT.COM

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  6. Um, warm cheese & fig??? Yes please! I have always wanted to visit Ireland! And I love a good airport lounge! The Virgin lounge at LHR is probably one of the nicest I've been to! xo

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    1. It is a strange combination that you think shouldn't work but tastes absolutely delicious. The virgin lounge will be the next on the list the one at Gatwick looked lovely Lucy x

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  7. No 1 is a great place to relax before flying. Good choice of main course, delicious :-) Ireland is one of many places we would love to visit - it looks and sounds beautiful. Glad you had a nice time - great photo of the bride & groom.

    x Roch & Tash x
    www.next-route-style.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. You definitely need to visit Ireland it is a really beautiful country with so much to see and do Lucy x

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  8. Reading through your blog and I had to comment on that goats cheese salad, I am a sucker for it and that looks amazing. I've never been to Ireland but really really should, especially with food like that!

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    1. Goats cheese and fig is oh so good. Yummy. Hazelnut chutney to accompany it is just divine. Definitely worth the trip for Ireland Lucy x

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  9. I love flying. It makes me more mature and all the time when I am flying thinking more deeper and just love to meditate up there :)
    I like Ireland! I love Bray beach, Malahide and Dublin :)

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    1. I really am not keen on flying but to get anywhere I have to get over it :-) not been to Bray but looking it up on Google map now Lucy

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