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| The new campsite at Kilmore Quay looks a little sparse due to the lack of grass but it's a good spot in a great location which will certainly grow on campers. |
Picturesque Kilmore Quay has always been a popular stop off
for tourists and campers. It was really crying out for a proper campsite. Well
now that it has one, it still hasn’t stopped some people crying.
Camping on the road outside a fish processing factory is not
my idea of wild camping and I for one am delighted to have the option of this
brand new Kilmore Quay Holiday and
Camping Park.
This camping facility is so well located, just a couple of
minutes walk into the village with its playground, the harbour, pier and The Burrow
dunes and beach, it is good value at €25 all in, including unlimited showers
and use of the excellent kitchen facilities. (There are laundry facilities on
site for €3 per use). There is also a good Mace store just outside the gate.
The woman behind the venture is no stranger to the sector
due to experience in another business in Rosslare but this is a new and
challenging undertaking to get off the ground. Alice O’ Connor is dynamic,
energetic and hands-on so I have no doubt that her determination will make a
great success of this project.
In getting the Camping Park open in time for this year’s
busy season the owners haven’t let the grass grow under their feet in one of
the hottest and best summer for years. That has ironically proved a bit of a
double edged sword and a problem for the facility. There isn’t a blade of
grass.
As a result, aesthetically and optically, the site look
brown, bare and barren, even though you can see where brave attempts to sow and
get the grass to grow have perished in the heatwave. This situation hasn’t been
helped by the use of somewhat misleading photos on the campsite’s original
website depicting sylvian scenes, a lush landscape and mature trees. That will
all come in time I’m sure…
However, in their enthusiasm to get up and running the
Park’s owners have some works to tidy up and finish properly, there were a few
pockets more building site than camping site. In fairness the works were
ongoing even the weekend we were there as a crew descended to fit out an
impressive solar panel system on the services block.
Vanhalla has been
to the south east on a good few excursions this year, as documented in our
previous blogs featuring the Saltee
Islands and Hook Lighthouse
which you can check out here:
www.visitkilmorequay.ie is a
good resource too if you want to check out the attractions, festivals and
eateries in these parts and there is plenty to chose from. Back in July there
was the Southeast Country Music Festival in nearby Killag and a Kite Surfing
Festival in Duncannon, and Phil Murphy Weekend presented by the Bannow Folk and Traditional Society in
its 27th year, is one I certainly chalked down for future reference
as it had a tantalising line-up for the Carrig-on-Bannow
based event.
I have raved before about the Little Saltee Chipper which has them queueing out the door for its
cod, monkfish, lemon sole, tempura prawns and chip butty. The Seaview Fish Shop is the spot for getting your own fresh fish
virtually off the trawler and we opted for two smashing pieces of cod for €7,
sure where would you get it? And it was great to see local restaurants like the
award winning Silver Fox, actively
promoting its sourcing of local produce such as its extensive seafood menu. Kehoe’s Pub just across the back field
from the campsite and opposite St.
Peter’s Church, is a good spot too with an extensive menu, beer garden and
entertainment. It is worth the stroll up
to either the church or the pub just to have a gander at the lovely line of
thatched houses along Kilmore’s main street. There are loads of arts &
crafts spots too and of course the RNLI Shop,
which is a must visit and I could browse for hours in Kehoe’s Marine Supplies which has all your chandlery, angling,
navigation, watersports and camping supplies in its vast stock.
Another quaint little spot that caught my eye was Griffiths which would bring a smile to
any child’s face. It certainly brought back memories of summer’s past and many
a lá brea cois farraige with its vast
array of colourful fayre for the seaside from spades and buckets to butterfly
nets and beach balls with your choice of John
Hinde postcards on hand to tell everyone back home that you wish they were
here…
On our way home on Sunday we opted for Duncannon from numerous seaside options available in the
Wexford/Waterford area and got a grand spot along the road next to the grass
embankment. A good spot and it was choc-a-bloc in the scorching July sunshine.
The beach however was virtually turned in to a car park and seemed more in need
of a traffic warden than a lifeguard. Parking on beaches is a big bugbear of
mine and not everyone was driving carefully or slowly enough to take in to
account the amount of young children making a beeline for the water. An
accident waiting to happen…
As for Kilmore Quay
Holiday and Camping Park I don’t think a determined Alice O’ Connor is
going to allow the long hot summer rain on her parade. Her helpful and upbeat
attitude creates a good atmosphere for guests and in time the grass, shrubs and
trees will grow and so too will the popularity and reputation of this ideally
located camping facility in the sunny south east.
