Parke’s Castle and Riding Horses on the Beach: Day 23 – Ireland 2014

6 October 2020

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1 May 2014

Turning 26 in Ireland was something I (Lydia) was very much looking forward to. Finally, the day had arrived! We were up at the crack of dawn, ready to take on the day. With a scheduled activity later in the day, we didn’t want to cut into our time at the first attraction, Parke’s Castle. We had a lovely drive on the way. Foggy lakes and hills at every turn!

Parke’s Castle

Parke’s Castle is one of the most amazing castles we’ve been to. It isn’t the oldest, only dating from the 17th century, but it is one of the most complete and well-put-together. That is mostly due to the fact that it was restored in the late 20th century. The owner of the original tower house on the property, of which there is still evidence, defied English rule and was eventually hanged at the Tower of London. Robert Parke, of who the castle takes its current name, lived in the castle we see today until 1677. After two of his children drowned in the lake, the castle was left to nature and fell into a state of disrepair over the decades. While it has a sad history, it has been beautifully restored and is incredible to visit.

Our Visit

The setting for Parke’s Castle couldn’t be more beautiful. It sits comfortably on the edge of the lake, offering stunning, tranquil views. We really loved exploring this castle. The main reason for that was because it felt like everyone had left only days ago. Because it has been restored so well, it feels complete and you can really get a feel for what life there must have been like. The courtyard has a blacksmith area, a well, and a pigeon tower. Inside, rooms have been furnished and there is a full castle replica. My favorite part of all is a beautiful wooden spiral staircase that is to die for. It was all made better by the fact that we were the only visitors there. We got to poke around every inch of the place without feeling rushed or getting in anyone else’s way.

We really loved walking the parapets as well. Not only does it give you a great view of the courtyard (and the footprint of the old tower house), it gives you phenomenal views of the lake. You can go through a side gate from the courtyard and take in a lovely green space that goes down to the water’s edge. Truly, there is so much to explore and you’re fully able to. There are also tons of information boards to help you understand what you’re seeing and the history behind it.

Photos from our visit to Parke’s Castle

Riding Horses
On The Beach

We left Parke’s Castle and headed in what we thought was the right direction to our next attraction. After figuring out that the Donegal Equestrian Centre isn’t actually IN the town of Donegal, we finally made it to our destination. We didn’t really plan on riding horses on the beach for my birthday, but it just so happened to fall on the day, and I could not have been more excited about that!

I love riding horses and used to ride often when I was a kid. Billy also has a decent amount of experience with horse riding because of a job he had at an adventure camp in Colorado. We were both excited to get back in the saddle for a few hours. And what better way to do it than on the beaches of Ireland!!

Donegal Equestrian Centre

Donegal Equestrian Centre is about 20 minutes south of the town of Donegal. They offer a variety of services, from lessons to beach rides to riding holidays. We opted for the 2-hour beach ride. Upon arrival, we went through the normal routine of signing a waiver and providing our riding experience. Then, we met our horses and saddled up! Speaking of saddles, it was a bit of an adjustment to get familiar with riding English. We are both used to Western saddles and styles of riding. In the end, we did just fine!

My horse, I was warned, was a stubborn grazer. If allowed, he would take any and every opportunity to stop and eat. THEY WERE NOT JOKING. This horse was something else! I’d have to pull up on the reigns with all of my strength, actually having to stand up in the saddle, to get this horse to lift his head from the grass. He was a hoot!

Our ride on the beach was beautiful. We traversed the dunes down to the water and rode on the beach for quite some time. On the way back, we got to let the horses run at full gallop. It was pure, unadulterated joy. I hadn’t smiled and laughed without abandon like that in so long. It was worth every penny we spent. Without a doubt, we would recommend booking an event with Donegal Equestrian Centre.

Setting Up For The Evening

Our campsite after a day at Parke's Castle and horseback riding.

After our incredible experience with the horses, we drove to our next stop for the day. We were booked to camp at Lakeside Caravan and Camping. As luck would have it, we drove in the wrong direction for the second time that day but eventually made it. We checked in, paid, and got our shower tokens. This leads us to the second scenario that Billy has yet to live down. After setting up camp (so our tent could dry out), we decided to take a shower. To make the tokens last longer and therefore enjoy the hot water longer, we decided to shower together.

This is where things went sideways. I said we should put the shower tokens in one at a time. Billy said we should just put them all in at once. In the end, we went with Billy’s plan, leaping from the ever-present words before an impending disaster, ‘trust me. Two minutes later? The water shuts off. Did I mention that these shower doors open directly outside and that there is a good 5-inch gap at the bottom through which frigid air is rushing in? Now, both covered in soap, we were freezing and out of shower tokens because SOMEONE thought it would be easier to just put them all in at once. Guess who drew the short stick to get dressed and go get more tokens? I waited in the freezing shower booth until he got back. At least the attendant on duty got a good laugh!

After laughing our way through the rest of our shower, we dressed and drove into Bundoran for dinner. Once back in our tent, which we’d nestled behind a hill to try and block the wind off the lake, we snuggled in for a chilly night.