Fernwood Farm - slow & sustainable travel Ireland
Nestled in a pocket-forest on the edge of Clifden, Anne and Simon Ashe have created an adult retreat where good design blends into the landscape. Pack your essentials and head into the west to find refuge in nature.
Aon Scéal, what and where is Fernwood Farm?
At the foot of the Twelve Bens mountains, overlooking the Atlantic you’ll find the pretty town of Clifden. With its candy coloured buildings, cosy pubs and great restaurants, Clifden is the perfect base for exploring Connemara’s wild beauty. Just 2km from the town, along a quiet, one-car road, Anne and Simon Ashe have established Fernwood Farm, an organic self-sustaining farm complete with free range hens, native Dexter cattle and rescue donkeys. Enthusiastic to share their passion for Connemara and nature, the family set about building eco-conscious, design-led spaces for couples to retreat and immerse themselves in the woodland.
Perched on the shoreline of a saltwater lake, Fernwood Farm currently offers guests the choice of three self-catering spaces each with unrestricted access to nature; The Studio, The Stilt House and the Treehouse Dome. Each stay is unique and self-sustaining (powered by clean energy harvested right on the farm) and there is a sense of complete privacy no matter where on the farm you stay.
We spent three nights in the simple yet luxurious Studio. This open plan cottage is cleverly designed and a calm refuge from the city. The big picture window frames an explosion of wild flowers in the garden with the rugged landscape in the background. On arrival, the Ashes had left us a welcome gift of eggs fresh from the farm, soft hammam towels for the sauna and a warm invitation to take what we wanted from the vegetable garden.
Mornings were spent in the garden with coffee and books and, at the end of the day, we had sundowners on the shore of the lake before cosying up to the wood burner. And then there’s the lakeside sauna! On our last evening, we strolled through the forest to a Scandinavian inspired cabin in the woods. Perched on stilts, the sauna towers up among the trees and is complete with a cold water plunge pool for cooling down. After three nights we left Fernwood Farm and our little Studio feeling rejuvenated.
Fernwood Farm, Clifden, Co. Galway
If you fancy staying a little closer to the sea, the couple also have two quayside properties in Roundstone.
Bia Blas, where should I eat nearby?
Stretching from Galway Bay to Killary Fjord, the Connemara Coast boasts some of Ireland’s finest food offerings. From Michelin starred restaurants to quirky food trucks, the Bay Coast has it all. With oysters grown in the pristine waters of Ballinakill Bay and an abundance of organic market gardens and farms, chances are you will have travelled further than the produce!
I could write an entire post on where to eat in Galway, but I’ll narrow the ever-growing list to our absolute favorites:-
Galway City: when passing through the vibrant city of Galway check out Kai, Ard Bia, Aniar, Sheridan’s Cheese shop and wine bar and Coffeewerk + Press.
Oughterard: this cute village is the gateway to Connemara so you get to try My Little Flower’s great coffee on route to Fernwood Farm (lucky you!) and see why it made the Indo’s 10 best coffee shops in Ireland! While you’re there, stock up on supplies at Sullivans Country Stores.
Galway-Clifden road: hidden off the main road to Clifden, 11 stunning acres of wildflower meadows, ancient woodland and Celtic gardens can be found at Brigit's Garden. They also have a café surrounded by flowers and the scents of the gardens that cater for everyone. They have great vegetarian and vegan options.
Clifden: visitors are spoilt for choice in Clifden, but our go-to place is The Lamplight , a little wine bar with delicious small plates and an excellent selection of organic and biodynamic wines. For a more casual evening, Fadó serve woodfired pizzas from their food truck and Oifig an Fish is Clifden’s seafood gem (and frequently named one of the best places to eat in Galway.) For supplies, stock up at the Connemara Hamper and Coyles.
Cleggan: this little fishing hamlet is home to the coolest chipper on the west coast. Little Fish is the brain child of Eva Caulwell and Tom Mullan. If you were lucky to catch their pop-ups, Báidin and Gorse at the Clifden Boat Club in recent years, you know you’re in for a treat. Housed in a simple but painfully cool spot that backs onto the harbour, Little Fish serves catch of the day fresh from the boat along with creative vegetarian and vegan options accompanied by local IPAs and organic wines.
Inishbofin: ever seen a London double decker bus on an Atlantic island? Inishwallah is our main reason for taking the crossing to Inishbofin, a beautiful island off the coast of Galway. Parked outside the family’s home with views out to the sea, Inishwallah is the food child of Kartika. Hailing from a Keralan family, Kartika was born in Tennessee and met her Inishbofin husband while living in New York. The couple returned to the island several years ago and set up this amazing food truck housed in a London bus in their garden. Don’t miss the sweet potato pakoras or panko breaded pollock tacos.
Killary: The Misunderstood Heron continues to be one of our favourite food trucks in Ireland (check out the rest of the list here.) Perched on the shores of Killary Fjord, it has the best views in the country. Created by husband and wife team, Reinaldo and Kim in 2017, the couple set about changing the Irish street food scene when they returned from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Using fresh and local ingredients such as mussels farmed right in the fjord below, Kim and Reinaldo make sure that the The Misunderstood Heron lives and breathes their motto ‘fresh, local, never conventional’. Drive through Connemara’s untamed landscape to this incredible spot and order the stuffed empanadas, salmon with home fermented pickles or parsley and coriander falafel. Plunk yourself down at a picnic table on the slopes of the valley and drink in the sea views. It is no wonder that this award winning chuckwagon was named one of the coolest food trucks in the world by Lonely Planet.
Letterfrack: it doesn’t get fresher or more sustainable than oysters straight from the sea. DK Connemara Oysters on the outskirts of Letterfrack host regular tours of their aquaculture farm. Learn how oysters are seeded and harvested as well as how to shuck them. At the end of the tour, owner David encourages you to taste these delicacies. Feel free to stock up and buy half a dozen to take away. When in the area, make sure you stop by Paddy Coynes for a Guinness and the friendliest service (you might also get a visit from Brat the cat.)
Sa chomharsanacht…
Who needs the Cyclades when you can island hop off the west coast of Ireland.
From the famous Aran Islands and unique Omey to the unspoiled archipelagos and islets to the west of the Ceathra Rua, Connemara’s outcrops lie in the heart of the Wild Atlantic Way. But there is one island that keeps drawing us back!
Famed for its wildlife and music festivals, Inishbofin is an island with a difference. By focusing on sustainable tourism, the island has been designated a Special Area of Conservation. Only a short ferry crossing from Cleggin, the Island of the White Cow is best explored by foot or bike (hire bikes at the pier E15.00 a day.)
Hike or cycle the island stopping at Inishwallah for lunch followed by a pint of White Cow (brewed on the island) and a trad-session in Murray’s. For a dip, head to the east coast where two Green Coast Award beaches offer sheltered bathing spots. Our favourite is East End Bay where Fishermen’s cottages line the shore and is now home to Sauna Bò Finne. Dolphins regularly make an appearance during the crossing so keep watch.
Dive into Connemara!
With clear water and pristine beaches, the Bay Coast has some of the best swimming and diving spots in Ireland. Looking for beautiful places for a safe dip? Check out our list of Ireland’s best sea swimming spots. If you want to go deeper, the crystal waters, seagrass meadows and ship wrecks makes Killary a perfect spot for scuba or free diving. Next to the stunning Glassilaun Beach, Scuba West is a PADI 5 Star Dive Centre that offers everything from discover snorkeling to drift diving.
Discover the Twelve Bens
Described by Oscar Wilde as a “wild mountainous country” there’s no better place to lace up your boots. Connemara National Park covers 2,000 hectares of scenic mountains, expanses of bogs, grasslands and woodlands and is home to the Twelve Bens (Beanna Beola) range. Get spectacular views from the top of Benbaun, Bencullagh, Benbrack or Muckanaght. Although the mountains in Connemara are not very high, they are challenging due to the terrain and lack of formal trails or paths. If you'd prefer a more straightforward hike, there are four walking trails in the National Park, the most impressive being Diamond Hill which provides breathtaking views over Mannin Bay.
For a gentle but no less interesting walk, visit the Alcock and Brown landing site where British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Brown made the first non-stop transatlantic flight in June 1919, a feat that changed the course of aviation history. This beautiful walk through a remote bog leads to two memorials that commemorate not only the famous landing site, but the location of Marconi’s first transatlantic radio station from where Alcock and Brown transmitted their success to London.
