Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [471]
Millhouse Boutique Hotel ( 041-982 0723; www.themillhouse.ie; r from €200; ) Old-world charm and character blend seamlessly with sleek contemporary design at this luxurious boutique hotel in Slane. Set in a Georgian manor house by the river, this place is a real stunner with 11 guestrooms decked out with four-poster beds, free-standing baths, silks and velvets. There’s a sauna for guest use and evening meals (three-course set menu €43) can be booked in advance. The hotel is 500m downhill from town, right before the N2 bridge.
Old Post Office ( 041-982 4090; www.theoldpostoffice.ie; lunch mains €5-11, dinner mains €14-22; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun & 6.30-9.30pm Wed-Sat) Owned by a couple who worked on the QE2 for seven years, the Old Post Office is a tastefully restored restaurant and B&B with simple menus and honest homemade food. The restaurant features a good choice of pastas, fish and meat dishes, while the four guestrooms (single/double €45/80) are bright and airy with contemporary, neutral decor.
Poet’s Rest ( 041-982 4493; www.thepoetsrest.com; Chapel St; restaurant 8am-10pm Tue-Sat, 9am-5pm Sun, deli 9am-6pm Tue-Sat; mains €10-23, 3-course menu €27.50) Fairtrade and organic foods top the bill at the Poet’s Rest, a deceptively simple little place serving up stylish, modern cuisine in relaxed surroundings. Although succulent meat and fish dishes feature strongly on the menu, there’s plenty of choice for vegetarians, and a mouth-watering array of desserts from the adjoining deli-patisserie – a great spot to pick up the makings for a gourmet picnic.
Getting There & Away
Bus Éireann has four to six buses daily to Drogheda (€4.20, 35 minutes), Dublin (€11.40, one hour) and Navan (€3.90, 20 minutes).
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NAVAN
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You won’t want to waste too much time in Navan, Meath’s main town and the crossroads of the busy Dublin road (N3) and the Drogheda–Westmeath road (N51), but you might find yourself changing buses here.
If you need local information, the tourist office ( 046-909 7069; Railway St; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat) is in the County Hall.
If you’re hungry, head for the Loft ( 046-907 1755; 26 Trimgate St; mains €11-16; 5.30-10.30pm) for a menu of international comfort food, or Ryan’s Pub ( 046-902 1154; 22 Trimgate St; bar food from €5; noon-8pm) for decent pub grub.
Bus Éireann has an hourly service to Dublin (€11.40, 50 minutes) and to Cavan (€11.30, one hour) via Kells (€4.20, 15 minutes).
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AROUND NAVAN
The impressive and relatively intact Athlumney Castle lies about 2km southeast of Navan. It was built by the Dowdall family in the 16th century, with additions made a hundred years later. After King James’ defeat at the Battle of the Boyne, Sir Lancelot Dowdall set fire to the castle to ensure that James’ conqueror, William of Orange, would never shelter or confiscate his home. He watched the blaze from the opposite bank of the river before leaving for France and then Italy. As you enter the estate, take a right toward the Loreto Convent, where you can pick up the keys to the castle. In the convent yard is another motte, which at one time had a wooden tower on it.
There are some pleasant walks around Navan, particularly the one following the towpath that runs along the old River Boyne canal towards Slane and Drogheda. On the southern bank, you can go as far as Stackallen and the Boyne bridge (about 7km), passing the impressive red-brick Ardmulchan House (closed to the public) and, on the opposite bank, the ruins of 16th-century Dunmoe Castle.
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TARA
The Hill of Tara is Ireland’s most sacred stretch of turf, an entrance to