The phrase ‘getting nowhere fast’ can often apply to modern life — the frenetic pace of work, family, socialising and finding a balance between it all can often lead to us running around in circles.

So perhaps it’s time to be ‘getting somewhere slow’ — stepping back for a few days and immersing ourselves in our surroundings can help us to remember what’s most important.

That’s the concept behind Slow Adventure Tourism, which has really taken off (at a gentle pace of course) in Leitrim in the last year.

It’s part of a wider European project called Slow Adventure In Northern Territories — also including Scotland and the Scandinavian countries — which seeks to promote tourism that helps people reconnect with nature and learn more about their local environment.

And Leitrim is a perfect partner for the initiative as it flies a bit under the radar in terms of tourism — meaning its wealth of waterways, woodlands and walking trails remain relatively untrodden.


I headed up to Leitrim for a couple of nights with my family to explore this concept for myself and it was certainly an eye-opener in terms of what this county has to offer.

We were based in Drumshanbo right in the heart of Leitrim, which of course has gained prominence in recent times thanks to its world-renowned Gunpowder Gin.

First on our itinerary was a leisurely family cycle on e-bikes along the Shannon Blueway with Electric Bike Trails. The Blueway is an innovative alternative to the Greenways trails you can find around the country.

With my two-year-old and five-year-old strapped into a double buggy behind me, we set off from Acres Lake in Drumshanbo, host to Ireland’s first floating boardwalk, a winding contraption delightfully nicknamed ‘the Snake in the Lake’.

It rained (naturally) but I can’t remember a more scenic cycle — we travelled along the Lough Allen Canal just over 6km to Battlebridge Lock where it joins the River Shannon.


The kids loved it as well — especially letting me do all the work — though children’s bikes are available for older little adventurers. Our guide Seamus was also a wealth of information about the area such as local landmark Sliabh an Iarainn (aka Iron Mountain — very Game of Thronesy) which has a rich industrial heritage.

Fuelling up with a ‘slow food’ lunch here, local food is prepared using local ingredients) at the Sweet Geranium Cafe, we headed for a family canoe trip.

Also starting at Acres Lake, we hopped in to our canoes and set sail down the canal which we had already passed by on our bikes — giving us a very different perspective of the route.

Whitewater rapids it is not — but definitely still ‘rapid’ in its own way, if indeed kids these days are still using that word. Our guide Adrienne from Adventure Gently expertly steered our course, keeping the kids amused as well — they especially enjoyed the screaming under a bridge like a troll and being given miniature fishing rods to try and land a catch.

At one point we stopped for tea and coffee in a ‘secret’ canal with not another soul in sight and the blissful solitude really drove home the point that Slow Adventure Tourism is trying to make.


After our action-packed yet still serene day, we returned to Lough Allen Hotel in Drumshanbo, where we stayed during our visit (or ‘slowjourn’ as I like to call it).

The hotel has an idyllic lakeshore setting and is ideally located for travelling in the Drumshanbo area or further afield in Leitrim, being just 14km from the town of Carrick-on-Shannon.

Its family rooms have more than enough space and the swimming pool, outdoor playground and toy room mean it’s a surefire hit with younger guests.

We were also pleasantly surprised in the bar when asking for a vegetarian option and they brought out an entire separate vegan and coeliac-friendly menu.

Other accommodation choices within Leitrim include those a bit closer to nature too, such as glamping, eco-cabins and shepherds’ huts.

And the experiences range from foraging and bushcraft to touring coal mines to stand-up paddle boarding and surfing on the Wild Atlantic Way.

It’s why — despite everything I thought I’d learned — we won’t be slow to return.


FACT FILE:

Where to stay - Lough Allen Hotel in Drumshanbo is the perfect place to base yourselves while in the county - plenty to do but still peaceful. See - Lough Allen Hotel in Drumshanbo is the perfect place to base yourselves while in the county - plenty to do but still peaceful. See www.loughallenhotel.com

What to do - E-bike tours are available for all ages with Electric Bike Trails. See E-bike tours are available for all ages with Electric Bike Trails. See www.electricbiketrails.com or call 0877386439/0868288747. For canoeing, contact Adventure Gently on 0851821547 or see www.adventuregently.com

More info - For all things Leitrim visit For all things Leitrim visit leitrimtourism.com and to find out more on Slow Adventure Tourism see slowadventure.ie