Ailwee Cave and Birds of Prey Centre

It was another really beautiful day today - and a proper sunny Sunday in February demands nothing less than a trip to the beautiful Burren. We recently spent a fiver's worth of Tesco clubcard vouchers on a €20 token for the Ailwee caves in north Clare and today seemed like the perfect day to use them. My favourite part of any day trip to this part of the country is - no competition - the drive from Kinvara to Ballyvaughan. On a sunny day the Burren hills to the left look almost purple, Galway Bay on the right is the kind of blue found in Mediterranean travel brochures, the houses dotted around look like Lego creations and the views are just breathtaking.

The Ailwee Cave is set on a large site with enough to occupy a family or group of any age for at least several hours. We buy a combined ticket for the Bird of Prey centre and the cave, costing us an extra €14 on top of our token. By the time we arrive it is nearly midday and we head straight to the Bird of Prey Centre where we take a walk around the owls, hawks, buzzards and other birds, who eye up Girl like a particularly rare feast they might partake in if we would only turn away for a moment (we don't). Soon it is time for the flying display and we sit on wooden benches facing a truly beautiful backdrop of Ailwee Mountain. B and I have been to Disney-type bird shows before, but this is quite different. There are only three birds shown - an owl, an eagle and a falcon. Although the birds do fly for the reward of some unspecified furry looking titbits (and I'm sure I saw some toes too), they do not perform "tricks" and the atmosphere is one of education and caring for the birds. The speakers are knowledgeable and friendly. They encourage questions and there is even an opportunity for older children (fine, and me) to have a rather friendly eagle perch on a leather-gloved arm. Both babies really enjoy the show, despite its length and lack of pizzazz and Boy spends the next hour or so asking "where's the owl?" Or he might be saying "where's Elmo?". Sometimes it is hard to tell. We leave shortly before the end of the show, as both babies are reaching the end of their patience.

There is a charming but steep woodland walk up to the cave, but we decide to take the car up so as to reach the top before closing time next Friday. We don't have long to wait for the next cave tour. The tour lasts around 30 minutes, and buggies are not allowed. A guide takes us along the first part of the loop, then lets us find our way back ourselves. The cave is interesting, but not spectacular. While there are stalagmites and stalactites, waterfalls and a few bones, there are better examples of these features in other showcaves in Ireland (e.g. Crag Cave in Co Kerry). Nevertheless, Boy really enjoys the cave. He walks most of the tour himself and stays in good humour long past his nap time. Girl falls asleep in B's arms.

Once the cave tour is finished we head back into the sunshine. Boy tries to drag us up the Ailwee mountain itself. Sadly Girl is now awake and yelling and B's arms have lost all feeling so we have to cut the walk very short. This was a pity as it was such a beautiful day and there is a lovely mountain path with truly stunning views. We leave vowing to come back and climb the mountain again when the babies are a little older. We stop at the farm shop on the way out, but despite promises of homemade fudge and award winning cheese, the shop is closed, so we head home munching some award-free, mass produced apple rice cakes instead. The Ailwee Cave is best enjoyed as a fine weather day out, and while the site has a few more attractions during summer (like a kiddies' train ride), we felt it was worth coming in the off-season to avoid the huge crowds of tourists that flock here in summer. We understand why they do, though.

Bunratty Castle and Geocaching

We decided to test out Boy's swanky new car seat today by taking a spin down to Bunratty Castle in Co. Clare. This is a lovely day out for all ages, though to be honest we rarely set foot inside the actual castle. The best part for us - especially on a sunny day like today - is the Folk Park where 19th Century  life is recreated with cottages and a typical village street.

It is easy to spend a whole day wandering around Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, but at this time of year it is very quiet and not as much atmosphere as there is during the busier months. The cheaper entry fee reflects this. A Shannon heritage family membership is a true bargain - currently only €100, a membership includes admission and parking to all 7 Shannon Heritage sites as well as a 10% discount at the giftshops and tearooms and discounted admission for guests. Membership is valid for 12 months from date of purchase. Since we know we can come back at any time, we let Boy lead us where he wants to go (straight to the tea room, naturally, which was closed, followed by any muddy puddles he can find) and leave happily before an hour is up as he is clearly ready for a nap.

The babies enjoy looking at the animals -ducks and geese roam freely, and horses, pigs and other animals can be found round each corner. Boy is always especially enamoured by the old schoolhouse. I think it's the sound of his feet on the old wooden floorboards, and he loves to sit at the old desks. I hope he loves school this much when it is no longer optional. There is also a doctor's house, drapery, printworks and grocer among the many buildings, but most of these are closed for the winter season. In summer the shops open and you can actually buy bits and pieces in most of them (including the pub!). Halfway up the village street we bump into a friendly man taking the Bunratty Irish Wolfhounds on a stroll. These dogs are HUGE but so gentle and friendly that the babies don't bat an eyelid. The man stops to chat and gives us the lowdown on these fabulous hounds and their history. There is a lovely wooden playground too, but Boy is happy to leave before we reach it.

Somebody asked me about geocaching yesterday, and I realised we haven't been on a cache hunt for months and months. On consulting the iPhone app we discover a quick cache just a few hundred metres from the entrance to the castle, and stop to find it on our way in. I will definitely write about geocaching in more detail another day, but now I'm off to dream about Irish Wolfhounds and toddlers who don't think rolling in mud is the height of a cultural day out.