Easter on a Connemara beach / Pâques sur une plage du Connemara
Dream by the stream
and wake up to the sound of the ocean
on your Wild Atlantic Way.
For the second night of our Irish road trip in a camper van, we parked on the edge of Ireland. Clifden ecoBeach Camping & Caravanning Park is about as far west as you’ll ever get in Connemara. Well, apart from a string of rugged islands along the coast.
While driving around the southern shore of Connemara after leaving the Coral Beach, we stumbled upon the excellent Tigh Mheaic (no idea how to pronounce it, sorry!) in Carna, where we had what was to be my birthday lunch.
With the Twelve Bens shrouded in clouds of drizzle, and the prospect of a mountain hike fading by the minute, we made our way to Clifden.
Pour la deuxième nuit de notre road trip irlandais en camping-car, nous avons fait étape tout au bout de l’Irlande. Impossible d’être plus à l’ouest que le camping Clifden ecoBeach, dans le Connemara. A part bien sûr quelques îles et îlots le long de la côte atlantique.
A nous balader sur les petites routes cahoteuses du sud du Connemara après la plage de corail, nous sommes tombés par hasard sur l’excellent pub Tigh Mheaic (aucune idée de la prononciation !), à Carna, où nous sommes passés à table pour un déjeuner d’anniversaire impromptu mais délicieux.
Avec la perspective d’une randonnée en montagne rendue improbable par les nuages de pluie qui voilaient les Douze Pics du Connemara, nous avons pris la direction de Clifden.
Pine Island, on Derryclare Lough, Connemara / L’île aux Pins, sur le lac de Derryclare, Connemara.
Twelve Bens in the rain / Les Douze Pics du Connemara sous la pluie.
Parking in Clifden to go grocery shopping proved challenging, especially as the supermarket only has a multistory car park. We ended up taking the two disabled parking spots in front of the store, oops. Still, for lack of change, we paid more than what was due in parking charge.
At Clifden ecoBeach campsite, owner Chris greeted us warmly, and handed us a sachet of lettuce seeds as a welcoming gesture. Then he showed us to a flat pitch with a view over the Twelve Bens. The acorns immediately started rolling down the grassy sand dunes, and kicking a ball around.
It is wild camping with benefits. There is no playground there, only an exhilarating sense of freedom.
While Brian and I finished my birthday dinner of barbecued steaks, the acorns donned their head torches once again, and headed out of the camper van, and into the darkness.
Se garer à Clifden pour aller acheter quelques victuailles s’avéra plus compliqué que prévu, d’autant que le supermarché ne dispose que d’un parking à étage au plafond trop bas pour le camping-car. Nous avons fini par stationner sur deux emplacements GIC juste devant le magasin, oups ! Par manque de menue monnaie, nous avons payé plus que notre dû à l’horodateur.
Au camping Clifden ecoBeach, le propriétaire Chris nous a accueilli chaleureusement, nous donnant un sachet de graines de laitue en geste de bienvenue. Puis il nous a guidé sur un emplacement plat, avec vue sur les Douze Pics. Les graines de chêne ont immédiatement commencé à rouler sur les dunes herbeuses.
C’est du camping sauvage amélioré. Ici, ni aire de jeux ni animations, juste une sensation grisante de liberté.
Pendant que Brian et moi finissions de dîner (au menu, steaks à la braise), les graines de chêne ont remis leurs torches frontales et sont sorties du camping-car pour s’enfoncer dans la nuit noire.
Surprise!!!
Easter egg hunt
Mermaid wondered whether the Easter bunny would find us for its annual delivery. She needn’t have worried. For the next day, on his way back from washing up the breakfast dishes, Brian spotted something shiny on the campsite’s beach.
The four acorns eagerly strolled off to the beach, each carrying their own little basket, lovingly handmade by their French grandmother a couple of years ago.
The Easter bunny had laid two dozens shiny chocolate eggs on the beach rocks, on the fine golden sand, inside narrow crevices, and beside colourful tufts of thrift.
Chasse aux œufs
Sirène se demandait si le lapin de Pâques réussirait à nous localiser pour sa livraison annuelle. Nul besoin de s’inquiéter. Car le lendemain, Brian, de retour de faire la vaisselle, aperçut quelque chose qui brillait sur la plage du camping.
Les quatre graines de chêne s’en allèrent donc à la plage, avec à la main les petits paniers en osier fabriqués par Mamie il y a quelques années.
Le lapin de Pâques avait pondu deux douzaines d’œufs en chocolat sur les rochers, sur le sable fin, dans des fissures étroites et près de touffes d’œuillets marins roses.
Thrift, or sea pink / Œillets marins (Armeria maritima)
Once the egg hunt was over, Brian spotted a sea slater (Ligia oceanica) moving down to shore to feed at low tide.
Une fois la chasse aux œufs terminée, Brian repéra un cloporte de mer (Ligia oceanica) en route vers le rivage où il se nourrit à marée basse.
Sea slater / Cloporte de mer (Ligia oceanica)
Then the chocolate feast started, first on the beach, then on the grass, and finally in the camper van.
Happy Easter!
Puis le festin chocolaté débuta, d’abord sur la plage, puis sur l’herbe des dunes, et enfin dans le camping car.
Joyeuses Pâques !
Additional information
Clifden ecoBeach Camping & Caravanning Park
Claddaghduff Road
Wild Atlantic Way
Clifden
Co Galway
H71W024
Tel. +353 095 44036 / 087 1267687
Email actonsbeach@gmail.com
Facebook @clifdenecocamping
Recommended to us by Elaine at Craic n’ Campers, Clifden ecoBeach Camping & Caravanning Park is nestled amongst the sand dunes along the western fringe of Connemara, Co Galway. It is Ireland’s first climate-neutral accommodation. Glamping and wild camping-style plots are available between marram grass-covered sand dunes, in an area of scientific interest that is operated on a sustainable and environmental basis, with a zero carbon footprint.
Owned by Chris and family, the campsite spreads over 8 hectares on the shores of the Wild Atlantic Way, with its own secluded private sandy beach, just 10 minutes’ drive from Clifden and 2 minutes from Claddaghduff. All kinds of sea-borne activities are possible, including safe swimming, angling, crabbing, scuba diving, kite surfing, boating and fantastic ‘drift snorkeling’ along the estuary of Streamstown Bay.
En savoir plus
Clifden ecoBeach Camping & Caravanning Park
Claddaghduff Road
Wild Atlantic Way
Clifden
Co Galway
H71W024
Tel. +353 095 44036 / 087 1267687
Email actonsbeach@gmail.com
Facebook @clifdenecocamping
Le camping Clifden ecoBeach nous a été recommandé par Elaine, de Craic n’ Campers, où nous avons loué notre camping-car. Blotti dans des dunes de sable à l’extrémité ouest du Connemara, Co Galway, le camping est le premier hébergement à bilan carbone neutre d’Irlande. Des emplacements de “glamping” (camping grand luxe) ou de camping sauvage y sont disponibles, sur une plaine sablonneuse ondoyante d’intérêt scientifique (dite machair) gérée de façon durable et écologique.
Le camping de Chris et sa famille s’étend sur 8 hectares le long de la Côte sauvage d’Irlande (Wild Atlantic Way), avec sa plage de sable privée, à 10 minutes de route de Clifden et à 2 minutes du village de Claddaghduff. Toutes sortes d’activités nautiques y sont possibles : baignade dans des eaux propres et sûres, pêche à la ligne, pêche au crabe, plongée sous-marine, kite-surf, canotage et descente de l’estuaire de Streamstown Bay avec masque et tuba.
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Love these! Looks like a good time had by all! How did you all manage in tight quarters? DId it work out? <3 #PointShoot
Thanks Lisa! Yes the camper van worked a treat. We all loved it! It can be hard sometimes, but the freedom of going wherever you want, whenever you want, n=more than makes up for it. Thanks for your comment.
What an amazing place to have an Easter egg hunt and an unforgettable Easter! I love reading about your adventures Thank you for linking up to #PointShoot
It definitely was an unforgettable Easter! Thank you for your comment and for hosting #PointShoot 🙂
How wonderful that the Easter bunny found you and left the eggs on that gorgeous beach. And lucky you had those pretty baskets! 😉
We love the bleak, savage beauty of Connemara, and that “Eco camping” sounds very interesting. One to remember for our next trip to Ireland. Thanks!
#adventurecalling
Highly recommend Clifden ecoBeach campsite – it’s a real gem! Thank you for your comment Jonny 🙂
Hi Annette, isn’t the Easter Bunny amazing? It would have been a shame not to have any chocolate eggs to fill those beautiful baskets! I do have a feeling that they weren’t full for very long though! Lovely photos of the Acorns looking for and enjoying their eggs.
xx
Thank you Debbie for this lovely comment! You are so right – the baskets were not full for very long at all!
Wow that Easter Bunny is a clever rabbit getting to that beautiful beach with all the eggs. Looks like it was such a special time. Thanks for sharing on #FarawayFiles
It definitely was an unforgettable Easter egg hunt for the acorns. Thank you Katy 🙂
Sounds like you had a great Easter on the beach and there grandmother is super talented to create those baskets. #adventurecalling
My mum made one basket for each of her grand kids, all eleven of them! They’re so cute, aren’t they?
Adorable photos! The Easter Bunny is quite magical is he/she! #farawayfiles
Thank you Hilary 🙂 S/he is very clever, right? 😉
Most gorgeous easter egg hunt ever! Such a lovely place to explore. Thank you for sharing with #FarawayFiles, Erin
This looks great fun! I would love to have a motorhome to tour around places.
Such a beautiful spot, the scenery on your approach is just stunning and the mist really adds to the atmosphere. Well done to the Easter bunny, a lovely idea for an Easter surprise. Thank goodness the children managed to collect their eggs before a seagull swooped in! Beautiful photos as always to remember a happy adventure.
Thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids
What lovely photos and a very clever easter bunny 😉 !! #countrykidsfun
What a beautiful spot for a campsite, it looks lovely. It looks like everyone had a great time with the easter egg hunt on the beach (that reminds me, I think there’ s some leftover chocolate around here somewhere!) I feel like I’ve learnt something new today as I’ve never seen, or heard of, a sea slater before. Thank you for linking up with #AdventureCalling once again.
Lovely photos, this looks like such a beautiful place and the Easter egg hunt on the beach looks like a lot of fun.
What a fabulous spot for an Easter egg hunt! The acorns look like they had a wonderful time and I’m glad the Easter bunny managed to find them so far away from home. It looks like a spectacular area for a camping trip. Thanks for sharing on #FarawayFiles
Aw this is a stunning post – I love this area; your images are gorgeous. Looks like it was a bit blowy when you were there – the wind can be be gale-force! it nearly blew our car doors off every time we got out. Thanks for this I love anything about Connemara. #FarawayFiles.
What a beautiful spot for a campsite. I’ve never been to the west coast of Ireland and now I’m itching to go. I love that they gave you some seeds on arrival – what a nice touch in keeping with their eco ethos. The beach looks truly stunning too. Thanks for joining us on #adventurecalling