City Escape From Dublin: Burtown House & Kitchen Garden Farm.

Scenic country garden walks, delicious organic food, an on-site art gallery and ample opportunity for peace and tranquility, Burtown House has it all plus it’s only a stones throw from the capital.

Located 40 minutes outside of Dublin, in Athy – Burtown House is one of Kildare’s best kept secrets making it a worthy day trip from Dublin!

*Content is not sponsored.

It is rare to find one of these houses still in possession of the descendants of the family that built it. Burtown is one of those treasures, passed down through the generations and still very much a family home. – The Knight of Glin & James Peill: The Irish Country House.

What’s on Offer?

Spend the day and amble through the lush gardens, parklands and farmlands, enjoy exterior views of the Georgian House, visit the artisan food shop and retail area complete with gallery, dine in the organic Green Barn Restaurant or linger longer with a stay in the stunning stable yard accommodation!  The house is home to four generations of the Fennell family with the estate run by husband and wife duo James and Joanna Fennell.

Opening Times:

The house is an 18th century Georgian villa built by the Quakers in 1710. It is not open to the public however the garden area is (for a fee) as is the on-site restaurant The Green Barn.

TOP TIP: Upon eating at the restaurant, entry to the gardens is available at a reduced rate of  €5.00.

The gardens are typically open February – December.

Wednesday: 11-5.30pm

Thursday: 11-5.30pm

Friday: 11-8pm

Saturday: 11-8pm

Sunday: 11-6pm

Bank Holiday Mondays: 11-6pm

Directions:

Just 40 minutes from Dublin in Athy, Co. Kildare – see the Burtown House website for details or call them on: +353 59 8623865 or from Ireland: 01 8623865.

Foodie Notes:

The decor of The Green Barn Restaurant has an “indoor meets outdoor” vibe with a New England twist. Being a lover of New England and “Scandi” style decor, I felt right at home dining here. The structure’s interior decor is Scandinavian in nature, evident in the old Scandinavian Barn style appeal. Rustic textures combine with high beam ceilings and a wall of windows to bring a light and airy feel to the space, whilst the sage green colour palette, soft artificial light and differing wooden elements bring a rich cosiness and balance to the space, beckoning guests to linger longer.

What to Expect?

Farm to Fork: The freshest seasonal produce almost always direct from the organic country kitchen garden every morning. The menu changes regularly, reflecting what’s going on in the garden. Unpretentious, honest, cosy, home-style cooking is what to expect and what they do best at the Green Barn Restaurant – where their seasonal organic, garden produce is the star of the show.

{Garden Vegetable Risotto: with squash and chard topped with purple kale.}

I’m fussy with risotto.  I’ve had many a shoddy attempt delivered to my table in various establishments, limp and stodgy lacking in flavour…I could go on. This is NOT the case at The Green Barn Restaurant I’m happy to report! Authentic in texture creamy and oozing, full of flavour, packed with fresh country garden vegetables, yet light on the palette – this risotto was simply delectable and a must try if you visit. The Green Barn Restaurant recently achieved the enviable accolade of “County Winner” in the Restaurant Awards 2017 – a worthy winner in my book.

{Pictured: Snack–happy: Homemade plain scone & blackcurrant jam. Note: the detail of butter served on slate only adds to the rustic charm and vibe.}

{Pictured: post lunch view. Taking in the views of the ‘New Garden’ at Burtown House whilst enjoying the late summer sun. 》OUTFIT DETAILS – one of my most worn outfits! SHADES: Guess, JACKET: Penneys, NECK-PIECE: Manley, JEANS: Next, TOP & BAG: H&M, EARRINGS: Accessorize, WATCH: Caravelle New York, SHOES: River Island.}

A Country Kitchen Garden Affair:

The menu in The Green Barn Restaurant is of the ‘Farm to Fork‘ variety as mentioned. Having the unique dining pleasure of peering out upon the very garden from which the food on your plate derives from, is something special. From fresh kale and a variety of cabbages to onions, fresh herbs and old Victorian favourite borage (also known as starflower), the kitchen garden at Burtown House is a plethora of countryside goodness.

{Pictured: view from the restaurant onto the Kitchen Garden at Burtown House.}

{Pictured: an abundance of kale – not just for Halloween time anymore thankfully!}

{Pictured: coutryside scenes. A scarecrow keeps a watchful eye over the lettuce patch.}

{Borage: originally used in Victorian cooking is still in use to this day in the Burtown House kitchen.}

{Pictured: colourful cabbage patch.}

Country Days in Co. Kildare – The Picture Gallery:

{Pictured: Al Fresco dining on the patio at the Green Barn Restaurant.}

{Pictured: the gallery space in the retail area.}

{Pictured: End of a long day, boots are off.}

{Pictured: Wall of lavender, there’s nothing like the scent of lavender carried on the breeze…}

{Pictured: Signs of Autumn – apples primed for picking.}

Prolong your stay!

The Stable Yard House: situated in the courtyard garden area provides accommodation with a minimum two night stay required and is available to book directly or through Airbnb.

TOP TIP: Explore Kildare! Hop in the car and combine your stay with trips to Kildare Village for a spot of retail therapy as well as Newbridge Silverware Museum of Style Icons – named one of Ireland’s Top 5 Visitor Attractions by Failte Ireland, it houses numerous collections and artefacts relating to stars of the silver screen to modern day artists such as Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Kim Kardashian and Princess Diana.

{Pictured: Exterior view of The Stable Yard House guest accommodation at Burtown House.}

{Pictured: Guest accommodation – sun flares and a view through the flowers of the Stable Yard House accommodation at Burtown House.}

I’ll definitely be back to visit Burtown House – it’s my new favourite place! I’m thinking a mini Autumn stay-cation to sample the accommodation is in order. I simply have to try the feast of flatbreads (available Friday and Saturday evenings) as the scent of them wafting through the kitchen garden when we were leaving was uber enticing but alas, we had to get back on the road home. You can be sure I’ll be reporting back when I return for these experiences!

TOP TIP: I highly recommend adding this stunning location to your Autumn itinerary and if you do plan on visiting Burtown House, give yourself a few hours to ramble and explore in the luscious landscape and relax and enjoy the foodie delights.

Don’t forget to tell ’em I sent ya and let me know how you get on by leaving a comment below or catch me on my Social Media channels!  Tweet me: @DublinGail Instagram: @littlegforce or on Facebook: GlamForce Blog by Gail O’Connor.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time…

Gail. x

Photography: © Gail O’Connor.

Travel Diaries: Historic Steam Train Journeys!

The Railway Children:

Recently, I finally got to step back in time and tick something off my ‘travel experiences’ list that is on most fellow train and railway enthusiasts lists – to journey on a historic Steam Train. Not only that, but journey along one of Ireland’s most scenic railway routes along the East coast, so revered for its beauty that it has seen renowned train enthusiastic Michael Portillo take his programme Great British Railway Journeys to Ireland and grace the line with his presence. Armed with his trusty Bradshaw‘s Handbook, as featured on Season 8 of the BBC programme, he featured the Wexford to Wicklow portion of this railway line including the scenic ‘Meeting of the Waters’ in Avoca, Co. Wicklow.

The Excursion: Railway Preservation Society of Ireland‘s: Steam Train Excursion aboard the ‘Sea Breeze’ train.

The Date: Sunday July 9th, 2017.

The Route: Dublin to Arklow Co.Wexford – East Coast Railway Tour.

*Content is not sponsored.

The Railway Children was childhood staple reading material for me alongside the original film with Jenny Agutter which remains a firm favourite. I never fail to watch it any chance I get!

We started the day with copious excitement, meeting the steam train at Dublin‘s Connolly station. I’ve always had a love affair with trains. Day trips (or longer) aboard trains were commonplace childhood traditions for me. I find the “click, click, clack, clack” of the train travelling along the tracks soothing and relaxing, however I was sad to learn that this type of track is gradually being replaced and that the Dublin to Wexford line is one of the last in the country that you can still hear that sound nostalgically reverberating between carriages.

The opportunity to travel aboard the ‘Sea Breeze‘ Steam Train was truly a unique experience and one that will be cherished! I booked the trip as a Father’s Day present, as my Dad has longed to go on a steam train journey for as long as I can remember. My niece and Mom also came along to create some special memories. I’m forever grateful to the staff of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland for giving me VIP Access upon learning that I was Travel Media. The team went above and beyond to accommodate my reporting needs!

{Pictured: footage captured, reporting done – feeling inspired and living my dream of enjoying the incredible views of the Eastern seaboard, aboard the ‘Sea Breeze’ Steam Train.}

Do The Locomotive:

On this ‘all access‘ trip I was treated to exclusive access to several different viewing points in order to record pictures & video without unwanted distractions and background audio in order to get a clear audio of the true screech of a steam train whistle! I also hopped on board the Locomotive to experience what it was like inside, how many operators it fit and get a real feel of the heat inside due to the primed furnace, for myself. Blessed with a rare blisteringly hot day in the sunny southeast, I felt a bit bad for these guys working in such oppressive heat both inside and out!

Check out my video footage on my Facebook page GlamForce Blog by Gail O’Connor and Instagram: @littlegforce for EXCLUSIVE video footage from the day!

{Pictured: Above – Victoriana views from the inside of the Locomotive. Below – Selfie opportunity aboard the Locomotive!}

{Pictured: Locomotive like the Sea Breeze used for our excursion. *Photo courtesy of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland.}

What’s on Offer?

Facilities: are kept to a minimum and include bar and snack services (including some hot food options) and of course lavatories. I had opted to not avail of these services instead opting to bring some snacks from home and available of  a lunch stop at our destination.

There is also a raffle held on board going to and coming from destinations as well as posters for sale.

》NOTE: There is NO overnight availability on these particular excursions however if you’re looking for that option you may like to explore the recently launched ‘Belmond‘ complete with Silver Service it’s Ireland‘s answer to the Orient Express!

{Pictured: images on board the steam train of other locomotives in the fleet}. 

PICTURE THIS!

Picture Gallery: Views to be enjoyed on the Dublin to Wexford Railway Journey!

{Pictured: The infamous chimneys of Poolbeg – an iconic sight dotted on the skyline of Dublin.}

{Pictured: views from the steam train of Ireland‘s Riviera, featuring Killiney Bay & Beach – with Bray head and Greystones in the distance.}

{Pictured: murals featured on the wall at Platform Two of Bray Train Station – erected in 1987 the outcome of a community arts competition won by then student artists John Carter and Jay Roche. The murals depict various eras of Irish History and Irish Railway History from the opening of the train station in the 1852 up to the 1980’s. The murals were recently restored in 2008 and updated from mural to mosaic when it was discovered that lime was seeping into them. Visit Mural to Mosaic to see how the work is progressing.}

{Pictured: views from the steam train along the Bray to Greystones railway route. }

Continuing along the line after the pretty coastal village of Greystones passengers are treated to picturesque views of the Sugarloaf mountain in Wicklow, as well as a glimpse at typical countryside scenes such as hay stacks, sheep, cattle and horses grazing on the Western facing side of the train, topping it off with stunning coastal picture postcard views on the Eastern facing side of the train.

{Pictured: Wicklow’s famed Sugarloaf Mountain as viewed from the steam train.}

{Pictured: the inspiration behind and where Thomas Moore penned, his melody ‘Meeting of the Waters’. This picturesque location is where the Avonmore and beg rivers meet to form the Avoca river – Avoca, Co.Wicklow.}

Destination Pics – The Arklow Arrival:

A very ‘Irish’ welcome greeted us at Arklow train station – sign reads welcome in  the Irish language or ‘as Gaeilge’.

{Pictured: Arklow station – luggage weighing scales from times gone by.}

{Pictured: View of train from outside the station walls showing it’s steam capacity.}

Destination Arklow:

Named after Ardwell, a 9th century Viking warrior leader the town of Arklow was first established as a settlement 2000 years ago. Arklow is halfway between Dublin and Wexford and is nestled at the foothills of the Wicklow mountains and is set around the estuary of the Avoca river. Another fun fact: Arklow is identified as a port on Greek geographer Ptolemy’s 2nd century map of Brittania.

From Arklow you have access to some of the best beaches on the East coast, plus a range of B&B’s and hotels were you can retire after a day exploring the stunning surrounding countryside in the area. The Maritime Museum is a huge draw within the town also, not surprising, considering the town’s long maritime history. Visit Arklow.ie for more information.

We had about 2 and a half hours to explore the town of Arklow before our return journey to Dublin. After several stops for photo opps, (of course!) we chose to eat in Darcy McGees upon recommendation from a passenger on the train and Tina of the RPSI. The pub was buzzing and servings were generous, I recommend the half portion option! The food was good, typical pub grub offerings and the establishment was busy with local and visiting trade – always a good sign.

We followed our meal with a visit to a small local shop for a ‘99′ ice–cream and to indulge in some goodies for the train journey home.

The RPSI run several excursions throughout the year which book out fast! In case you missed it: I’ve linked the RPSI website above.

It is worth noting: expect delays from time to time. We were delayed leaving Arklow train station bound for Dublin, for about 40 minutes. The RPSI run these excursions around the daily train timetable of Irish Rail so sometimes delays are beyond their control.

Once again I’d like to thank the RPSI in particular Tina and Pat of the RPSI for their hospitality and VIP access making the trip a truly memorable experience.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Until next time…

Gail. x

Photography: © Gail O‘Connor.

Original Locomotive pic: is © of RPSI as previously stated.

Various location information via: VisitWicklow & Arklow.ie.