Outdoor amusements, fantastic camping facilities, music and food festival, historic tours and much more for all the family!

The award winning Westport House & Pirate Adventure Park in Co. Mayo is the perfect destination for family fun, culture and adventure activities. This summer is looking particular bright as Westport House gets ready for the second Westport Festival of Music and Food with a fantastic camping offer, announces exciting new adventure offerings, and hosts the historic Morpeth Roll.

Ireland’s ‘Best Family Visitor Attraction’

There is so much fun to be had for families at the estate’s outdoor amusements in the Pirate Adventure Park.  Kids can take the plunge on the Cannonball Run slide, which will leave them screaming for more, while thrill seekers will give a hearty welcome to the Pirate Queen Swinging Ship and the Pirate Plunge log flume ride. The 8 foot Swan Pedalo Boats are a tranquil treat on the lake and younger children will enjoy the Westport House Express train ride, Gracy’s Bouncy Castle and the Pirates Playground.   For indoor fun at the farmyard, the Pirate Dens soft play area has a dedicated space for babies and big kids alike, while the estate also offers a pitch & putt course, table tennis, pottery painting and even fishing!

Complete your family break with a stay at the caravan & camping park set in the lush grounds of Westport House surrounded by ancient trees with Croagh Patrick and Clew Bay in the background, with free hot showers, electrics, WiFi, recycling, picnic and washing up areas, along with Gracy’s Bar & Restaurant, which has music at weekends.  With a fantastic offering like this it comes as no surprise that Westport House itself was recently voted one of the Best Family Visitor Attractions in Ireland.

The best festival camping experience

One of the most anticipated highlights of Westport House’s events calendar this summer is the return of The Westport Festival of Music and Food which takes place on Sat 29th & Sun 30th June 2013.  The festival will be a two-day celebration of music and food, embracing local and international rock, folk, celtic and acoustic sounds, headlined by Elvis Costello & The Imposters and Imelda May, and joined by a host of other top music acts such as Christy Moore, Ryan Sheridan, Damien Dempsey among others.

Westport House offers an incredible festival camping experience for festival goers.  With hot showers, real toilets, wifi, picnic areas, laundry, and family-friendly facilities onsite, all set against a stunning backdrop, it’s no surprise that camping proved a huge hit with thousands of revellers last year and is expected to be even bigger and better in its second year. Combined festival & camping tickets on sale through www.WestportHouse.ie  only start at €155 per person for the weekend.

The historic Westport House is on a roll for culture seekers

Westport House is one of the few remaining privately owned historic houses in Ireland, which is a huge attraction for those interested in history as you can hear all about the Browne family who have lived on the estate since the 16th Century and the infamous Pirate Queen Grace O’ Malley, who even makes an appearance to tell her story to young history buffs.  A total of 30 rooms are open to the public.

Westport House is also delighted to be hosting the Morpeth Roll from April 20 to May 12. This important piece of heritage dates back to September 1841 when almost 160,000 people – in just a few weeks – signed the roll to say goodbye to the popular Chief Secretary of Ireland, as he returned to England.  It still amazingly remains the largest paper collection of signatures in the world.

There are plenty of great reasons to bring children and visitors for a fun day out or longer to Westport House and Pirate Adventure Park and create long lasting memories.   For full details on activities, tickets and prices visit www.westporthouse.ie .

Adventure seekers will be on a high

Already established as the adventure hub of the West, Westport House’s Adventure Activity Centre is reaching new heights this summer with the introduction of their custom built, never-seen-before in Ireland, high ropes frame, which is a must for beginners and adrenaline junkies alike from June 2013!  Visitors looking for an extra high can try their ZipWire, and after getting into the swing of things, take on more grounded thrills, from, archery, laser combat games, laser clay pigeon shooting and the massively popular custom-built zorbing.  Everyone from eight years and upwards can enjoy the Adventure Activity Centre, which is set in the pristine natural lakeland and parkland setting of the historic House‘s 480 acre estate.