The Midlands
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Midlands - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Sort by:
2 Recommendations
{{numTotalPoiResults}} {{ (numTotalPoiResults===1)?'Recommendation':'Recommendations' }}
0 Recommendations
Loading...
-
1. Belvedere House, Gardens, and Park
A stately mid-18th-century hunting lodge with extensive gardens, Belvedere House occupies a beautiful spot on the northeast shore of Lough Ennell. Access to the mansion is through the servants' entrance—so you can see what life behind the scenes was like back then. The interiors are a quirky mix of Georgian stateliness and Victorian charm. The noted bow and Palladian windows have great parkland views sloping down to the lake and its islands. It was built in 1740 by architect Richard Cassels for Robert Rochfort, 1st Earl of Belvedere, and his wife, Mary. She was accused of having an affair with Robert's brother Arthur, which was denied, but she was locked away in the Rochfort's ancestral home at Gaulstown House for 31 years on a charge of adultery. During this time, Robert had considerable work carried out on Belvedere House to make it more homey; one of the most impressive features he commissioned was the rococo plasterwork ceiling by the renowned stucco artist Bartholomew Cramillion. He spent much of his family fortune dotting the gardens of the estate with "follies," including the Jealous Wall, a gigantic mock-castle ruin that served to cover up a view of the adjoining estate, owned by another brother, also hated. It now stands as Ireland's largest folly and is loved by Instagrammers. You can walk around the 160 acres of the estate and 10 km (6 miles) of woodland trails; some walks take you past the Gothic arch folly. Belvedere rebranded its historical interpretation in autumn 2019 to add interactive panels, audio guides covering both the house and grounds bringing history to life in a new way through illustrated characters, and even talking portraits. In the dining room, for example, you can listen to the commentary of the Wicked Earl, known for his extreme jealousy, hosting a lavish dinner party for his friends. Also on the grounds are a café and four children's play areas, which include a zipline and a fairy garden. At the back of the house, look out for the sculpture of King Malachy, the last High King of Ireland, made from the stump of an old oak tree whose story is recounted in the audio tour.
N52, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, Ireland044-933–8960Sight Details
Rate Includes: House and parkland €8 -
2. Lough Boora Discovery Park
This open expanse of once commercial, now exhausted, bog has been restored for a variety of leisure activities, from hiking and cycling to coarse angling and bird-watching (more than 150 species make their home here). When it was first established as a sanctuary in 2001, there were just 11 breeding pairs of gray partridge in the parkland—now there are several hundred of these ground-nesting birds, the last remaining population of them in Ireland. You're unlikely to see them, however, as they spend only one minute of each day in the air. Best of all, Lough Boora is home to one of Ireland's most unique sculpture parks. Along the Sculpture Walk, where golden plovers, lapwings, and starlings may accompany you, 24 large-scale sculptures made from local materials (including glacial stone, water, and willow) have been created by artists influenced by the legacy of the bogs. The result is some of the most creative environmental outdoor artwork anywhere in Ireland. To cite one example, the installation artist Mike Bulfin has turned a rusty old bog train into a cartoonish curve whose image will remain imprinted in your mind long after your visit to this magical place. The most recent sculpture, the Gathering of Stones, features a different type of stone from each of the four provinces in Ireland, creating a ring fort and circular wall. It reflects the Irish diaspora through "emigrant stones" laid out in a cruciform shape embracing people from all corners of the world. A café serves snacks from 10 am to 6 pm. An off-road bike trail runs for 22 km (13 miles). You can choose from five different looped color-coded walks, while guided walking tours run April–September. Bring your binoculars: bird hides are located throughout the park to provide the opportunities to spy on birds such as golden plover and lapwing.
Boora, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Ireland057-934–5978Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free; bike rental €5 per hr, parking €4 full day -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
{{ (numCurrentPage-1)*numPageLimit+index+1 }}.
{{ item.neighborhood }} | {{ item.first_keyword }}{{ item.review }}
{{ item.address }}{{ item.phone[0] }}{{ item.details.title }} Details
{{ item.details.content.toString() }}View Tours and Activities -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
No sights Results
Please try a broader search, or expore these popular suggestions:
There are no results for {{ strDestName }} Sights in the searched map area with the above filters. Please try a different area on the map, or broaden your search with these popular suggestions:
