GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND - Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World - page 28

There are over twenty different activities to
choose from, including cycling, canoeing, archery,
hill-walking, rock-climbing and raft-building. You
can sea-kayak around Ireland's only fjord, learn
to surf at Cross Beach and if the weather takes a
turn for the worse, you can scramble up the walls
in the indoor climbing centre. Afterwards you can
soothe aching muscles in the spa, treat yourself
to a therapeutic massage or take a dip in an
organic seaweed bath.
As well as this, the resort has a strong
emphasis on sustainability. The water is sourced
from a spring, it has its own waste-water
treatment plant and the heating comes from
two woodchip boilers that use wood from the
surrounding forest.

033 Rail aNd Sail fRom loNdoN
to dubliN

The schlep across land and sea to Dublin used
to be more of a chore than a holiday. The cold,
trundling train across Wales, the characterless
waiting room at Holyhead and then the slow,
stomach-churning, pitch-and-roll ferry ride
across the Irish Sea. No wonder the no-frills
airlines have had a ball.
But times have changed. You can now travel by
train across the English and Welsh countryside
on a fast, direct service from London Euston
that'll whizz you to Holyhead in just over four
hours. The clean and modern ferry building there
has an efficient check-in system (so you don't
have to haul your bags around the ferry) and the
departure times now tie in with the train's arrival
so there's little time for waiting-room boredom.
What a difference joined-up transport makes
- and it's cheaper than flying too; the return route
from London to Dublin should cost you only a
little more than £50 even if booked at short notice.
The fast ferry across to Dublin takes less than two
hours - just enough time to watch a film in the
on-board cinema or have a meal in the restaurant
before you coast in to Dublin port and head for a
pint of the black stuff in Temple Bar.

Need to know The nearest train station is
Westport, from where the owners can collect you by
arrangement. For directions, rates, local attractions
and details of activities, spa treatments and
accommodation, see W www.delphinmountainresort.
com; T [phone].

035 Go wwoofiNG

There's no such thing as a free lunch, but
thanks to WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities
on Organic Farms) there is such a thing as a
free stay while you help grow other people's
lunch. WWOOF is an international organization
that puts you in touch with organic farms and
smallholdings looking for a helping hand in
return for board and lodging. Often they're run
by people living alternative lifestyles in some
fantastic locations - in the UK you can stay in
a croft in the Outer Hebrides, a commune in
Pembrokeshire and a small farm in the remote
Irish countryside. It's a great way to travel
around on a budget and learn a thing or two
about organic living, but be warned - it's not for
slackers.

Need to know Tickets can be booked via websites
such as W www.raileasy.co.uk or W www.sailrail.
co.uk.

034 aCtioN aNd adveNtuRe
at delphi mouNtaiN ReSoRt,
iRelaNd

It's not unusual to experience four seasons in
one day in the west of Ireland. As they say in
these parts: “If you don't like the weather, wait
a minute.” So it's no surprise that there's an
activity to suit every kind of weather at Delphi
Mountain Resort, an outdoors activity centre in
the Connemara forests in Galway.

Need to know More information on volunteering
opportunities throughout the world at W www.
wwoof.org.