Powerscourt waterfall in Wicklow has got to be one of the most magical days out. A drop down from the Wicklow mountains, into a valley & then a drive up a long tree lined avenue, et voila, a magical waterfall!

One way of continuing the coast route of southern coast of Ireland is to take the ferry from Wexford to Waterford. This saves an inland trip and but more importantly, it's a short, pretty crossing from Passage East over to Passage West.

Christmas lights twinkling up and down the Main St by late afternoon, able to see your own breath every time you speak, wrapping up toasty warm in winter gear and an excuse to eat hot apple pie and custard... what's not to like about this time of year?!

Collecting conkers has become an obsession for Luke & Mollie lately who can't understand why conkers are not available everywhere we go.

Halloween activities have really taken off in Ireland with spookfests for children. Newbridge Demesne in north county Dublin really went for the spooky element in the house & farm much to the delight of Mollie.

Ireland is an absolute haven for watersports. There are loads of sheltered coves & bays along the Irish coastline, totally safe for those learning a new watersport.

Duncannon Fort is the focal point of the harbour village of Duncannon. The fort houses a maritime museum & although we didn't go in as the children are too small to appreciate it, the fort is visible from nearly all points in the village and at the harbour. There is also a working lighthouse within the fort and is one of the oldest of its kind in Ireland.

Tintern Abbey on the Hook peninsula in Wexford is a truly gorgeous place to visit. The ruined Cistercian Abbey is set in a beautiful landscape with a stream running through a woodland forest.

A trip to the Irish National Heritage Park just outside Wexford town makes for a magical day out. Just 1 & half hours south of Dublin it brought us back a step in time over 9000 years to the Stone, Bronze, Celtic, Viking & Norman ages.

The Hook peninsula is located on the southern tip of Wexford and home to Hook lighthouse - a 13th century lighthouse & the oldest operational lighthouse in the world.

It’s never too early to get youngsters excited about the marine environment and children as young as 8 can learn to dive as Bubblemakers. Ireland has some of the best diving in Northern Europe and although too young to scuba dive just yet, Luke & Mollie are regulars at dive sites around the country.

Our free time is spent at the water’s edge with Luke & Mollie insisting on paddling no matter what time of the year! Usually backpacks are involved on a day out as little legs will only go so far on a beach walk or checking out rock pools, but the recent snow meant road closures & no way of getting out & about to explore.