Estate Experiences
Estate Walks
Surround yourself with nature as you explore the guest walks located throughout the grounds of our Estate. Our guest walks have been created to allow you to enjoy the scenic aspects throughout the Estate. Many of our walks were created at the time of inception of Killeavy Castle in 1836, while some woodland walks have been created more recently to allow our guests to enjoy the scenic views over Slieve Gullion and the nearby countryside.
Escape life in the fast lane and embrace the silence that nature provides and allow yourself to ‘Get closer to what’s important’.
We have mapped all our guest walks to allow you to make the most of your time. Pick up a map from the Hotel reception and don’t forget to take some pictures and share them with us on our social media channels.
Specialised tours can be provided for groups of four or more. These can be customised by our Blue Badge Walking Guide to learn more about the rich history of Killeavy Castle Estate or the cultural and religious connections of Killeavy and Slieve Gullion.
Hikes and Walks in Northern Ireland
Killeavy Castle Estate is your gateway to Slieve Gullion and the Mourne Mountains. Explore some of the finest landscapes in Ireland, with countless trails, forests and scenic promenades to enjoy.
Step off the Estate onto the lower slopes of Slieve Gullion. The nearby Slieve Gullion Forest Park offers family friendly walks in the Giant’s Lair, as well as a special auditory trail for guests with complex sensory needs.
Cycling
Killeavy Castle Estate is set within some of the most spectacular and beautiful countryside in Northern Ireland. The Estate offers 350 acres of farm and woodland and we have created specific trails for exploring on foot and tracks for exploring by bicycle. Killeavy Castle Estate is set on the Eastern base of Slieve Gullion and is only a 5 minute cycle to the nearby Slieve Gullion Forest Park, which offers additional walking and cycle paths to explore the natural landscape whilst taking in views over Carlingford Lough and Dundalk bay.
Cycling Experiences in Armagh and Down
There is so much to explore and see in Newry and South Armagh, so we have put together a map of our favourite routes for you to find your way to local attractions and to give you some further guidance for your cycling experience. Make the most of your day and take in the breath-taking scenery and rediscover the land of history. Why not include a packed lunch from the Hotel to keep your energy up throughout your trip? Please ask at Reception for more details.
For those residents who have not brought a bike with you, you can easily hire an e-bike or mountain bicycle from our selection of bicycles. Just ask a member of the reception team for more details.
Traditional Bike Hire
We recommend Cube’s Trail Motion bikes which are all about more control, more comfort and more fun. For the Stereo 120 HPC TM 29, Cube have built a completely new carbon main frame, incorporating all the features that make our Stereo 120 so popular - Agile Trail Geometry, covered rocker pivots, sleek lines and assured handling - in a new, lighter and stiffer format. Great for the challenged user to access the nearby forest roads.
Electric Bike Hire
We recommend the CUBE Compact Hybrid for gentle forest tracks, country roads, urban adventures and absolutely loads of Fun. Electric Assist Bikes are only legal for riders 14 years and older. The brand-new Compact Hybrid is something different – a purpose-built, small-wheeled Bosch e-bike that's designed to slot easily into anyone's life, reducing the need to travel by car and, well... just making things simpler. Because simpler is good, right?. Built around a one-size-fits-all frame and compact 20in wheels, it doesn't take up much room but adapts easily to any rider thanks to easily adjustable handlebar and saddle positions. The step-through frame design makes it easy to get on and off, and Bosch's Active Plus drive unit and 500Wh battery gives a smooth, quiet and completely hassle-free boost to your pedalling.
Cycling Experience Rates
Hire rates are based on a daily hire rates
We have a selection of adult Electric Bikes available for hire at £35 per day / £20 per half or £60 for two days.
We have a selection of adult Mountain Bikes available for hire at £25 per day / £15 per half day or £40 for two days.
Includes
1. Helmet – must be worn at all times by the rider
2. Accessories pack – of a lock, tool, tube and pump
3. Electric Assist Bikes come with 1 full charge – for hires beyond 6h, we supply a charge cable within the accessories pack.
Optional
1. Damage Waiver – accidents happen! Protect against accidental damage to the bike with our Waiver Scheme - highly recommended for peace of mind – doesn’t include loss/damage to accessories including the use of the spare tube.
2. Packed lunches – are available but are subject to 24 hours pre-booking.
Cookery School
Discover the thrilling world of gastronomy and experience the satisfaction of creating delectable dishes from scratch. Our extensive range of cooking classes caters to a variety of interests, whether you have a passion for Italian cuisine, dream of becoming a baker, or want to explore new flavours.
You will have the privilege of learning from the expertise of Darragh Dooley, the Executive Head Chef of Killeavy Castle Estate, and be amazed by the informative and delightful cooking classes. All cooking classes take place in our Walled Garden Studio at Killeavy Castle Estate from 6pm to 9pm, a picturesque and charming setting for an unforgettable cooking class experience of culinary delights.
Upcoming Cooking Classes at Killeavy Castle Estate
Beef, Lamb and Chicken Cooking Class
Join Executive Head Chef, Darragh Dooley for this interactive session that covers techniques for preparing beef, lamb, and chicken dishes, as well as butchery skills. Whatever your level of experience in the kitchen, our cooking class caters to everyone.
Enjoy the stunning surroundings of the estate while learning new recipes and techniques from Chef Darragh. You will be guided through different cuisines, cooking methods and ingredient selection, providing useful tips and tricks to enhance your culinary skills. At the end of each class, you will have the opportunity to sample your creations and enjoy a meal with other participants. It's a fantastic way to meet new people who share your passion for cooking. Don't miss out on this unique and delicious experience.
16 October, 6pm to 9pm | £50 per person | Book Now
Vegetarian Cooking Class
Experience an exciting and interactive vegetarian cooking class and discover new recipes and culinary secrets. Our experienced chefs will guide you through the preparation of various vegetarian dishes using vegetables from our walled garden.
Learn how to prepare healthy snacks and salads while also discovering techniques for preserving vegetables, such as making chutneys and pickling and curing. With hands-on cooking, you will leave with newfound knowledge and culinary confidence. These in-person cooking classes are perfect for all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned chefs. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to expand your culinary horizons and indulge in a memorable cooking experience.
13 November, 6pm to 9pm | £50 per person | Book Now
Christmas Dinner Cooking Class
Are you ready to become a master chef this Christmas? Impress your loved ones with a scrumptious holiday feast, and join our in-person cooking event!
Our expert chefs will guide you through preparing a delicious Christmas dinner, from succulent roast turkey to scrumptious glazed ham and flavourful side dishes. Learn the secrets to creating mouthwatering dishes that will leave your family and friends wanting more. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your culinary skills while getting into the festive spirit. Come join us for a fun-filled evening of cooking, laughter, and delicious food at our Christmas Dinner Cooking Class.
27 November, 6pm to 9pm | £50 per person | Book Now
4 December, 6pm to 9pm | £50 per person | Book Now - Sold Out
Forest Bathing
Ann Ward, founder of Xhale has a deep spiritual connection with nature. She inherited her great love of the landscape from her mother, whose birthplace was on the volcanic mountain of Slieve Gullion, nestled in between a number of sacred sites. Ann has practised meditation for over 20 years. As a result, she has created immersive, mindfulness experiences, courses and retreats using the gifts of meditation and the landscape.
Ann is an Accredited Meditation Teacher with the British School of Meditation. Ann is also a Certified Shinrin Yoku (Forest Bathing) Guide and a Forest Therapy Practitioner with the Nádúr Centre for Integrative Forest Therapy. Her teaching practice is drawn from a number of ancient Eastern traditions and contemporary sources including Thich Nhat Hanh and Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Ann has a rich tapestry of experience in health, community development and peace-building, arts, education and private sectors. Personal empowerment is at the heart of all of her work where she offers transformative experiences and programmes tailored for individuals, groups and organisations.
What is Forest Bathing?
Forest bathing is all about getting out into nature, and practising mindfulness while you take in your surroundings. Guided meditation and controlled breathing amongst the sights and sounds of the forest have a number of proven health benefits, including:
Reducing stress,
Improving your mood
Helping you to feel refreshed and relaxed
At the Killeavy Castle Estate, we provide the perfect forest bathing retreat to help you achieve the best results. From unwinding in our onsite woods to enjoying locally foraged produce, our Estate is the perfect place to reconnect with nature.
Testimonials for Our Forest Bathing Experience
A recent participant review... ‘Slieve Gullion is a haven and was the perfect place for this retreat. It was an added bonus that Ann provided a wealth of knowledge about the landscape, a highlight was Ann’s facilitation and enabling me to enter a totally immersive nature experience, nature nourishing body and spirit. It is impossible to single out any one thing as it was the complete package that made it so magical, calming and restorative, warm, glowing, connected, secret smile and supported. I particularly loved using the senses to explore nature and concentrating on one sense at a time allows me to experience aspects of nature in finer detail. Ann, I can’t thank you enough for enabling me to be on this wonderful immersion in nature and a deep reconnection that I was so overdue. Thanks for bringing relaxation, calmness and mindfulness back to me again, I needed it!’ Mary from Belfast.
Nature Retreats at Killeavy Castle Estate - Rest, Reconnect and Re-energise
This restorative relaxation break is an opportunity for you to totally switch off, slow down and reconnect with nature. You will experience the Japanese wellness practice of Shinrin Yoku/ Forest Bathing and take home a taste of the landscape as well as the special holistic benefits of the practice.
Our nurturing, nature retreats take place in the majestic setting of Killeavy Castle Estate, within 350 acres of woodland and farmland. This is nestled at the foot of the volcanic mountain of Slieve Gullion within the magical Ring of Gullion, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Our Restorative Relaxation Break includes:
Relax for 2 nights within the forest environment, in a superior room at the boutique Hotel at Killeavy Castle Estate
Enjoy homegrown, local and seasonal produce during your dining experience which has a farm-to-fork ethos
Two-course lunch on arrival and on day two
Seven-course Taste of Killeavy Dining Experience on the first evening
Three-course dinner in the bar on the second evening
Two leisurely breakfasts on days two and three
Day One
After lunch, your Holistic Guide, Ann, will welcome you to your first two-hour forest immersion. She will offer you a number of creative invitations including mindfulness meditation, to support you to deepen your connection with nature through your senses.
Forest Bathing/Shinrin-Yoku is an evidence-based wellness practice which evolved in Japan as a stress prevention intervention. Two hours in the forest boosts your immunity for up to ten days. It also boosts mood, energy and nurtures creativity. You will taste this special landscape during a tea ceremony as part of this experience in the forest with tea specially prepared with herbs and plants from the Estate.
Then time to chill out before your dinner. Enjoy the Hotel’s complimentary thermal facilities or enjoy the tranquillity of the beautiful grounds of the Estate.
Day Two
After a leisurely breakfast, Ann will invite you on your second forest bathing immersion. Ann will continue to support you to switch off, allowing your mind to rest and deepen your connection with nature. You will experience more of the holistic gifts of this wellness practice.
We will celebrate this immersion with a tea ceremony with a special homemade Estate tea. Relax with a one-hour Spa treatment of your choice, rest in thermal facilities and chill out before dinner
Day Three
After breakfast, enjoy a Forest tea-making workshop with Executive Chef Darragh, using seasonal herbs and flowers from the working farm. Check out from the Hotel and take home with you the gift of mindfulness and holistic benefits of forest bathing.
Upcoming Events in 2023
Autumn: 3 to 5 September | Winter: 5 to 7 November
From £400 per person (prices are based on two people sharing)
Book Now or call +44 (0) 28 3044 4888
Spa Wellness Retreat
Eleanor Steane is a registered Senior Yoga Teacher and Course Director of the Function and Flow Teacher Training Program based at Studio 52 in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, Belfast. Having studied under the guidance of several influential teachers around the globe since 2004, Eleanor is one of Ireland’s most notable teachers and continues to further inspire the next generation of teachers during her teacher training from 2016 onwards.
Alongside her vinyasa flow classes, this mum of two has a deep passion for supporting and empowering students who are preparing for the birthing process and parenthood through her pregnancy and active birth education classes; as of 2022, Eleanor is also a fully qualified Nurturing Birth doula.
Over the past 19 years, Eleanor has breathed life into several yoga studios in Belfast; establishing safe and noncompetitive spaces for practice whilst building a dedicated community of practitioners in the process. She has created and delivered specialist yoga programs for children, women, pregnancy, parenthood and mental health, teacher training courses and continued professional development modules, alongside creative and curated projects with local musicians and DJs to offer something truly unique to the yoga community she belongs to.
Eleanor’s classes combine a deep commitment to the lineage of traditional yoga practice, alongside modern, functional-movement principles, intuitive and adaptive alignment cues, and subtle breath work and meditation techniques.
What is Vinyasa Flow Yoga?
This breath-led experience provides the student with an opportunity to explore imaginative sequences, classical yoga postures, and dynamic transitions in a flowing, creative practice.
Spa Wellness Retreat
We are delighted to offer you this back to nature relaxation experience to help you switch off, slow down and unwind. This carefully crafted package will showcase the very best that our Estate and Slieve Gullion have to offer.
Day One, Revive and Renew
- 11:30am to 12:00pm - Arrive at the Walled Garden Studio and enjoy some nourishing refreshments.
- 12:00pm to 1:00pm - Commence your Wellness Retreat in the Killeavy Castle Walled Garden with a calm and vibrant vinyasa flow yoga practice (60 minutes) that will awaken your entire body in a strong yet soothing way. Gently build strength and awareness with purposeful breathing to leave you grounded, peaceful and refreshed for the rest of your day. You will complete your practice with a guided relaxation.
- 1:15pm to 2:15pm - Delicious buffet lunch in our Walled Garden Studio.
- 2:00pm to 5:00pm - Enjoy your Spa Treatments, a 30-minute back of body massage followed by a 30-minute pro-glow facial. You will then spend 30 minutes in our relaxation room where you will be served a wellness shot, fruit and refreshments.
- 3:00pm - Check in to our luxurious Walled Garden guestroom, keys available from the spa reception.
- 6:00pm to 8:00pm - Enjoy a 4-Course 'Taste of the Estate' dining experience in our 2 AA rosette award-winning Restaurant.
- 8:00pm - Adjourn to the bar or take a relaxing after-dinner stroll.
Day Two, Calm and Connected
- 7:30am to 8:15am - Morning Yoga Practice (45 minutes) with teas, coffee and fruit served upon arrival. Greet the morning with a slow, smooth and gentle practice designed to unravel anything that has become tightly bound physically or mentally. This mellow and comforting flow will help you expand your awareness into any areas you are holding tension, inviting a deep release, so you may move through your day with a calm mind and spacious body. You will complete your practice with a guided meditation.
- 8:00am to 10.00am - Breakfast at your leisure.
- 11:00am - Checkout from the hotel. When we take the time to nurture ourselves, we have so much more to offer. Return home feeling nourished, refreshed and at ease in your body and mind, and notice how that positively impacts everything else.
Please note if you would prefer to have your spa treatments on the day of departure after checkout, please request this when booking.
Please advise of any dietary requirements, medical conditions, allergies or expectant mum when booking.
Limited spaces are available for this option. Yoga mats will be provided if needed.
Upcoming Events in 2023/ 2024
26 to 27 November 2023 | 10 to 11 March 2024 | 26 to 27 May 2024
From £265 per person (prices are based on two people sharing)
Book Now or call +44 (0) 28 3044 4888
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