Situated on the Octagon, right in the centre of Westport, The Wyatt Hotel is named after James Wyatt, a well-known architect of the Georgian period who can be credited with planning this pretty town’s layout. Painted a vibrant yellow and adorned with colourful hanging baskets, the convenient location of this charming boutique hotel is just one of its many merits. Apart from a very warm welcome as recent proud parents of a puppy we were delighted to hear that The Wyatt is pet friendly. We booked one of their specially allocated rooms which have a separate access from the courtyard of the hotel.

The standard of the pet friendly accommodation greatly exceeded all our expectations. Recently renovated, a wooden floor ensured that we weren’t greeted by any doggy odour and the double patio doors opening out onto the courtyard left the room bright and airy.

We dined in JW’s Brasserie in The Wyatt and availed of their superb deal of €60 for a three-course meal for two including a bottle of wine. The food was locally sourced, very tasty and portions were generous – always a major consideration to my other half, still a growing young fella as he claims. There was also a great bit of craic to be had in the Cobbler’s bar.

The 2015 sale is now on with B&B rates from €22.50/person midweek and B&B with dinner from €49/person. Visit www.wyatthotel.com

The sky is the limit

Although I have visited Westport on many occasions, I have never taken the time to visit Westport House and its grounds.

Situated in the town itself, the grounds of this stately home cover a massive 480 acres, with a campsite and adjoining facilities, as well as an adventure park for the little ones and a wide range of adventure pursuits for kids of all ages, ranging from zorbing and archery to zip-lining.

In a moment of madness, we opted to have a go at the Sky Challenge high rope course operated by The Adventure Islands. We were greeted by the cheery instructors, who fitted us into our harnesses and explained the safety procedures whilst attempting to calm our nerves. The course is set in the midst of the forest and includes 26 suspended obstacles that are broken down over three levels, the first of which starts three metres in the air, with the level of difficulty increasing with each elevation.

I found my knees shaking at the start, but my confidence grew as I kept reminding myself to trust my harness and be a brave girl. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it and found particular amusement in watching my husband attempt to manoeuvre across one of the obstacles, which the instructor explained reminded many of the mothers who had attempted it of being placed in stirrups. Definitely a good thigh burner.

The challenge ends with a zip line through the trees and a free-fall jump, which was my favourite part (how brave I became).

I’d recommend this activity to stags/hen parties, families or perhaps for work team-bonding days. For those who have no wish to embrace their inner adrenaline junkie, there are fabulous walks around the grounds as well as guided tours of the house itself during the tourist season.

Sky Challenge takes 90 minutes and costs €22/adult or €18/child.Opening times: Easter school midterm break, weekends in June and daily from 1 July-30 August. For further information, visit www.theadventureislands.com. For information and opening hours for Westport House, visit www.westporthouse.ie

On your bike

If you want to take in the best views of the stunning landscape of Co Mayo, try out the Greenway cycling track.

The longest off-road cycling and walking trail in Ireland traversing the disused Westport to Achill railway track, The Great Western Greenway provides 42km of traffic-free cycling with easily some of the best views in Ireland.

Cycling the Greenway has been made very simple by several bike hire companies. Clew Bay Bike Hire has locations in Westport, Westport Quay, Newport, Mulranny, and Achill, and provides bikes, maps and all the gear needed for the cycle. They also have tag-along carts for kids and electric bikes for those who need a helping hand, making it a great option for the whole family.

You and your bike can be dropped to your starting point of choice, so all you have to do is cycle home. We collected our bikes in Westport and were dropped out to Achill as we wanted to do the full route – though if you get tired en route you can get picked up from a number of collection points.

With views of the peak of Slievemore as well as the rugged Atlantic coastline, you’d wonder where else in the world you would rather be. We stopped off at the 13km point in the Mulranny Park hotel for a tea break and took in the spectacular elevated views of the beach below. Jumping back on the bikes again to take in equally gorgeous views of Clew Bay and numerous islands, we stopped at the halfway point along the Greenway at Nevin’s pub for a delicious bowl of chowder and a well-earned cider. All that cycling is thirsty work.

Clew Bay Bike hire is open all year round. Half-day bike hire is €15. Full-day bike hire including shuttle service is €22.50. For further information, visit www.clewbaybikehire.ie

For further information about Westport, visit www.destinationwestport.com