See the world - walk a donkey!

Have you ever lay in bed hitting the snooze button ever 5 minutes for over an hour to avoid going to work, dreaming about your perfect holiday? Me too. Has that holiday ever involved a donkey? Me neither. But believe or not donkey-walking holidays are becoming more and more popular in Ireland!

I was back West a few days ago visiting some equestrian centres I hadn't been to before but heard a lot about. I ended up going for coffee with Bertie Cummins from An Sibin equestrian centre in Whitegate, near Mountshannon in Clare. Bertie runs the Galway Clare Burren Trail and we somehow got talking about donkeys - probably because my dad has a couple at home in Mayo and managed to breed two foals last year. Donkey foals are pretty cute but apart from their aesthetics, their role in Irish life has lessened in importance over the decades.

I told Bertie I had heard that Mary and Hans Clissmann in Wicklow, who run Clissmann Horse Caravans, have started Donkey Walking holidays and it was proving pretty popular, particularly with German guests. A visitor can rent a donkey for a week, load it up with luggage and what not and lead it lazily over the Wicklow Way, staying at different B&Bs every night. It turns out Bertie has been doing the same thing for years! How had I never heard about this, surely the most unique walking experience this country has to offer? Its not hard to see the appeal. A real 'get away from it all,' across Ireland's green hills with a trusted friend.