The main problem that I have with holidaying in Ireland is that I always have a tendency to visit places which firmly fall into the category of 'craic'.
Galway, Kilkenny, Westport, Lahinch, Killarney... the list goes on and on and on.
So for this trip the emphasis was strictly on relaxation, although the destination of Newcastle worried me a bit in case it was anything like its English namesake.
Leaving from Drumcondra, I was onto the motorway north in no time and well over the border within the hour, but it seemed strange turning off at Newry and heading out the coast road to Slieve Donard.
It was my first visit to the east coast of Ulster and while I was heading into unknown territories, I have to say, it was only a matter of minutes before I was suitably impressed by the surroundings. It would become a bit of a theme for the remainder of my trip.
There was an inland route to Slieve Donard but it seemed easier, if longer, to travel the coast road. It was worth the extra few kilometres - or should I say miles in this neck of the woods - as the views were spectacular.
In fact, I was tempted to park up in Warrenpoint as the town, with its beautiful bay, looked like it had all the ingredients necessary for a few days of healthy living. The canoeists swanning around on the glass-like Carlingford Lough were a particular source of envy.
Now I might have been getting a bit carried away with the scenery as I drove through, but the lush green hills falling into the deep blue water wouldn't have looked out of place in the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy.
The town of Newcastle is located at the base of Slieve Donard in the Mourne Mountains and the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa sits majestically at the top of the town looking out over the endless strand and the Irish Sea beyond.
The Victorian era hotel stands in six acres of private grounds and was originally built by the Belfast and County Down Railway as an 'end of line' luxury holiday destination.
It was one of the most majestic hotels of its time and, following a recent major £15m development, extension and refurbishment, the Slieve Donard is again back up there as one of the finest and most luxurious hotels in Ireland.
It was just after lunch when I checked in, so I had plenty of time to explore before my appointment at the Spa where I was booked in to get me into the right frame of mind for my two-night stay.
There was a wide range of activities on offer, tennis, yoga, swimming, cycling, jogging and even archery... not to mention a good old-fashioned hike up and down the adjacent mountains.
I was staying in the Slieve Martin suite on the fourth floor. The views were spectacular looking out across the town where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea - I had to get that line in somewhere or a certain Mr Percy French would be very upset, I'm sure.
A huge bed took up most of the sleeping quarters, while the living area was both spacious and homely. The built-in gas fireplace would make for a very cosy stay in winter but fortunately wasn't required for this visit.
The bathroom was so big that it sported a door at either end with a huge standalone bath sitting pretty amongst the splendour.
And while I could easily have lazed all afternoon upstairs in the room, I knew there was even more comfort waiting at the Spa downstairs.
The Spa at the resort was designed in conjunction with ESPA, one of the world's leading spa companies. The Spa is spread over two floors, with an Active Floor on the ground level, which incorporates a stunning 20-metre swimming pool and vitality pool, with adjacent Amethyst Steam Room, Rock Sauna and Drench showers.
A range of post-golf treatments is also included and that all made a lot of sense the following day.
Staying in the present, however, I was soon floating in a sea of tranquillity, and after my treatment I was ushered into the relaxation room where I would stay for the best part of an hour as I 'recovered' from my massage.
The beds in the relaxation room were of the recliner variety, complete with remote control for elevation purposes and headphones with several chill-out music selections. There was reading lights as well but the most energetic thing that I could manage was to sip a glass of iced water and consume one of the complimentary Granny Smith apples.
The evening was spent in the hotel’s fantastic Oak Restaurant. And while the emphasis was still on healthy eating, I thought it would have been disrespectful to the chef not to get a bottle of Australian Shiraz to accompany the fine food that was served up throughout the evening.
I was back in the restaurant the next morning for a monster breakfast, which was a necessity ahead of what was planned for the rest of the morning, and as it turned out, a large part of the afternoon.
So complete with Callaways and appropriate garb, I set out for the next stage of my healthy holiday.
Royal County Down Golf Club is widely regarded as one of the greatest golf courses in the world and is consistently recognised as the best in Ireland.
And as if by coincidence, it backs onto the grounds of the Slieve Donard resort.
I must admit that I was just a bit nervous heading over to the first tee, as it was a long time since I had played a links course.
And looking down the very narrow opening fairway I was close to trembling as I took the cover off my driver.
The first hole ran alongside the marvellous beach in Newcastle and that is precisely where my opening shot landed.
It didn't get much better for the next few holes and I had to check that I had plenty of golf balls in the bag, fearing that I would run out before the 18th hole.
The shaky first few holes were more than compensated by the spectacular views around every corner as the majestic Mournes dominated the skyline and even the unforgiving but beautiful gorse and heather made losing golf balls but a minor inconvenience.
The course really does live up to its name as not only are the surroundings immaculate but the fairways and the greens are first class. Beware the bunkers, though - I had to play backwards out of one.
It took about five hours to complete the course but it was worth every minute. It would have definitely helped to play alongside a member or someone who knew the course, as there are a lot of blind shots to negotiate.
So the best thing that I could recommend if you do have the privilege of playing Royal County Down would be to play it again the next day to really get the most out of the experience.
Speaking to the club professional afterwards, my spirits were lifted to hear that Tiger Woods hit a score in the 80s when he first played the course.
Mind you, he did manage to go around in 64 on his third attempt - the current course record.
Maybe I'll see a similar improvement on my next visit? Maybe not.
Back to the hotel and to the swimming pool and Jacuzzi to soothe the aching bones and repair the damaged self-esteem. It didn't take long; wandering from pool to sauna to steam room and back to the pool, pausing from time to time to marvel at the amazing views outside.
For dinner we plumped for the more informal but equally tasty Percy French restaurant, located at the main entrance of the resort.
The menu seemed like it was designed for guests who have been keeping active and building up an appetite.
The smell of the onion rings wafting through the restaurant on arrival had me convinced that we were going to be well fed. And we were. The apple tart and custard was the perfect way to round off the evening and my visit to the Slieve Donard.
Well, not quite. With the town of Newcastle still unexplored, we ventured down the street and found Quinn's Bar giving away the Guinness for a mere £2 a pint.
It's true. No matter where you go in Ireland, there'll always be a bit of craic guaranteed and with all the healthy living of the previous two days, I'd say it was well deserved.
For more information on the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa visit: http://www.hastingshotels.com/slieve/index.htm or call: + 44 (0) 28 4372 1066.
Royal County Down Golf Club: http://www.royalcountydown.org.
To view a photo gallery of Royal County Down Golf Course go to: http://www.rte.ie/sport/golf/2009/0808/royalcountydown.html.
Ed Leahy
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