On foot, by boat or via bicycle, tourists discover natural beauty, an island filled with culture and Irish charm on the Emerald Isle. With a natural blending of the old and new, modern and historic, Ireland offers something for everyone.

- By Pamela Grant

An old Irish proverb says, “Your feet will take you where your heart is.” On the Emerald Isle that could be almost anywhere, because it is so easy to fall in love with the green hills, blue lakes and smiling Irish eyes. However, this island with an ancient history is giving eco-travelers yet another reason to love what it has to offer. It has gone green in a big way.

In fact, Fàilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, has written a handbook for businesses that want to join the national effort to develop eco-tourism as a product of excellence and that want to contribute to maintaining the clean green image of the country. Everywhere you turn in Ireland there are hotels implementing green best practices; natural sites that are so very Irish; wildlife spotting treks; and trails – lots of trails – through towns and villages, around the countryside, beside streams and the ocean, and leading to historic sites.

A Place to Rest My Body

How is it possible to capture this stunning green island in a few paragraphs? Perhaps a good place to start is by pointing out that Ireland’s hotels are increasingly implementing environmentally sound practices. The owners naturally want to attract eco-tourists, but there is another reason. Fàilte Ireland’s handbook explains it like this: Businesses serving tourists are part of a worldwide movement of change that is addressing climate change and protecting landscapes and coastlines, and conserving resources.

It is nice to know that as you lay your body down after a day spent exploring Ireland, your resting place is doing what it can to reduce its carbon footprint. There are more than 200 tourism businesses that are certified as green. Tourists can also follow the shamrock awarded by Fàilte Ireland to high-quality hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, and even caravan and camping sites. There are two eco-labels to look for when booking accommodations. The first one is the Green Hospitality Award given to hotels, and the awards are Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Levels. The second eco-label is the EU Flower, which is awarded to any type of accommodation that meets environmental standards.

If you are thinking this means dim lights and water faucets that shut themselves off while you are still washing your hands, think again. Eco-tourists will find everything from simple homes hosting guests to five-star hotels.

To immerse yourself in Ireland though, you may want to stay at a place like The Benwiskin Centre in Ballintrillick, County Sligo. It is a community-operated hostel in an old village schoolhouse. The most special gift all visitors receive is a view of the Benwiskin, a peak in the Dartry Mountains that overlooks the soul-inspiring beauty of Benbulben, the topic of W. B. Yeats final poem titled “Under Ben Bulben.” “Under bare Ben Bulben’s head in Drumcliff churchyard Yeats is laid. An ancestor was rector there, Long years ago, a church stands near, by the road an ancient cross.”

This is what makes Ireland so special for eco-tourists – the natural blending of old and new, the modern and the historic, of song and poetry.

A Feast for My Eyes

With a rested body, it is time to give the eyes a feast. There are many sites in Ireland that serve the dual purpose of giving visitors a chance to enjoy the country’s wildlife and natural environment while supporting the effort to preserve both.

One boat trip in Ireland has earned a Gold award from Ecotourism Ireland. Visitors can hop a boat with conservationists and dolphin experts and take a trip at the Mouth of the River Shannon. Hosts Sue and Geoff Magee of Dolphinwatch are leaders in marine conservation and sustainable tourism. In late summer and early autumn they take people on Fin and Minke whale watching trips also, but you are just as likely to spot grey seals, wild goats on hillsides and other wildlife.

A feast for the eyes is about more than wildlife. Spending a day in CnocSuain, a restored 17th century Connemara hill-village, is an unusual opportunity to experience Irish/Gaelic culture and history in a setting consisting of 200 acres of gorgeous landscape filled with mountains, bog and lake.

Of course, it would be easy to describe Ireland as an island of culture. There is the Blarney Castle built more than 600 years ago, the National Gallery of Ireland filled with European and Irish fine art, and the Celtic Hill of Tara, an archeological site near the River Boyne.

Trails So My Feet Can Roam

The places mentioned so far are meant to get you on a different path through Ireland instead of on the path of traditional tourist attractions. However, an eco-tourist cannot leave this beautiful isle until the feet roam through the green countryside and some of the parks where human impact is minimized. The Irish walk and ride bicycles so much that there is a National Trails Office in the Irish Sports Council.

What do you want to experience on a walking holiday? If it is the sea, then walk Sheeps Head Way in County Cork, which takes hikers along a ridge and shoreline. If it is mountains, then walk the trail in the Wicklow Mountains National Park and view spectacular mountains and valleys. If you are ready to go off-road, then walk the Antrim Hills Way in County Antrim. It will take you over ground covered with heather and grasses and through green Irish fields. Bicyclists join in the fun, too. There are as many cycling routes and mountain bike trails as there are walking paths.

Environmental sustainability is not really something separate and distinct from other activities on this island. In Ireland, it is a way of life that has come naturally. Living in such a stunningly beautiful place has obviously led to a passion for preserving and enjoying absolutely everything nature has to offer. You could say that sustainability is part of the Irish DNA.