From Safari to the 'Garden of Ireland': Real Luxury in Wicklow

In October 2025, after returning from our Spectacular Three Park trail in the American West, I found myself searching for a riding adventure closer to home. (Fortunately for me, home happens to be Ireland!) Of course, we already offer several beautiful riding holidays across Ireland, many of which I have visited personally over the years, but I was on the lookout for something a little different. That was when I decided to check out a trip I'd recently heard about in County Wicklow. 

I first met Niall and Kieran at the Dublin Horse Show in August that year. For anyone remotely interested in horses, Irish culture, tweed jackets or simply people-watching with a Guinness in hand, it may be one of the most exciting places in Ireland to spend a day! And clearly, also a great place to find a new ride operator.

What struck me immediately about Niall and Kieran was their warmth. They had that rare mix of confidence and humility that tends to exist only in people who genuinely know what they are doing. It soon became obvious that they were not trying to create just another riding holiday, but had something a little different in mind.

Both had travelled extensively on safari in Southern Africa and had visited several of our partner rides in South Africa and Botswana. They therefore already understood exactly what equestrian globetrotters look for: Nothing overly flashy, but the kind of luxury that feels effortless -- good horses, delicious food and beautiful scenery, with a sprinkle of thoughtful hosting. If you’ve been on a riding safari with us, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about!

What they offer in Wicklow feels, in many ways, inspired by those experiences. Not a copy of Africa, because Ireland and Botswana don’t really compare, unless our local sheep suddenly grow much bigger teeth. But there is something familiar in the spirit of it and how they’ve decided to organise the week: a sense of immersion in nature and the feeling of being completely removed from everyday life.

County Wicklow, after all, hardly needs help in the nature department. Known as the “Garden of Ireland”, Wicklow is one of my favourite parts of the country (very close behind County Kerry and West Cork). It is a county of grand estates, rolling green hills and blooming gardens, ancient ruins, hidden lakes… (the list goes on)! But best of all, it is easily accessible. Within an hour of landing at Dublin Airport, guests (collected safari-style in a Land Rover) will arrive at the stables and cottage. There they will meet the horses, and Niall and Kieran’s two German Shepherds, who patrol the property with the seriousness of seasoned reserve rangers (and to stretch the safari metaphor some more, they are, fortunately, the closest thing you will encounter to lions during the week).

I visited in the middle of October, one of my favourite times of year in Ireland. The landscape was just beginning to shift from deep summer green into richer autumn colours: forests started turning copper and gold with a distinctive crispness in the morning air. Against all statistical probability, the weather also behaved itself. In Ireland, this counts as a minor miracle and should never be questioned too closely.

From the moment guests arrive, the itinerary is full of little surprises and carefully thought-out experiences. It never feels rushed, but somehow there is always something happening. One day might involve exploring the trails and quiet country lanes around the stables, the next, a visit to a distillery, a scenic drive, a trip to a hidden garden or a quaint Irish town. They also planned an evening at Johnnie Fox’s, the highest pub in Ireland: I spent most of it slightly torn between wondering whether this counted as a truly authentic Irish experience or slight theatrical nonsense. In the end, I decided it didn't really matter. It is a little like walking with the Bushmen in the Makgadikgadi Pans. Is it polished for visitors? Of course. Is it still something you absolutely should experience at least once in your life? Probably! Because at the end of the day, it’s the kind of evening that summarises the Irish “craic”.

The riding itself is, in my opinion, something quite special for Ireland. The programme has been designed for riders who want variety, good horses and a bit more substance to their holiday. One of the highlights is undoubtedly the cross-country jumping day, which adds a completely different dimension to the week. There is also the beach ride at Brittas Bay: galloping along that vast stretch of sand beside the Irish Sea is an experience that should be on every rider’s bucket list! For riders wanting to improve their skills, jumping or dressage instruction can also be integrated into the riding itinerary.

Closer to home, the trails around the stables are endlessly pretty. You are only a stone’s throw from Avoca and Powerscourt, with its famous waterfall. The countryside feels made for horses (sharing with sheep of course) with its narrow lanes, hedgerows, open hillsides, forests and quiet tracks.

The horses themselves, of course, deserve a mention. There is a good selection of everything: from calm confidence-giving cobs to more forward-going sporty types, making this a holiday suitable for strong novices and experienced riders. This is, after all, the land of the Connemara pony and the Irish Sport Horse. The horses are well schooled and seem to enjoy their work. They live out in herds for most of the year, something that I always appreciate.

And perhaps that is where the real luxury of the trip lies. Yes, guests stay at the beautiful Summerhill House Hotel, a charming four-star hotel with the most delicious breakfast spread. But the luxury here is less about polished bathrooms and more about attention to detail. It is found in our hosts’ lovingly-renovated cottage filled with carefully chosen antiques, a quiet nod to Niall’s previous life as an antique dealer. It is in the beautifully prepared picnic lunches with local produce, fresh strawberries in summer, and the occasional glass of prosecco appearing at precisely the right moment. It is in having access to private trails and riding areas that are not generally open to horses.

Most of all, it is in the hospitality. There is a warmth there that feels entirely genuine. Nothing staged or overdone. Guests are welcomed, not as passing tourists, but as people, and the team are genuinely pleased to share their corner of Ireland with them.

What Niall, Kieran, and Carol have created is not simply a riding holiday. It is an immersion into a version of Ireland that feels warm, generous, outdoorsy and alive. A little refined in places, slightly wild in others, and always welcoming. Not quite a safari… But certainly an adventure.

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