Stayed here recently as a quick get away for just the one night from our base in Dublin as the weather was actually really nice for a couple of days (God bless the Irish summers) so we took a chance on Meath Eco park.
I was some what sceptic after reading some review, but as it’s been said different folks have different views.
There’s no prebooking, you can call Dave the owner to check availability and he couldn’t have been nicer to deal with.
Firstly the location from Dublin is FANTASTIC, 15 mins from Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, 10 Mins from Fairyhouse Racecourse and good bus links into Dublin City. And ideal stop over for gigs or visits in the City (Oasis Fans, this far beat’s extortionate hotel prices), great for race meetings in Fairyhouse or to pop along to their Sunday market and grab some bargains or a shopping spree in Blanch.
Site is accessed by calling the owner Dave and he will open the gate, there is key pads too so presumably late night returns may be able to get access that way.
When we arrived there were about 8 units on site, we were told to park where we liked, get setup and make our way to reception but there was to be no rush. As the weather was good we chose a spot on the grass over looking the lake. Beautiful! Absolutely Beautiful!
Payment is via an honesty box, Revolut or Bank Transfer. Fill out the form choose what you need and pop it in the box at reception and make payment. €25 per night, with €10 for all day electric, €5 for overnight electrics, we chose the all day option as it was early afternoon when we arrived, and the short journey from our base didn’t even cool the fridge down.
The site itself is very peaceful, yes there is some background noise from the motorway, you soon get used to that, and it was on the landing path for Dublin airport on the day we stayed, so some aircraft noise, but very bearable, we actually enjoyed seeing the various planes and checking where there have come from and trying to identify the markings, even though yours truly got confused between what was thought to be the North Star being very bright, only to find out it was a returning flight of holiday makers from Lanzarote.
There are many many walks around the site, you can still see the remnants of the old adventure park dotted around which was nice but sad at the same time, as you an see it was once a great place for families.
Wildlife fans this is a wonderful place to go, there are all sorts of birds, bees, and other flying critters, so binoculars and a good camera are a must if that’s what you like. Less light pollution than the city so you get some stars too on a clear night.
The toilet facilities are dated as has been said before, but clean and functional. The showers were only cold showers, I think this was just a temporary issue, but might be worth asking if you’re visiting and plan on using them. There are no other facilities on the site, and the nearest shop/supermarket/pub/restaurants are a drive or a taxi ride away (main roads wouldn’t be very safe for walking on as they are busy with no paths or lighting) so stock up on goods and groceries before arriving, and then kick back and enjoy the surroundings.
There are some electric fences around the lake area, so if walking with your fluffy four legged friends just be careful they don't get a little shock, or you can always open the gate and walk on the inside of the fences.
As I said we were a little apprehensive as we do like to get out and explore local villages, towns and pubs on our trips and this was a little remote, but we will definitely come back here for a couple of nights just to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of life as it really really is a beautiful site, and would highly recommend it to others, I think it's open all year round too. (We didn't get any eggs by the way, but that's ok, I prefer the ones at Easter)
