Co. Wicklow ARKLOW

Kitty's of Arklow

Plattenstown House

Christy's Lounge & Bar

Arklow, Ennereilly Strand, Brittas Bay & Silver Strand

Arklow

Fishing over sand the South Beach at Arklow can produce good catches of small bass, codling, dabs, sole and flounder. Small boats fishing over the inshore banks regularly produce other species such as dogfish, ray and tope. This area can experience unusual tidal conditions make sure you check locally before fishing.

Species: Bass, codling, dabs, dogfish, flounder, ray, sole and tope.

Season: Fishing from both boat and shore takes place from May to October.

Ground Type: Mainly coarse sand, interspersed with occasional patches of weed covered rock.

Bait: Ragworm, lugworm, crab, mackerel and sandeel can produce at this venue.

Method: Paternoster rigs with 6 to 8 inch droppers work particularly well using a range of hooks from number 2 to 2/0.

Fishing Tip: This is one of the few venues where black sole are taken with any degree of consistency. Small baits and small hooks fished close in at night are essential for this species.

Ennereilly Strand

This strand is located south of Brittas, Co. Wicklow. This is an ideal beach fishing location for bass, flounder, codling, whiting, plaice and dogfish. Many anglers prefer the night tides and this area is generally regarded as a top winter match venue.

Species: Bass, flounder, codling, whiting, plaice and dogfish.

Season: This location can be fished for much of the year with peaks in May/June and Sept/October.

Ground Type: Fishing is over sand and pebbles.

Bait: Most baits will catch fish here with crab and fishbaits being most consistent.

Methods: Standard leger and paternoster rigs are successfully employed.

Fishing Tip: When match fishing, 2/0 hooks baited with ragworm and tipped with a "thumbnail" of mackerel can be very effective in taking good numbers of dogfish.

Brittas Bay

Brittas Bay is located approximately 4km north of Mizen Head. It is a popular night fishing venue and regularly produces good catches of bass and dogfish in summer and codling and whiting in winter. The area fishes well during a strong easterly wind which produces excellent surf conditions.

Species: Bass, codling, dogfish and whiting.

Season: Beach fishing is best in May/June and Sept/December.

Ground Type: Fishing is over shallow sandy ground.

Bait: Lugworm, ragworm, sandeel and crab all work well.

Methods: All standard shore fishing methods produce results.

Fishing Tip: Grip leads are essential on this beach at all times due to currents and surf. Generally 4oz to 5oz breakaway type leads are best.

Silver Strand

The Silver Strand is located approximately 6km south of Wicklow Head. There is good beach fishing in spring and autumn for bass, flounder, dogfish and plaice. Spurdog can be taken on the night tides. The rocks between Brittas Bay and the Silver Strand are known locally as Jacks Hole. This area can fish well in the autumn and produces catches of bass, flounder, plaice and pollack.

Species: Bass, flounder, dogfish, pollack and plaice

Season: Beach fishing is best in May/June and Sept/October. Rock fishing is best from August to October.

Ground Type: Beach fishing is over shallow sandy ground whilst the rock marks give access to deeper and more mixed ground at the southern end.( Jacks Hole is located in this area.)

Bait: Lugworm and sandeel work well for much of the year with crab particularly good in autumn.

Methods: All standard shore fishing methods work.

Fishing Tip: When a large surf is running bass fishing can be at its best. Remember bass can feed very close to the shore in these conditions. Fish short!

© Eastern Regional Fisheries Board

Park Restaurant, The

Knockanree

The garden at Kockanree reflects its creator Harold Clarke’s idea that one should never know what to expect around the next corner. And indeed it full of surprises, from the ‘Moonstone,’ a giant orb of granite like a miniature planet fallen to earth, to a family of Indian elephants, a laburnum tunnel raining gold, to Phoebe, forever reading her marble book in the shade of a sycamore tree. It would spoil the surprises to reveal more.

This is a garden to wander in, soothed by the plashing cascades of the Sulphur Brook at the foot of the slope which gives the garden its name and the pervasive sense harmony with nature. Trees from around the world have starring roles, among them, Embothrium coccineum the Chilean fire bush, Japanese umbrella trees, trees that provide a blaze of Autumn colour like Parrotia persica, Persian ironwood, Liquidamber and the swamp Cyprus Taxodium distichum.

As you might expect from the only man in Ireland to receive a Thai lotus- growing bowl as a retirement gift, a strong oriental influence runs through. In the Zen circle, sheltered by an arc of azaleas, the central rock is carved with the traditional Kanji symbols “Snow, moon, flowers”. Across the lake an enticing island is reached by a Chinese bridge, its dramatic scarlet echoed by the flowers of Corosmia ‘Lucifer’ and swags of Tropaeolum.

The terrace, where the parterre planted with well behaved golden, dwarf conifers, attracts a good deal of admiration and in the rose garden the knobbly knees of old fashioned beauties like R ‘Mme Isaac Pereire’ are thoughtfully concealed by a precision clipped hedge.

This is a garden that recalls Dean Jonathan Swift’s lines :

“A river at my garden’s end
A terrace walk and half a rood
Of land set out to plant a wood.”

OPEN April 1 – July 15 Mon ,tues, Fri Sat 9.30 13.30

Arklow Golf Club

Arklow Golf Club was formed in 1927 and is an 18 hole par 69 Links is a traditional designed course and offers all levels of golfer the opportunity to test their skills to the fullest. Sand warrens, bunkers and large links greens ensure that visitors get a feel of traditional links play whilst still enjoying the natural beauty of this picturesque course.

The Club has an excellent bar and restaurant facilities and welcomes a large number of visitors and societies every year.

Coolattin Golf Club

Coollattin Golf Club is a Peter McEvoy designed par 70 championship parkland golf course that is surrounded by scenic views of the Wicklow countryside.

Coollattin is a challenging course that prides itself as an oasis of calm in a truly beautiful woodland setting.

Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese