Attention, little voyagers!

Did you know that Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands is not just for adults and that kids can now explore it too?

Have you ever wanted to decorate a cake in multicoloured icing and loads of sprinkles, or trek out across treacherous waters to defend a castle? Now you can! Fáilte Ireland and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands have created the perfect itinerary for little ones with voyager hearts. So what are you waiting for? Grab mom, dad, granny or grandad and have an adventure that you have only ever seen before on TV. Everything is possible, and your wildest dream might be closer than you think…

Defend the walls of a castle under siege

Learn the tales of bravery, bitter battles fought, and territories won and lost from monks, kings, soldiers and generals at Athlone Castle, which was built to defend a strategic crossing point on the Shannon. athlonecastle.ie

Kayak to a deserted castle on a lake

Hire a kayaker from the Cavan Adventure Centre and paddle to the intriguing Clough Oughter Castle on a tiny island in Lough Oughter. cavanadventure.ie

Meet the fairies who share nature’s stories

Meet the fairies of Lough Boora and follow the sculpture trail made of locomotives, railway line, timber and stone that were once used to work the bog. loughboora.com

View the world from the treetops

Get a bird’s-eye view of the forest, nine metres above the woodland floor on Lough Key’s tree canopy walk. If you are feeling brave, head over to Zipit and make a swift descent from the trees on a zipline. loughkey.ie

Canoe like a Canadian

Discover a whole new world on an expedition in a Canadian canoe with Adventure Gently in northwest Leitrim. adventuregently.co

Make the perfect cake

Collect freshly laid eggs at Cloughan Farm and mix them with other ingredients to make a sponge cake you can decorate with fruit and freshly whipped Irish cream. Enjoy your delicious cake with a refreshing drink in the outdoor picnic area. fionaegan.com

Find the gate to the otherworld

Tread in the footsteps of the mythical warrior Queen Medb and learn about the ancient origins of Halloween. rathcroghan.ie

Take a walk with a hawk

Gain an insight into the fascinating world of falconry and experience handling and flying trained owls, hawks and falcons as you walk with these wonderful birds. animalmagic.ie

Visit a chocolate factory

Learn how chocolate is made when you visit the Wilde Irish Chocolate factory in Tuamgraney, where chocolate magic takes place on a daily basis. wildeirishchocolates.com

Build your own bear

Choose, stuff and sew your own bear at the Bear Essentials family workshop, or buy a kit to make your teddy at home! silverbearcentre.ie If your dream adventure was not listed above, do not worry! Fáilte Ireland and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands have 77 plus other things that you can do, all available on a colourful map at failteireland.ie