Summer is upon us – hooray! So what better way to make the most of the mild weather and long evenings than by heading off on a good old-fashioned camping trip. However, camping trips are no longer what they used to be. Forget the hardships of days gone by and embrace these eco-friendly campsites that offer so much more than a patch of grass. With eco-showers, yoga sessions and stunning vistas, these are the very best eco-friendly campsites in Ireland.
 Eco-Friendly Campsites in Ireland:
1. Pure Camping, Co Clare
Bring your own campervan or tent, use a pre-pitched one, book into a bell tent furnished with bed/stove, or head into the woods for some wild camping at this eco retreat in Querrin near Kilkee. A beautiful shingle beach which is perfect for morning dips is just 15 minutes away. There’s also a communal dome for escaping bad weather, a rustic sauna for relaxing, a pizza oven and yoga sessions most weekends. Solar showers, rainwater harvesting and discounts for cyclists add to the eco-friendly vibe.
Tent pitches start at €12 per adult per night and €6 per child. Furnished glamping accommodation starts at €60 per night.
2. Clifden Eco Beach Camping & Caravanning Park, Co Galway
Also known as Actons, Ireland’s first climate neutral eco campsite has an Eco Tourism Ireland Gold Award. Located 10 minutes from Clifden, between the Atlantic and the Twelve Bens, it is an outdoor-lover’s paradise.
Bring your own caravan or campervan, or pitch your own or a hired tent amidst the machair grass sand dunes. single-use water bottles and disposable barbeques are banned. You won’t find any games rooms here to entertain the kids. Instead it’s all about mucking around on the secluded white-sand beach, fishing or cooking on a beach campfire.
There is a free shuttle bus that runs between the campsite and Clifden.
Tent, campervan or caravan pitches for two start at €19. Renting a three-man tent costs €36 while caravan rental is €59 per night.
The most lust-worthy glamping spots in Ireland
3. Blackstairs Eco Trails Shepherd’s Huts, Co Carlow
This is an ideal option for those looking to get away from it all but who still want to enjoy their creature comforts. Home to two shepherd’s huts beside within close proximity to the River Barrow and the Blackstairs mountains it is the perfect place to kick back and relax after a hike or a paddle.
The huts themselves have double beds, heating and electricity. Cooking facilities, showers, chill-out space and a natural history library are provided in a converted barn.
An organic breakfast will be provided, with home-produced bread, fruit and eggs. The operation boasts an Eco Tourism Ireland Gold Award.
Huts start at €70 per night per night B&B.
4. Crann Og Eco Farm, Co Galway
At the heart of an organic working farm, this destination near Drummin Gort is all about reconnecting with nature. Ponies, lambs, puppies, ducks and hens provide the entertainment. Pitch your own tent or choose from a yurt, two bell tents or an A-frame hut made from wooden pallets.
Most of the cooking happens in the native American-style Hogan building which has a roof opening to allow for campfires regardless of the weather. Eco credentials include compost toilets and solar-assisted showers. The farm has an Eco Tourism Ireland Gold Award.
Tent pitches cost €10 per night. Glamping accommodation starts at €75 per night for two people.
5. Pink Apple Orchard, Co Leitrim
Set amongst the trees of an apple farm on Lough Allen, 20 minutes from Drumshanbo, this place is a haven for those who want a good old dose of nature coupled with home comforts.
Home to yurts, tepees and a gypsy wagon, you can fall into a comfy bed after a long day outdoors.
The site sleeps 21 and is ideal for families and couples. Eco credentials include compost toilets and an organic garden.
Glamping accommodation starts at €155 for a tepee for two nights that sleeps two adults and one child.
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