You’ve heard of the Pink Cadillac and the pink panther well let me tell you about the pink caravan. Grab a coffee and immerse yourself in my Arigna Adventure. You know how much I like quirky places, well this one certainly ticked those boxes.
Lucy and I were delighted to be invited to stay in Ange’s Cottage in Arigna, Co. Roscommon. I’d been drooling over the photos I’d seen on Instagram so I was delighted to go along and see for myself.
We left Sligo at around lunchtime and headed for the hills. Not without drama, of course, when we got lost and had to make a help call to Angi….this happens to me on a regular basis! Bless Angi she came out to meet us and showed us to the cottage.
The first thing we saw was the pink caravan, if you fancy a spot of extra glamorous glamping this is for you. The caravan has been used for tea parties, photo shoots and has even been to electric picnic! This caravan has a more exciting life than I do!
Angi was telling us some of her story, I’d have loved to hear more as she’s such an interesting lady. She was telling us about Ange’s Cottage and how it dates back to the 1950s and belonged to her aunt Ange. Angi spent many happy childhood holidays in the cottage and wanted others to enjoy a similar experience.
As we explored both the caravan and the cottage there was a lot of wows! I think we could have happily stayed there forever. Angi is just so stylish and this shines through in the beautifully furnished cottage. I love the way that upcycled furniture are mixed with modern pieces and work so well together.
For me though, the real wow factor was the view. Just stunningly breathtaking. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever seen a view like it. I realise I’m gushing but to look out over the Arigna valley and see the sun rising and the autumnal colours was magical.
We were touched by the gifts and card on our beds and loved the list of suggestions that Angi had left for us… it’s the little things that make a big difference.
First stop was off to nearby Drumshanbo in Leitrim to try out the hot chocolate in the Sweet Geranium Cafe. It was very nice indeed but me being me got the smell of chips and I had to follow my nose. The new me is partial to a bag of chips smothered in salt and vinegar and so far this place is number one. Just delicious!
With full bellies we went back to the cottage and were very excited about the bath and a relax in front of a cosy fire. I loved the wood burning stove, it took it seconds and I’ve only ever been used to fires that turn the walls black! I really enjoyed reading in the lovely yellow chair in the firelight with just the ticking clock providing the sound. It was just so relaxing.
After our chill out we decided to check out the local pub, The Miner’s Bar. It was great, very cosy and welcoming, with friendly staff and pink gin! I was on the MiWadi because I was driving but maybe next time I won’t be. I loved the dart board, pool table and the selection of crisps…makes a change from bog standard Tayto. Local band Abandonship were there providing live music and there was a great atmosphere.
We headed back to the cottage and snuggled into our beds, I didn’t think I’d sleep as insomnia is a big part of my life now. So I was amazed when I slept the whole night through! The bed was so comfortable and it was just so quiet, bliss.
The next morning I went off exploring. There’s a well right beside the cottage called Jack’s Well, I’d love to know more about it. There’s also a post box just up the road, imagine a post box out in such a rural area!
We said farewell to Ange’s Cottage and checked out the view from the Arigna Mining Experience, we didn’t go into it but I’ve been in it before, if I find the post I’ll link it. I was looking for the Drumshanbo boardwalk but got lost – again! So we headed to Dereen Wood instead.
Ange’s Cottage is the perfect base for exploring Roscommon and Leitrim and I would have loved to explore some more, especially the Miner’s Way walk and the nearby Blueway….check out Leitrim Surf and Adventure Gently for a leisurely way of exploring. The cottage has all mod cons (except WiFi and TV – it is a digital detox after all). I’ve decided I’m big fan of slow travel, what a wonderful way to relax.
Disclaimer: We were invited by Angi to stay in the cottage for a night free of charge, we paid for food and drinks ourselves.
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