Omagh budget accommodation, Northern Ireland
| country: | Northern Ireland |
| location: | Omagh, Northern Ireland |
| price: | From £12 (dorm room) - £25 (private room) per person per night. Price depends on room type chosen. Please note we are closed 1 Nov - 1 Mar |
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description
This is a remote, peaceful, small family friendly hostel (self catering) nestling at the edge of the Sperrin mountains, where you can breathe fresh air, wander green valleys, cycle on deserted roads and eat organic vegetables and fruit in season.
The hostel is just the place for an idyllic retreat, for romantic explorers, for simply lazing, ideal for bird watchers (watch the blue tits feed less than 1 meter from your breakfast table), amazing for cycling and perfect for rejuvenating your soul. Whilst offering simple, clean, comfortable great value accommodation that is secluded, tranquil and quiet without being isolated (we are just under 3miles from the centre of Omagh).
Relax and rekindle your creative spirit in a tranquil environment of breath taking views and panoramic rolling country side.
The hostel is just the place for an idyllic retreat, for romantic explorers, for simply lazing, ideal for bird watchers (watch the blue tits feed less than 1 meter from your breakfast table), amazing for cycling and perfect for rejuvenating your soul. Whilst offering simple, clean, comfortable great value accommodation that is secluded, tranquil and quiet without being isolated (we are just under 3miles from the centre of Omagh).
Relax and rekindle your creative spirit in a tranquil environment of breath taking views and panoramic rolling country side.
special things to do and see here
travellers' tales
The beautiful views in the Sperrin Mountains and the excellent interpretation of emigration at the Ulster American Folk Park and meeting a close friend of a relative were the highlights (more)
rooms, food and facilities
The hostel has 3 bedrooms downstairs and 4 bedrooms upstairs and provides simple accommodation. Downstairs we have 1 double room, 1 room with three beds (one of these is a double bed), 1 room with 2 sets of bunks, there is a bathroom beside these bedrooms. 2 of these rooms are suitable for disabled access.
Upstairs we have 2 dorm room with 6 beds each, one of these rooms has a double bed in it. We have 1 twin room and 1 room with a double bed and a single bed.
There is a well laid out self catering kitchen where everything you need to cook is provided. We have a large conservatory area and guests have access to laundry facilities if need be. There is a shower block with male and female separate areas and also a disabled shower and toilet. Guests are provided with tea, coffee, sugar, salt herbs and oil for cooking. All linen is also provided guests are required to bring their own towels.
Guests are actively encouraged to walk in the grounds of Glenhordial Farm and explore our new wetland area still under construction, also visit our food growing area and our friendly pigs!
Disabled acces: two beds available for disabled folk, we have disabled shower and toilet facilities through out.
Family friendly: We love children and families, here at the farm there is freedom to roam, help to feed the pigs, come and pick vegetables, climb in the old tree, play with the hostel dogs Bonzo and Ike or pet the cat Tigger.
Baby friendly: Sometimes there is a babysitter available, however its best to check this out in advance.
how to find us
By road: Take the B48 from Omagh towards Gortin village. Fork right off this road before the Spar shop onto the Killybrack road, look out for a sign for the hostel at this point. By bus: Omagh is well serviced by buses to and from Belfast, Derry, Donegal and Dublin. We also operate a free pickup service from the bus station to our hostel. Just ring us and we will arrange this for you.
By air: The nearest airport is Derry.
how this holiday makes a difference
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We are the first hostel in Northern Ireland to have been awarded the Ecolabel in the tourist accommodation category by Defra, the UK Competent Body for the European Ecolabel scheme.
The hostel is committed to environmental protection and is striving for a zero carbon footprint in all its operations. Renewable technologies have been installed on site and include a (biomass) boiler for hot water and heating, and later on this summer (2007) the installation of solar panels for hot water. Plans are currently in place to incorporate wind, as part of our carbon neutral policy. All wilderness activities are carried out according to minimal impact codes of practice. There are 17 bird bat and insect boxes in place on the farm, and bird feeders right outside the hostel window. Our new wetland system will be commissioned in Autumn 2007. The hostel is dedicated to helping people to learn about Ireland’s environment and culture and regularly run workshops relating to local history and focusing on sweathouses, megalithic tombs, ring forts and holy wells. Orienteering and environmental education is also taught to groups.  The hostel promotes the membership of conservation groups and is a member of the Ulster Wildlife Trust, The Organic Centre and Slow Food. We run an annual fundraising event each year which proceeds are donated to a local voluntary group. Guests are encouraged to donate £1.00 towards offsetting our carbon production, which we plant 22 native trees a year. In the past the hostel has worked with women with mental health problems offering volunteering opportunities in the gardens This gives a great opportunity for local people to get specialised training and hands on experience in horticultural and organic activities. Currently we work with Omagh Community Arts group to promote Slow Food. This is an annual event based in the hostel grounds. Local scout and guide groups use our camping facilities for free. Each year we run 1 fundraising event for a local charity. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |