Private Tour of Leap Castle Reputed to be Ireland’s Most Haunted Castle

Leap Castle in County Offaly holds the impressive title of one of the most haunted castles in the world. Thousands of ghost hunters prowl its murky corridors every year in order to catch a glimpse of one of its many resident ghosts.

If you’re particularly lucky (or unlucky, depending on your opinion) you might encounter “It”, a rotting ghostly presence the size of a sheep with a decomposing face and a stench of sulphur and death; perhaps you’ll come across the Red Lady, who holds a dagger aloft in her hand; or maybe Emily and Charlotte, two little girls who play in the corridors and sometimes plummet from the battlements in a grisly replay of Emily’s ultimate demise at the age of 11.

One thing you can be certain of is an encounter with Sean Ryan, Leap’s eccentric owner, who will give you a personal tour and fill you in on its fascinating history. It is one of the daily excursions offered by the 10 passenger Shannon Princess, cruising along the River Shannon through Ireland’s spectacular countryside.

What is hotel barging?

Despite the growing popularity of cruising, especially on large river vessels, hotel barging is still a little known niche concept. Most hotel barges started life as cargo vessels but have since been painstakingly converted to offer luxury boutique accommodation for small groups of up to 20 passengers.

This is cruising, but in a very different style to ships plying the big rivers or oceans. The pace is slow, with a 6 day cruise covering maybe just 50 miles along a rural canal. Passengers can walk or bike the towpaths as their floating hotel glides gently along. Guests enjoy an intimate atmosphere, high levels of personal service and immersion into the culture, history and gastronomy of regions of Europe such as Burgundy, the Midi, or the Italian Veneto.

Every day there is an excursion, perhaps to a chateau, a vineyard for a wine tasting, or some other ‘off the beaten track’ location. About half of European Waterways’ bookings are for whole boat charters, ideal for families. Otherwise, clients book a cabin to join other like-minded people. A ‘slow boat’ European Waterways barge cruise offers the ultimate in experiential travel. A truly unique experience!

European Waterways offer luxury hotel barge cruises on the beautiful canals and rivers of Europe, such as through Burgundy, the Midi, Alsace, the Po Valley, Holland and the Scottish Highlands.

The exclusive collection of hotel barges accommodate up to 20 passengers who may charter a whole barge with family or friends, or join a small group of like-minded travellers on an individual cabin basis.

Each barge is fully crewed with a Captain, chef, hostesses, deck-hand and tour guide. The 6-night cruises include gourmet meals, fine wines, open bar, excursions and the use of facilities such as bicycles and spa pools.

http://www.europeanwaterways.com/