LACKAN COTTAGE FARM
Home of Birch Cottage Off Grid Self Catering
Tranquil self catering in the Mournes
You can wake to a view of the beautiful birch woods outside your window, and enjoy the peace and quiet. Here you are surrounded by birdsong, clean air, and wonderful views. Walk in the woods, meet the horses and relax. Set beside the Mournes, Birch Cottage offers luxury self catering with wonderful views of the mountains and woodland.
Some of the most stunning countryside in Northern Ireland is on your doorstep, as is the seaside town of Newcastle. The Mourne Mountains, Tollymore and Castlewellan forest parks, Newcastle beach and stunning Silent Valley are just a short drive away.
Come and stay in Northern Ireland’s only off-grid self catering cottage. Visitors can sample life on our pioneering Green Tourism gold rated smallholding.
The good life experience
We are pioneers of the growing ecotourism and green tourism movement here in the Mournes, Northern Ireland. Consequently, sharing our lifestyle, fresh produce, and experiences with visitors is all part of the unique visitor experience.
Birch Cottage is off grid accommodation without compromise – hand crafted, comfortable, and it has wonderful views. It really is the greenest self catering holiday cottage in Northern Ireland, being Tourism NI 4 star rated, Green Tourism Gold rated and the first Green Key accredited accommodation in Northern Ireland or Ireland.
Birch Cottage self catering
Book direct here on the website to get the best rates
Our story
We are fortunate to have this opportunity and as a result be able to live the way we do. It is becoming increasingly apparent that as a society, we can’t go on the way we have been.Consequently something has to give. As we talk to people, their frustration at inequality and instability is obvious. Furthermore, environmental and economic worries serve to highlight the need for alternative solutions.
Lackan Cottage Farm is our response to that. Consequently, as well as upskilling ourselves to be better able to cope, we are empowering others to do the same. Likewise, we provide self catering accommodation so that they can come and experience it for themselves here in the Mournes. Therefore everything we offer here comes from our own experience and is created to be really special. We hope you will love it as much as we do.
Steve & Claire Golemboski-Byrne
Forthcoming events
News and events from Lackan
2 Day basket making course – 22-23 October
Experience basket weaving with locally sourced willow to make your own traditional round shopping basket with a handle. Under the expert guidance of basket maker and craft tutor Sabine Wolniczak you will learn the basic techniques involved in this intricate ancient craft and return home with your own woven basket.
A full house
Our three feral cats are becoming steadily more tame – one in particular which you can now pick up and really rather likes all the attention; one who is getting used to being stroked, and the third who thinks that humans are to be regarded with great suspicion, but follows along anyway. Now the problem is that they all follow us up from their hideaway in the hay shed to the house, and Lyra doesn’t get that we don’t want three un-housetrained kittens indoors.
Action!
Friday was an interesting day, as we got up at the crack of dawn to welcome a little film crew from the BBC to the farm and they wanted to start at 8am. It is part of a programme about housing, and our bit is (hopefully) how modern technology can combine with traditional materials and methods. Being new to this filming lark, we basically did what we were told, and pottered about while Steven the cameraman and Richard the producer followed us around the place…