Wednesday, 28 September 2022
Originally a small family business on a 15 acre plot of land located in the heart of Creeslough village, surrounded by iconic local landscapes including Sheephaven Bay, Ards Forest Park and several stunning blue flag beaches, Wild Atlantic Camp is an award winning luxury tourism complex providing visitors with a unique experience, combining the culture and beauty of Donegal with state of the art amenities.
Founded in 2010, local business owner Lorcan Roarty saw the opportunity to invest further in his hometown “the idea of glamping was appealing to me. It was a new phenomenon at that stage, and we developed a master plan”. The success of the camp has grown exponentially, winning many accolades “Irelands Best Campsite” in 2022.
Alongside great ambitions for success were serious risks and obstacles associated with the recession and Lorcan credits the loyal, hard-working staff at the camp with much of the success. “We have a great team of staff on board that I can’t thank enough. Their professionalism, dedication and effort have shaped the ethos of the camp”.
Lorcan and his dedicated team had ambitious goals for the business and relied heavily on investment at the beginning of their construction journey.
They began checking out potential funding opportunities and what local supports were available to them “Without the help of the Leader Programme administered through Donegal Local Development Company, I wouldn’t have been able to get this off the ground “.
Initially, the camp opened with a total of 6 Wooden Glamping Units available in 2013. The Wild Atlantic Camp now offers capacity for 160 guests with 12 Luxury Self Contained Glamping Villas, 18 Glamping units, 20 motorhome spaces, a children’s playground, AstroTurf pitch, a café, gourmet coffee & sandwich bar, a cocktail & tapas bar and an adjoining local pub, Rose’s Bar & Kitchen located in the centre of the village.
The location of the Wild Atlantic Camp has been a huge draw for people as its easily accessible from all major routes whilst being a stone’s throw from the most amazing tourist highlights across the North West. “We’re very lucky in that perspective. We’re located off the main N56 road where the majority of traffic and bus routes to Galway, Dublin and Belfast pass through daily. We have Glenveagh National Park, Ards Forest Park, Doe Castle, as well as an abundance of mountains, trails, railway walks, and spectacular beaches within a short distance.”
Receiving the award for “Ireland’s Best Campsite 2022” was a turning point for Wild Atlantic Camp in providing a new platform for promoting their offering and access to a much wider audience. “We’ve been recognised as a tourist hotspot in the North West and we’ve had over 200,000 hits on our website this last month alone”.
The ambitions of Lorcan and his team don’t stop there. They have huge plans for developing their offering on the site and bringing in new groups of visitors in the future. “We have a new wine and cocktail bar on the site so we will be providing events and team building experiences as well as the family-oriented side of the business”.
Alongside running the Wild Atlantic Camp and Rose’s Bar, Lorcan is also heavily involved in community groups and organisations including the the Creeslough Community Association which focuses on developing and promoting the village.
He is also involved in local sports groups including sponsoring the senior St. Michaels GAA team and Dunfanaghy Athletic Club. .
The future for Wild Atlantic Camp is energetic and eco-friendly. An important aim for the longevity of the camp is to become as environmentally friendly as possible. “We are working closely with Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) to become a more sustainable site and to hopefully achieve as close to carbon neutral status as we can”.
Find all the information you need on Wild Atlantic Camp and indulge in the luxurious experience of glamping with friends and family with a breath taking backdrop.
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