Waterford’s passionate food producers, sustainable farmers and food foragers have collaborated to offer visits and a chance to enjoy access to food producer locations, and farms and enjoy some delicious local produce under the backdrop of the county’s Comeragh Mountain range on a Taste Waterford Mountain Splendour Tour.
Richard Povey, Taste Waterford project manager says, “Waterford is home to many food growers and market gardens and farms of all kinds, the landscape is diverse with 2 mountain ranges a 147km coastline and the great rivers of the Suir and the Blackwater – all of these assets create a diverse and thriving food story and we are delighted to be able to share an authentic insight into our award-winning and sustainable food scene on the Mountain Splendour Taste Tour this summer.”
This summer there will be guided Mountain Splendour Tours on offer on June 14th, July 19th, August 23rd and September 27th; each tour departs at 10 am and returns at 4 pm to The Granville Hotel in Waterford City – where the chance to enjoy their award-winning breakfast before you depart is also on offer.
Born and reared in the Comeragh Mountains, expert Tour Guide Johnny Landers will meet tour-goers and offer them a unique insight into the landscape, and life on the mountains. Insights into the folklore, heritage of the hills and the foods that can be lived on from the land will be shared on a foraging trail led by expert forager Andrew Malcolm.
Tour Guide Johnny Landers says, “Visitors on the Mountain Splendour Tour are in for a feast for the senses and a tour with a huge diversity of offerings. It’s not often that you get a chance to get out into the fields, meet the producers, meet the animals, hand-pick some food yourself and hear how many sustainable farming practices of old are the future of food, so this tour is certainly unique and a treat for all who come along to enjoy it.”
You will then head into the heart of the Comeraghs and meet French-born Clotilde Kiely and get a fascinating insight into her sustainable, organic farm. She’ll talk about what it’s like to work on her 16-acre farm in the wilds of the mountains, ensuring her crop of mixed salad leaves and seasonal vegetables are efficiently delivered directly to customers and to wholesalers, along with eggs from her flock. Clotilde will also share her story of the pasture-reared poultry flock, that she started from scratch.
Next up, tour-goers stop off at the stunning Mahon Falls in the Comeragh Mountains to meet sixth-generation Comeragh Mountain sheep farmer Willie Drohan and his sheepdog Ben. He’ll talk about this special landscape, show you his distinctive Scottish Black Face sheep, and explain why mountain lamb is so unique along with an expert demonstration of shepherding performed by Willie and his dog ‘Ben’.
The tour concludes at Willie’s farmyard cafe ‘Cooney’s Yard’ where you will enjoy a delicious lunch of seasonal produce inside this stunning converted barn Cafe. Tickets for tours are available at 110.00 per person (including lunch and transport) for further details on the Taste Waterford Mountain Splendour Tour see https://tastewaterford.ie or https://tastewaterford.ie/experience/tours/mountain-splendour-taste-tour.
