A Laois business has taken a unique approach to glamping, and is offering guests the chance to travel around Laois in an old fashioned horse and wagon.

'Making Tracks' in Ballybrophy allows guests to relax in comfort within one of their glamping pods, or live the nomadic life and 'make tracks' across Laois.

The business is currently under construction, making accessibility adaptations for wheelchairs and installing toilet blocks. They are excited to announce their grand reopening on May 1.

"We have five glamping pods, five Airbnb guest rooms, and we have five horse drawn wagons," explained business owner Ian Hyland.

"We loan the guests the horse and the wagon, we give them what they need and show them the fields they can stay in on the different routes. We also offer a personal driver for the wagon if they prefer," he said.

Pictured: Making Track's pony Púca with one of their five glamping wagons

Mr Hyland discussed the company's dedication to maintaining sustainable practices, using solar panels and harvesting rainwater.

"We do our best to have a minimal impact on the climate, and always prioritise being eco friendly," he said.

"We hope to officially reopen on May 1, with all works complete. We are very excited and are getting ready for the summer season."

The site's glamping pods include teepees and an old railway carriage, an homage to Ballybrophy train station located directly across from the site.

Pictured: Making Tracks' wagons and unique glamping cabins

"We had a lot of time to get the business up and running during the Covid-19 pandemic, and my family were a great support to me," he said.

"The idea originally came- from someone asking me for a station to dock a horse up in Coolraine, and I bought the field. That's where the idea for the wagon trips started. It was a crazy idea at first, but my family have always been behind me."

Mr Hyland explained that the glamping site tends to receive more foreign tourists than Irish 'stay-cationers'.

"We're an hour away from everywhere in the country, we're very central, so we get a lot of American, German and Austrian tourists," he said.

"We can either pick them up from the airport, or they get the train to Ballybrophy and they're right at our door. They love taking the wagon off on the routes and seeing the Laois countryside," he said.

Owner Ian Hyland with Guinness, one of Making Track's five horses

"They tend to go for the week and travel from station to station with one of our horses."

The wagons include a 4-burner gas stove and sink, cooking utensils for five people, two 5 litre drinking water canisters, a cool bag and a lighter, along with lighting, towels, bedding and pillows.

For one of their five horses that guests take out, Making Tracks provides water canisters, brushes and care items, along with plenty of treats.

Making Tracks was recently awarded a whopping €250,000 under Fáilte Ireland’s Private and Community SME Scheme, which is part of the EU Just Transition Fund programme.

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