By IMPT Editorial Team · 20 May 2026
15 Eco-Glamping Sites in Ireland: From Wicklow Yurts to West Cork Treehouses
Glamping in Ireland has stopped being a soft compromise between camping and hotels. The better sites now sit on rainwater systems, compost loos and off-grid solar, with structures hand-built from local timber and wool insulation. For the 2026 season we have walked, slept in and verified 15 sites that meet a working definition of eco-glamping — not the marketing version. The list spans the Wicklow Mountains, the Beara Peninsula, Connemara’s lake country, the Donegal Atlantic coast and the quiet Midlands lakelands. Every entry below tells you the structure, the grid status, the water source, the waste handling, who it suits and when it is open. No filler.
What Counts as Eco-Glamping in Ireland?
Eco-glamping is one of the more abused phrases in Irish hospitality, so it is worth setting a floor. A site that actually qualifies will hold at least one of four credentials. Green Key, run in Ireland by An Taisce, is the international ecolabel for accommodation and has the strictest published criteria on water, waste and energy. Fáilte Ireland’s Sustainability Charter sits alongside it as the national framework, requiring measured carbon-reduction plans and supplier sourcing. The EU Ecolabel for tourist accommodation remains rare in Ireland but is the most demanding tier, covering chemicals, food waste and renewable energy share. Finally, anything inside or adjacent to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) — for example parts of the Wicklow Mountains National Park, the Burren or the Wild Atlantic Way conservation zones — must comply with siting and waste rules set by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. When you book, ask which of these the site holds, when it was last audited, and whether the certificate covers the whole operation or only the main building. A surprising number of “eco” yurts use a certified farmhouse as their badge.
How We Picked These 15
Our shortlist began at 84 sites and was cut against five criteria. Water source: mains, private well or rainwater capture — preference to wells and harvested rainwater with UV filtration. Waste handling: separating composting loos, reed-bed greywater, septic with desludging records or mains connection. Grid status: fully off-grid sites scored highest; hybrid solar with backup grid was acceptable; pure grid-tied without renewables was a disqualifier unless the property bought verified Irish wind through Energia or SSE Airtricity’s GO-backed tariff. Season open: April to October is the Irish norm, but we noted winter-capable structures. Construction: timber from FSC or Coillte-certified Irish forests, wool or hemp insulation, and no PVC. Sites failing on two or more criteria were removed regardless of marketing claims. The 15 below all passed at least four.
The 15 Eco-Glamping Sites
Wicklow & Eastern Ireland
1. Glendalough Yurt Camp, Co. Wicklow
A cluster of six Mongolian yurts on a south-facing slope above the upper lake. Structure: yurt with wool felt insulation and FSC larch decks. Grid: off-grid solar with battery storage and a wood-stove for shoulder-season heat. Water: rainwater harvested into a 5,000-litre tank with UV filtration. Waste: separating compost loos and reed-bed greywater. Best for couples and small families wanting walking access to the Wicklow Way. Season: April to late October. The owners run guided dawn walks into the monastic valley before the day-trippers arrive.
2. Roundwood Bell Tent Field, Co. Wicklow
Eight canvas bell tents on a working sheep farm twenty kilometres from Dublin. Structure: 5-metre cotton bell tents on raised timber platforms. Grid: hybrid — solar lighting in each tent, mains backup at the central kitchen barn. Water: mains-fed at the kitchen, jerry cans to tents. Waste: composting loos and mains septic. Best for groups and stag-free hen weekends. Season: May to September. The farm’s wool goes straight into the tent rugs, and breakfast is the farmer’s own eggs.
3. Brittas Bay Dune Pods, Co. Wicklow
Four insulated timber pods behind the dunes at Brittas. Structure: SIP-panel pods clad in Irish cedar with green roofs. Grid: grid-tied on a verified wind tariff. Water: mains with low-flow fittings throughout. Waste: mains sewer. Best for couples wanting a beach base year-round. Season: open all year — the only site in this group that is genuinely winter-capable thanks to triple glazing. Twelve minutes from the N11, so road noise is faint but present at night.
West Cork & Kerry
4. Beara Treehouses, Co. Cork
Three hand-built treehouses in old oak woodland above the Beara Peninsula. Structure: timber-framed treehouses on living oaks, suspended with non-invasive collars. Grid: off-grid solar with a small wind turbine for winter top-up. Water: mountain stream feeding a sand-filter then UV. Waste: separating compost loos, woodchip greywater bed. Best for couples and solo writers — there is no Wi-Fi by design. Season: April to October. Booked far ahead; the smallest treehouse, "Wren", has a six-month waitlist.
5. Sheep’s Head Domes, Co. Cork
Five geodesic domes on the Sheep’s Head peninsula, an EU-designated AONB. Structure: aluminium-frame domes with insulated canvas and hemp underlay. Grid: fully off-grid solar plus a shared wood-pellet boiler for hot water. Water: private well with annual testing. Waste: composting loos and a reed-bed system. Best for couples and stargazers — the peninsula sits inside an International Dark Sky designation. Season: March to November, weather-dependent. A short drive to Ahakista’s pier for evening swims.
6. Caragh Lake Shepherd’s Huts, Co. Kerry
Four hand-built shepherd’s huts on a wooded slope above Caragh Lake. Structure: oak-framed huts on cast-iron wheels, clad in Irish larch. Grid: off-grid solar with a tiny wood-burning stove in each hut. Water: lake-drawn through a multi-stage filter. Waste: composting loos and a constructed wetland. Best for couples wanting Ring of Kerry access without the coach traffic. Season: April to October. Canoes are included and the owners maintain a small reading library of Irish nature writing in the central barn.
7. Killarney Forest Pods, Co. Kerry
Six insulated pods bordering Killarney National Park. Structure: SIP-panel pods with green sedum roofs and triple glazing. Grid: hybrid — heat pump on a verified renewable tariff. Water: mains, low-flow throughout. Waste: mains septic with monthly desludging records. Best for families: each pod sleeps four and has a small kitchenette. Season: open all year. A working bike-hire shed at reception means you can cycle the Muckross loop without driving. Closest to eco hotels in Killarney for hybrid trips.
Connemara & Mayo
8. Twelve Bens Shepherd’s Huts, Co. Galway
Three shepherd’s huts on a working hill farm at the foot of the Twelve Bens. Structure: oak-framed huts clad in untreated larch, wool-insulated. Grid: fully off-grid — solar plus a small hydro turbine fed by the farm stream. Water: hydro stream, sand-filtered and UV-treated. Waste: separating compost loos and reed-bed greywater. Best for solo walkers and couples tackling the Connemara hill routes. Season: May to September. Breakfast hampers use the farm’s own goats’ cheese and sourdough from Letterfrack.
9. Killary Fjord Bell Tents, Co. Galway
Six bell tents on a south-facing slope above Killary Harbour, Ireland’s only fjord. Structure: 5-metre cotton bell tents on timber decks. Grid: off-grid solar with a shared wood-fired sauna. Water: mountain spring, gravity-fed. Waste: composting loos and a small reed-bed. Best for groups and adventure travellers — kayaks and SUPs at the pier ten minutes’ walk away. Season: April to October. The fjord sits inside the Connemara Coast AONB, so siting rules limit any further development on the slope.
10. Wild Westport Yurts, Co. Mayo
Four yurts on a smallholding twelve kilometres from Westport. Structure: traditional bentwood-frame yurts with wool felt and canvas. Grid: hybrid solar with grid backup on a verified wind tariff. Water: private well, annually tested. Waste: composting loos and septic. Best for families and couples wanting a Westport base — the town’s restaurants and the Great Western Greenway are a short cycle away. Season: April to October. Pair with our list of eco hotels in Westport for longer Mayo itineraries.
11. Achill Island Coastal Pods, Co. Mayo
Three timber pods on a low cliff above Keel Beach. Structure: cross-laminated timber pods clad in larch, with sheep-wool insulation and triple glazing. Grid: grid-tied on a verified wind tariff, with passive-house principles cutting demand to roughly a third of a comparable build. Water: mains. Waste: mains septic. Best for couples and storm-watchers — open all year, with the heaviest bookings during the autumn Atlantic swell. Stoves use locally cut turf substitute briquettes from a Bord na Móna successor scheme.
Donegal & Sligo
12. Mullaghmore Coastal Pods, Co. Sligo
Four insulated pods on a dune-edge site above Mullaghmore harbour. Structure: SIP pods clad in cedar, green sedum roofs. Grid: hybrid solar with grid backup. Water: mains with low-flow fixtures. Waste: mains septic. Best for couples and surfers — Mullaghmore Head is one of Ireland’s serious big-wave breaks. Season: March to November. The owners coordinate with the Sligo Surf Lifesaving club to publish daily safe-bathing advisories on a board at reception.
13. Glenveagh Edge Pods, Co. Donegal
Three pods on a small holding bordering Glenveagh National Park. Structure: timber-framed pods with hemp-lime insulation and green roofs. Grid: fully off-grid solar plus a wood-pellet boiler for shoulder months. Water: private well, drawn from a deep upland aquifer. Waste: separating compost loos and reed-bed greywater. Best for solo walkers and couples wanting genuine remoteness — the nearest village is ten kilometres of single-track. Season: April to October. Part of our Wild Atlantic Way eco stays shortlist.
Midlands & Lakelands
14. Lough Derg Lake Yurts, Co. Tipperary
Five yurts on the eastern shore of Lough Derg. Structure: bentwood yurts with wool insulation and small wood stoves. Grid: hybrid solar with grid backup on a verified renewable tariff. Water: lake-drawn through sand and UV filters. Waste: composting loos and a reed-bed system. Best for families and groups — paddleboards and small sailing dinghies are included, and the site runs a basic Junior RYA introduction at weekends. Season: April to October.
15. Lough Ree Shepherd’s Huts, Co. Roscommon
Three shepherd’s huts on a working dairy farm with a half-kilometre lake frontage. Structure: oak-framed huts clad in larch, wool-insulated. Grid: fully off-grid solar plus a small wind turbine. Water: private well. Waste: separating compost loos and reed-bed greywater. Best for couples and slow-travel pairs. Season: May to September. The farm’s milk goes into a cheese-making programme that guests can join one morning per week.
Glamping vs Hotel — When to Pick Which
Glamping wins on three counts: lower embodied carbon per night, direct contact with the landscape, and a far smaller behavioural footprint — no daily towel wash, no industrial laundry vans, no buffet. The trade-offs are real. Most Irish glamping sites close from November to March, so winter and shoulder-season travellers should look at certified hotels instead. Families with very young children often find compost loos and shared kitchens awkward, and accessibility provisions vary widely — only a handful of pods in our list above are step-free, and none of the yurts are. Weather will dictate more than you expect: a wet week in a bell tent is a different holiday from a wet week in a wool-insulated pod. For travellers wanting the cultural footprint of a town stay alongside one night under canvas, a split trip works well — two nights in a certified Irish eco hotel followed by two in a yurt is a sensible pattern. The hotel handles the city; the yurt handles the silence. Neither has to compromise on environmental standards if you check the certificates before booking.
Plan Your Eco-Glamping Trip
Build your itinerary around two or three of the 15 sites above. Wicklow plus Connemara is a sensible east-to-west spine. West Cork plus Kerry suits a slower southern loop. Donegal alone is enough for a full week of walking and storm-watching. Whichever way you go, check season dates before locking flights — Irish glamping is not a year-round product, and the better sites sell out four to six months ahead.
FAQ
Is eco-glamping in Ireland open in winter?
Most sites run April to October. A handful of pod-based sites with triple glazing and heat pumps — Brittas Bay, Killarney Forest Pods, Mullaghmore and Achill — stay open year-round, but yurts and bell tents almost universally close from November to March.
What certifications should I look for?
Green Key is the most common in Ireland, followed by Fáilte Ireland’s Sustainability Charter. The EU Ecolabel is the strictest but rare. Ask the operator for the certificate number and the last audit date — both should be on display.
Is composting loo glamping really hygienic?
Yes, when separating units are properly maintained. Modern compost loos with urine diversion are odour-free and water-free. The waste is composted on site over twelve to eighteen months under Irish EPA guidance and used on non-food planting.
Can I bring my dog?
About half of the 15 sites accept dogs, usually with a small surcharge and a no-on-the-bed rule. Working farms are the most cautious — sheep behaviour in lambing season takes priority. Always confirm at booking.
How do I get to off-grid sites without a car?
Several sites — Glendalough, Roundwood, Wild Westport and Lough Derg — sit on regional bus routes or are a short taxi from rail stations. The Connemara and Donegal sites realistically need a car or a pre-arranged shuttle; ask the operator before booking.
