We woke up to a very wet and windy morning in Boyne Valley and we were due to go karting with White River Park in Collon, Co. Louth, Ireland’s premier outdoor karting facility. A quick call to them confirmed that it could still go ahead and that there were no issues around safety even in the rain.
When we got there, the girls and I chickened out however that didn’t stop the boys who practically ran into White River when we arrived.
First things first, paperwork, as James was karting with a minor, he had to fill out paperwork for him too. They also had to choose what kind of race they wanted to do Club or International. After brief discussion, they settled on the Club circuit.
After getting suited up, they were both taken for a lengthy safety briefing about the what was safe and what wasn’t and what each of the flags meant. I joined them and couldn’t get over how much there was to remember.
After the briefing they were taken out to get comfortable in their Birel Art karts and had an intro lap behind the ‘safety kart’. They there off… Their speed was obviously affected by the rain but they still had a blast.
I was able to watch from the comfort of the safety viewing area upstairs and I’ll be honest there were a few moments I wish I’d been braver and joined them.
After racing for what seemed like ages, they came back into the pits happy and tired.
Tickets can be booked online and prices for karting on the Club circuit start from €25 per person.
This is an activity that really is suitable for all ages. All equipment is provided. Please note that height restrictions (of 152cm min) do apply for the senior circuits.
Discover Boyne Valley
To find out more about what there is to do in the area for families with teenagers, read our ’48 hours in the Boyne Valley with teenagers’ guide ‘ or head to Discover Boyne Valley for even more information and holiday inspiration.
Disclaimer
We visited White River Park as guests of Discover Boyne Valley. All photos and words are our own and 100% honest.