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Green Guide, the publishers of eco travel and other guidebooks, have brought out the ecoescape: Ireland guide, written by journalist Catherine Mack. Described as a "handbook to responsible escapism", it describes the author's pick of her top 50 ecoescapes in Ireland, including Northern Ireland.

An ecoescape needn't be dull and 'worthy', and it can be extremely indulgent, as this guide to Irish eco travel proves. Take, as one example, Wineport Lodge at Glasson in County Westmeath, three miles north of Athlone. A luxury boutique hotel in the Irish Midlands? Yes, and one with a roof terrace hot tub and a gourmet restaurant too. They call themselves Ireland's first wine hotel, and each of the 29 rooms is named after a different wine or spirit, with all of them having views of Lough Ree. The lodge also has an enlightened policy on just about every aspect of running the hotel, but they don't shout about it. It's a shame not every business is run the same way, then there wouldn't be a need to pick out the few that care about their environment and the impact of travel.