A mum and daughter break in Meath reminded me how good it can be to slow down alongside the people we love

A spa break at The Johnstown Estate serves as the perfect getaway for our writer and her mother

The hotel's exterior

Saoirse Hanley

Being an independent young woman is all well and good, but the cost of that freedom is a distance from some of the people I love most. So when the opportunity to take an overnight trip with my mum arose, it was an easy yes from us both. She journeyed from home in Cork, picked me up in Dublin, and we made our way to Johnstown in Meath.

The Johnstown Estate lies within surprising proximity to the N4 motorway, but it may as well be a different world altogether. The sprawling estate is yours to explore, whether you choose a walk (there are boots available at reception) or a cycle (bikes, too, are there for the taking) but we were eager to check in first.