Blair’s Castlewood Holiday Park in Antrim has completed a multi-year expansion project with the introduction of new glamping cabins and premium lodges, marking a milestone four years after the park first opened and five years after development began.
The holiday park, located within the woodland grounds of Shane’s Castle along Six Mile Water, has added three new lodges and additional glamping accommodation as part of what it describes as its five-star development. The new lodges include private outdoor hot tubs and wood-burning style fires and are positioned overlooking the river.
Among the new additions is a Victory Lumiere pod, a one-bedroom glamping unit equipped with self-catering facilities and a private deck. The park has also introduced an ABI Stargazer cabin designed to accommodate couples and families. Each Stargazer unit includes a main bedroom and a mezzanine-level sleeping area accessed by ladder.
The accommodation launches coincide with the formal completion of the wider development at the site and follow the recent appointment of Kirsten Schmidke as park manager.
In a report by the News Letter, Kirsten explained: “The completion of Castlewood Holiday Park marks a hugely proud moment for everyone involved.
“Over the past four years, we have carefully developed a destination that offers outstanding quality, comfort and variety, while staying true to the natural wonderous woodland setting within the grounds of Shane’s Castle, which makes Castlewood so special.”
“From luxury lodges and unique glamping experiences to touring, camping and adventure facilities, Castlewood is designed to offer something for everyone. We’re not just a place to stay — we’re a place to relax, explore, reconnect and create lasting memories. This development is a real investment in tourism for the Antrim and Newtownabbey area, and we’re excited to welcome both new and returning guests to experience everything Castlewood has to offer.”
Castlewood now offers 46 touring pitches, 10 camping cabins, three luxury lodges, four glamping pods, 15 luxury caravans for hire and 103 static pitches for owned holiday homes.
For outdoor hospitality operators, the expansion reflects continued investment in mixed-accommodation models that combine touring, owned holiday homes, hire fleets and higher-spec short-stay units.
The addition of branded pods and cabins such as the Victory Lumiere and ABI Stargazer illustrates how manufacturers are targeting parks seeking to diversify their accommodation mix without significantly increasing footprint. The phased development approach over a five-year period may also offer a case study in staged capital investment aligned with market demand.
Blair’s Holiday Parks, which has more than 50 years of experience, operates four parks in total, including three in Portrush and one in Antrim.