Irish Self-Catering Holiday Accommodation – What Can You Expect?
Imagine a modern, comfortable, quiet, cosy, fully fitted Irish holiday cottage. Now imagine that you are looking out through glass patio doors onto a large wooden decking area, set up a couple of meters above ground, with a view of mountains, trees and fields. Imagine that you can hear birds singing, and a river bubbling, but that’s about all.
Imagine a garden, where your children can play on the swings, kick a ball about or be kings and queens in their very own miniature turreted castle. This is what we imagined, well not really as good as that. But that is what we built. We had a very clear picture, not so much of the building itself, but of the “feeling” that we wanted people to get when they walked into the place.
We wanted them to be surprised at the first impression they receive, delighted by the slightly quirky design of the Lounge Area, and stunned by the view. Of course, a lot of the “stunning” relies on the weather, as you can’t ever be sure if the Galtee Mountains which fringe the view, are actually going to be there or not. We have gone so far as to mention in our website that you may have to take our word for it that they are actually there, sometimes.
They can be shrouded in mist, topped by a cap of the whitest snow, they can be all colours from black to green, from orange to purple, depending on the light. Or they can be mysterious to the point of invisibility. In short, they can be an entertainment in themselves, and one which we never get tired of. We find ourselves checking on them, when making beds, or dressing the children or tidying up. We call our kid’s and each other attention to them when they are a peculiar hue of some un-named colour.
And sometimes, as I have said, they are not there at all. In fact, we have had friends to stay several times, who have never actually seen them. Granted they usually come in the winter, and it’s usually only for a weekend, but still it would be nice, if for once, they didn’t have to take our word for it. But on the whole, they are there, and the view is, as I’ve said, stunning. Back in the accommodation, it is warm and cosy, exceptionally clean, and comfortable without being pretentious.
We wanted to create a space which feels like home when you get there, and not like an empty shell, echoing to your voices, like some places we have stayed in. Of course, it has to be decorated, but in such as way, that your own personal tastes do not impose upon the sometimes delicate senses of your visitors. I mean, no-one likes to be overpowered by the colour purple, or by too much gold braid. So we have neither of those.
Instead, we have gone for a pastel palette, accentuated by carefully chosen pictures. Interesting to some, but with a bit of history for us, as they have all previously been chosen and enjoyed by us, before being carefully placed on the wall of the house.
Not for us some bland, chocolate box faux oil colour of flowers, so liked by some hotels. In truth most people couldn’t tell you what was on the walls after they get home, which is okay, particularly if it means that they have been out and about, experiencing the difference of being in Ireland.
The Ballyhoura area, where we are situated, in the village of Galbally, has loads of different activities to enjoy. Horse-riding is a few minutes away, and there are hundreds of different walks to find, and places to explore. There are castles, ruined churches nearly at every turn, lakes, caves and waterfalls within easy reach by car, and it’s a paradise for golfers, who have about 20 good courses to choose from on the doorstep, virtually.
Information is available on fishing, local gun clubs and shooting grounds. A walking guide is available for adventurers who don’t want to get lost. And for the energetic, there is a 90km mountain biking trail open about 20 minutes away, in the middle of a great area for exploring.
We take regular drives to find interesting walks, and at this stage our kids will only go to the same place once or twice before begging for a new experience, which is never hard to find. Around Caste Oliver, where the bike trail is, we found some really interesting old bits of castle walls, with turrets still attached in places.
The bike trail itself is brilliant for walking in, and the views are amazing, especially in the autumn, where you have layer upon layer of trees all changing colours at the same time.
Then further afield, there is “The Burren”. This is a stone landscape which stretches for miles, and throughout time, people have created little stone sculptures out of the local rocks. It is truly something else to see.
There is so much more, and we are placed right in the middle of it. We are reasonably close to cities, but far enough away from the town for absolute peace and quiet. We are close to loads of different activities, something for everyone, or you can walk up the village, 5 minutes away on foot, and enjoy a pint of Guinness in on of the 3 local pubs. I must warn you though, one of them is an undertakers as well.
I would be delighted if you got to the end of the article and your appetite was whetted, because Ireland is different, from England, and from nearly every other place I’ve been, and I been to a few. The characters are genuine, and its not all begorra, begorra, (whatever that means)
It’s not the cheapest place in the world either, but you can have a real, relaxing holiday in one of our self-catering apartments, because they were built with you in mind.