Straddling the counties of Cork and Kerry, the Beara Peninsula is home to some of Ireland’s most mystical sites – among them the Bronze Age Uragh Stone Circle, which sits on a hill overlooking Lough Inchiquin and around a mile from this peaceful holiday hideaway. Even closer, one of the area’s famed waterfalls rushes down a 140-metre-high rock face in Gleninchaquin Park, a walker’s paradise with trails to suit all ages. No holiday here would be complete without a visit to Kenmare (12 miles), a bustling town with vibrant coloured buildings, a reputation for fine food and the embarkation point for whale-watching trips in the bay. En route, Coornagillagh Beach (4 miles) has a small pierhead beside a sandy beach, plus a causeway giving low-tide access to Ormond’s Island.
Recharge your batteries with a break amid the breathtaking beauty of Lough Inchiquin. The setting of this chocolate-box stone-built cottage has to be seen to be believed – set against a backdrop of mountains, it has a woodland with a stream to one side, and the lake is less than 200 metres away. Step inside and the scene is set for a relaxed get-together with family or friends. A wooden floor, exposed ceiling beams and deep-set windows set the scene for comfortable evenings in the lounge/diner, where you can watch TV or gather around the piano for some good old-fashioned entertainment. The adjacent kitchen has all the essentials for fuss-free meal prep, plus a dishwasher to make light work of every after-dinner clear-up. When it’s time to retire, the ground floor bedroom is full of character, with a double bed and en-suite shower room adding some home-from-home convenience. On the first floor, you’ll find two further bedrooms – a double and a twin, each with their own en-suites, one of them with a bath and the other a shower.
A gate from the lane opens onto a driveway at the front of the cottage, with plenty of space to park and unpack. The garden wraps around the property with lawn front and back and, to the side, a small crazy golf course. Follow the streamside pathway for private access to the lake’s shore.