Ireland self catering cottages
| country: | Ireland |
| location: | Co. Carlow, near Ardattin village and Tullow town |
| price: | From €26 per person per night (cottage sleeps up to 5). Utilities, linen, etc included |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
description
Ireland self catering cottages. The accommodation is a private estate and guests can enjoy a quiet escape here. The cosy country cottages are ideal for sporting holidays, a romantic rendezvous, family breaks or to escape the urban jungle. These refurbished homes offer a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. We are within a few hours of Europe's capital cities and all guest rooms are within a few minutes' walk of the River Slaney and ancient woodland.
These traditional Ireland self catering cottages were originally built around 1850 to accommodate families working on the farm. They were saved from dereliction and rebuilt and refurbished in keeping with traditional style to offer modern comfort and convenience. Plumbing and electricity are the most important additions!
The views are fantastic. The cottages offer panoramic views across the valley of the River Slaney to the Blackstairs mountains. Dominating the vistas is Mount Leinster, one of the highest peaks in Ireland, offering a good uphill walk that can be followed by a cup of tea in burgeoning Bunclody, at the foot of the mountain.
These traditional Ireland self catering cottages were originally built around 1850 to accommodate families working on the farm. They were saved from dereliction and rebuilt and refurbished in keeping with traditional style to offer modern comfort and convenience. Plumbing and electricity are the most important additions!
The views are fantastic. The cottages offer panoramic views across the valley of the River Slaney to the Blackstairs mountains. Dominating the vistas is Mount Leinster, one of the highest peaks in Ireland, offering a good uphill walk that can be followed by a cup of tea in burgeoning Bunclody, at the foot of the mountain.
special things to do and see from our Ireland self catering cottages
Walking through woodland or along a 3 km river beat, cycling and yoga (with resident qualified teacher). Off-site activities within a short drive of the cottages include kayaking, riding, golf, and ice-skating during the Christmas season. Clay-pigeon shooting and archery can also be organised. Across the river is the late Corona North's renowned and beautifully, romantically cultivated Altamont Gardens. Carlow town is less than half an hour by car and offers excellent shopping and entertainment. Historic and picturesque Kilkenny is under an hour away. Both Carlow and nearby Tullow have libraries with internet service. rooms, food and facilities
Each cottage has a double and a single bedroom, accommodating 3 adults comfortably; with additional beds (one in the living room) can sleep up to 5 people. Two adjoining cottages may be connected through a downstairs doors to sleep 6-8. The cottage also offers a full bathroom, kitchen/dining room and living room with fireplace or stove, television, books and magazines in the sitting room. Clothes washing machine and hanging line are in the rod room. All our Ireland self catering cottages are equipped with cotton or organic cotton bed and bath linen, kitchen and dining equipment, heaters and wood burning stove. Outside, a covered patio is furnished for stylish al fresco dining, and a little garden with productive apple tree provides further romping space. Basic provisions are supplied and additional supplies may be bought at the villages nearby, and seasonal vegetables are available from our farm. The pure, fresh water comes directly from artesian sources.
Family friendly: Wonderful outdoor space for children: outdoor covered patio, garden overlooking Mount Leinster, and the river walks. There is a selection of books and games for indoor time. Nature provides the best toys; our own children and their friends have collected stones, sticks, wild flowers, blackberries, autumn leaves, beetles, etc.; and invented endless games featuring nature's furniture – rocks, ditches, trees & stumps, hills... All in ample supply, and able to withstand limitless play!
Baby friendly: There is a surcharge of €20 for setting up a baby cot.
Over 50's: Given the peacefulness of the place as well as the river walks and opportunity to enjoy nature our cottages are ideally suited to the over 50's. The cottages sleep three, but the doube room is the main one.
Dog friendly: Dogs can be accommodated.
Family friendly: Wonderful outdoor space for children: outdoor covered patio, garden overlooking Mount Leinster, and the river walks. There is a selection of books and games for indoor time. Nature provides the best toys; our own children and their friends have collected stones, sticks, wild flowers, blackberries, autumn leaves, beetles, etc.; and invented endless games featuring nature's furniture – rocks, ditches, trees & stumps, hills... All in ample supply, and able to withstand limitless play!
Baby friendly: There is a surcharge of €20 for setting up a baby cot.
Over 50's: Given the peacefulness of the place as well as the river walks and opportunity to enjoy nature our cottages are ideally suited to the over 50's. The cottages sleep three, but the doube room is the main one.
Dog friendly: Dogs can be accommodated.
how to find our Ireland self catering cottages
The estate is accessible from Dublin airport or harbour (1 - 2 hours), Cork (3 hours), Rosslare harbour (1 hour). It is approached on the N80 and N81 and is almost directly between Tullow and Bunclody. Access is from the road between Ardattin and Clonegal at Monaughrim Cross which is close to Coillte's larget forest nursery (signposted). Trains and buses link from Dublin to Carlow or Tullow towns.how this holiday makes a difference
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Ireland self catering cottages Make your holiday a zero carbon holiday. We'll plant trees to offset your carbon emmissions for the travel. We'll plant 2 trees for €20 to offset your travel carbon (within Europe).
Our lifestyle reflects our beliefs: we run an organic vegetable farm (has been IOFGA and Demeter certified) to provide for ourselves, friends and guests on request. The family maintains 50 acres of ancient woodland containing rare plants and wild deer. We teach yoga, host a blog discussing global sustainability, and try to enjoy the beautiful woods and river – on foot or on mountain bikes – as often as we can. We use fallen wood on the premises for wood-burning stoves, recycle (our daughter's chore), compost (our son's chore), and a few chickens and ducks roam, enriching the soil and providing eggs. The Ireland self catering cottages are traditional stone, refurbished to a high standard a decade ago honouring the traditional cottage style. We use ecofriendly cleaning products, use no herbicides or pesticides on the estate, and in supplying the “starter pack” - basic food items for our arriving guests – we look for Irish-produced, organic and fair trade. The local community has for generations made their way to the estate beat along the Slaney to enjoy nature at its best. Walkers, fisherwomen and men, families out for a stroll or a picnic have all enjoyed the quiet surroundings. We are doing more cycling to make the woods and river beat more amenable to cyclists – but this sport is still for the brave of heart and quick of hand-brakes! Guests are provided with some sample shampoos or soaps that are purchased at the nearest health shop and are reasonably biodegradable and paraben-free, etc. The bathroom and kitchen are supplied with eco washing up liquid and hand soap, and there is eco laundry powder in the laundry room, for guests' use. We accept guests for a minimum of 2 nights' stay to reduce the laundry somewhat. We change sheets and towels between bookings only. We recycle everything Irish recycling plants will take, styrofoam, plastic, tins, glass, tetrapacks and there is a box beside the bin for recyclable items. We ask guests to rinse out food / drink containers. The Ireland self catering cottages are privately owned and the family conserves over 50 acres of ancient woodland that harbour rare plants and wild deer. We try to be live in an environmentally sustainable way so that there is something beautiful to pass on. The organic (zero herbicide and pesticide) standard adopted throughout the estate helps minimise pollution into the river and environs. This year the fishing beat joined others along the River Slaney to ban all fly fishing, to allow salmon stocks to replenish. We do, however, make an exception for overnight guests; please ask. Our practice is to hire local staff to help us with our cottages and garden. For our guests' “starter pack” (tea, coffee, sugar, eggs, bread, butter and juice) we look for Irish produced, fair-trade, organic, or some combination. We also have available for purchase a selection of seasonal vegetables produced in our own organic vegetable garden. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |