Round Ireland with a pair of peacocks
The Coach House, part of the Fruit Hill Cottages spread in
Wexford is just fantastic. Peacocks tap at windows to come in, chickens supply
irregularly shaped eggs (being a city and supermarket girl I’m not used to
quirky, non-GM foods) and a slice of Susan’s delectable home-made chocolate
cake appears on arrival. Mmm mmm. The Coach House itself sleeps six with oodles
of room to socialise, eat, play and generally make merry in. If this property
were in Bristol
it would house about ten people and, if in a cramped ski resort (where the
cupboard under the stairs is described as a two-person annexe), it would sleep
about 18. The bedrooms were spacious, the storage capacious and kids have their
own two-person annexe, ie a colourful playroom under the stairs. But the magic happens
outside. Susan and Dick’s wild, wonder and wander-inducing grounds are pocked
with triangular chicken hutches, the kitchen garden is poised to burst back to
life and adventures will soon be happening in the tree house that is under
construction. Exhausted after a day of driving, I nuzzled down into in a superb
bed in Garden Cottage just next door. The sauna-scented wooden mezzanine was
above the largest chimney breast I have ever seen – and around which the entire
cottage has been lovingly reconstructed. If arriving on a late ferry, break up
your journey to western Ireland
with a mini holiday here. Once over the cattle grid – turn your mobile off and
just enjoy.
