Round Ireland with a pair of peacocks

I'm re-blogging a piece about Fruit Hill written by Kerry O'Niell who inspects for Alastair Sawday's Special Places....

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. 

10th Anniversary

This year marks the tenth anniversary of our holiday cottage venture, and as part of the celebrations we would like to offer all past visitors, and all blog followers a 10% discount for 2012, and the chance to win 50% off a week's holiday in 2013, the year of the Gathering.

To be in with a chance, just email me your Fruit Hill holiday snaps - fruithill@gmail.com - and the photograph we like best wins. Results will be blogged early in 2013. Here are some examples !

More from Mick

 Here is another photo of the Wexford coast sent today by Mick and Jane, and one they took of the world's sneakiest cat, Mocha.


Anyone who has stayed here will know not to trust this cat for an instant: very cute and friendly, but a total liar. She will say she is a house cat, and permitted to enter any cottage  at will. She will say we never feed her. She will say she really only eats salmon...


Ah, Mocha. So sweet when she's asleep.




And here's another one of Mocha specially for Anna M, Sara B and Emma C

View from Hook

This photo was sent to me yesterday by Mick, a favourite visitor from England.
I've just read a review of the Wexford Coastal Path by Francis Bradley in the Irish Times. Here's a quote: " It's a coastal walk that captivates, from cliffs to rocky headlands, golden beaches to natural and historic wonders ". You can find out more on www.discoverireland.com about the year-round wonders of the Hook penninsula, a favourite spot for locals and visitors alike. This time last year we went whale watching, but even without the added drama of the whales the sea views are stunning. Thanks for reminding me, Mick.

This photo of me was taken in Rome just as Mr Berlusconi nearly ran over our toes as he left Parliament by the back door in November

No peacocks !

Not a peacock in sight today, and it feels very strange....Our three birds had taken to straying into neighbours' gardens and leaving too much evidence. They are very curious, and also very sneaky. I tried bribery ( sunflower seeds ) and appealing to their vanity ( a mirror ), but they continued to wander, so we arranged a swap with another breeder. Now we have just one pair of young birds but can't let them out until they are used to the place. Fingers crossed that they will settle and eventually breed. Fruit Hill without the peacocks just wouldn't be the same.




Update : The two new peacocks are real homebirds - so much so that they won't leave the windowsill, and love to keep an eye on what's going on in the house. I think they must have been reared in a shed, because they don't have a clue about roosting in the trees at night. Dick has had to build them a special platform, and I have to get up on a LADDER to call them up to their roost - otherwise the fox would be delighted to entertain them. It is ridiculous really, but they are very sweet.

Thank you

Thanks to Mick and Jane who stayed with us in November for the new profile photograph.