We started off our 4th morning in Ireland in a slightly more relaxed fashion, with a wander around Kinsale itself and it’s harbor. We’d kind of fallen in love with it a little bit the evening before and were keen to spend as much time as possible there. For those that know and love Cornwall, it seemed a little bit like an Irish Padstow. A foodie haven. The amount of restaurants in such a small space is staggering, and there’s a good little mix of shops too including a deli, chocolate shop and some lovely art shops. Add to this a weekly farmers market and you’re all set!
Amazing poster!
Love this shop name
After this we drove about 2 miles up the coast through a little village called Summercove up to a place high on the hill at the side of the bay – Charles Fort. This is one of two forts dating back 100’s of years that were built to protect the harbor of Kinsale. Charles Fort is an amazing set of ruins, surprisingly well-preserved in places and is well worth a visit. The views from the ramparts are something special too. We stopped for lunch in Summercove, at a fab pub serving fresh fish called the Bulman Inn – review to follow soon.
After this we made our way to Blarney (think Blarney Stone that you are supposed to kiss for luck!) and then past Cork to the little village of Ardmore. A sleepy little village, with pretty houses and fisherman catching dinner on the pier, but we were they to check into the Cliff House Hotel.It was our 3rd wedding anniversary and we wanted to stay somewhere special. This hotel is perched on the side of the cliff with stunning views across the bay and a Michelin starred restaurant to boot. If you follow me on instagram you probably saw me tweeting pics of the out-door hot tub and our amazing room but I’ll tell you the whole story in another post coming soon!