Life above ocean waves

IT is not so much the house, more the site and the location that might justify the asking price close to €1 million which attaches to Ard na Greine.

The house itself is a largish, three-bedroomed, L-shaped bungalow, nothing to get too excited about initially, but factor in water frontage, private access to a shingle beach and views across the water to Baltimore village, and the pieces of the property jigsaw that is highly priced West Cork begin to come together.

The house, likely to be bought as a full-time or retirement home, is on the market with Skibbereen-based Charles McCarthy, who has a number of multimillion euro property transactions in the balance as the summer season comes to an end.

"Ard na Greine is a magnificent waterfront property with direct access to a beach and Baltimore harbour," he says of this newly listed property, understood to be an estate sale, across the harbour from a rapidly developing part of Baltimore where yacht marina plans have also been mooted.

The property at Ringaroga comes with a registered running and deep water mooring, and almost certainly the new owner will be into boating in some shape or form. Skibbereen is seven miles away, and this house is at Ringaroga, a few miles by road from Baltimore via a bridge, but, the auctioneers point out "the village with its shops, pubs and restaurants is only few minutes boat trip at all times".

Now, new legislation means boat passengers have to wear lifejackets, and although prosecutions for being under the influence of alcohol while in charge of a boat rarely surface, it might be a factor for those going out on the town for the night but then again, the lifeboat station is only across the harbour.

Ard na Greine itself has a southwest aspect, looking out towards the Beacon and Sherkin Island, has a stone flagged patio and a long entrance drive through to the bulk of the two-acre site. The house has sitting room, study, kitchen/breakfast room, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. It has double glazing, oil heating, garage for the car or jet ski and a mooring for the yacht.