Traditional ‘done up’ farmhouse in Schull

LOGGING on to James Lyons O’Keeffe’s website on a dull February day is a great tonic.

There’s nothing like lyrical old farmhouses and blue seas to lift the spirits of the computer-chained on the average working day.

A flick of a mouse at www.westcorkproperty.com can have you imagining lazy West Cork days in high summer with bees humming and the sun glinting on water. It may be perishing outside, but inside, we can dream.

On offer at the moment is a traditional farmhouse which was ‘done up’ about 15 years ago and which has stayed true to the vernacular, save for a sunroom addition to the front. The reason for this is obvious: it’s the perfect vantage point for the breathtaking views of the sea, the islands of Roaringwater Bay and the Fastnet Rock in the distance.

All the living rooms face south with the entrance being sensibly to the rear, out of the prevailing wind.

With a cloak, boot room and kitchen to one side, the entrance hall leads onto an open plan living area with two working fireplaces at either side. This in turn leads to the conservatory extension with its apex-height windows.

Upstairs there are two bedrooms and a shower room: accommodation is sweet and simple while a converted stone outhouse offers the possibility of dedicated guest quarters, subject to planning, says Stephen O’Keeffe.

Private, but not lonely, the property is just a walk from the pub and is about three miles from Schull.

The location, however, means it carries a guide price of €495,000.