Peach near the beach at delightful Derrynane

IT’S downhill all the way to the sea beneath at Derrynanebeg, one of the best scenic perches bar none on the Ring of Kerry.

A family with long links to this Kerry beauty spot built the holiday home Petra House back in 1999, knowing full well the privileged vantage point it has, hovering over the landscape, national park, cove and beaches. There are views from here across to Lamb’s Head, the ocean and to the Beara peninsula, by Eyeries and Allihies, beyond.

There’s a walkway down to the shore and a ‘smuggler’s path’ leads along the water’s edge to the adjacent Bonavella harbour, while Derrynane harbour itself and its pier caters for a range of water sports and rentals. Pristine beaches here have Blue Flag status, the Liberator Daniel O’Connell’s historic house is in OPW care and open to the public with a tea shop, and Caherdaniel village back the way has shop, restaurant and bar options.

With its range of outdoor activities, and golf options all along the peninsula, Derrynane has justly cornered a strong hold on the Munster holiday home market – a heavily colonised part of Kerry that Cork and some Limerick people like to call their (second) home.

Now, the architect-designed three-bedroomed, part two-storey house is up for sale, as summer holiday time beckons with beach day promises.

Estate agents Savills, jointly with local agent Bríd Moran at Wavecrest, seek offers around €350,0000 for Petra House, on a wooded site of 0.8 acres, a few hundred yards below the N70/Ring of Kerry as it marches over the headland between Derrynane and Waterville.

It has a sweep of views from the living room, lower sun room and its master bedroom’s bay window, and rooms include a hall beyond the sheltering entrance porch by the drive, kitchen, living rom with bay window, bathroom and three bedrooms, one of them en suite.

Well-placed Petra House has been both private and rental holiday home – now it is up for its first change of hands.