Well-tended gardens in Carrigaline make for a very attractive retreat

Minane Bridge, Carrigaline, Co Cork €450,000

Size: Sq m 240 (2,850 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 4/5

BER: D1

Best feature: Space inside and out

In fact, the gardens at this rural dormer home are a strong suit, extremely well planted and landscaped, making for a very attractive retreat, with year-round interest and colour.

Location is a few miles south of Carrigaline at Granig, half way to Minane Bridge and the coast, in good, elevated South Cork farmland, perhaps 300’ above sea level and with a view for miles from the upper floor rooms.

Bramble Cottage dates to the early 1990s, but the site goes back further (its mature boundaries reflect this too) and it’s a replacement building on the plot of 19th century cottage, says its owner, who’s been here a decade or so, and who’s now downsizing to a sizeable suburban apartment - giving up on his garden glories.

It’s new to market with Malcolm Tyrrell of Cohalan Downing, who guides at €450,000, and who says it’s both substantial, at over 2,500 sq ft, and well-maintained. Bar perhaps changing a few wall colours, any intending buyers could simply move straight in.

It’s faced in an antique brick, and while brick often doesn’t work in rural homes, here’s a good, soft and mellow look and appropriately matching the wood-grained pvc double glazing and pvc fascias and dormers.

The same brick is used in edging approach walls and low garden walls, and makes for a pleasant homogeneity on arrival.

Internally, it’s far bigger than the exterior might suggest, with a maple-floored split level 22’ by 15’ sitting room with Victorian fireplace, and there’s a marginally smaller, bright 19’ by 14’ family room off the kitchen with wood-burning stove, and the pine kitchen is warmed by a green Stanley range, which also does the house’s central heating.

There’s a good sized hall in between, and at one far end is a large ground floor bedroom, next to a bathroom with bath, so it’s very serviceable for all ages, and all is spotlessly clean.

Overhead, are four more bedrooms plus another bathroom, all carpeted for comfort.

There isn’t a mean-sized room in the house, and even the landing here is big enough to house a desk/home office.

In fact, when the owners last went to buy carpet for their own bedroom, the shop suspected that they’d mis-measured as they reckoned no-one had a 31’ by 15’ bedroom. Well, Bramble Cottage does and this spacious en suite bedroom also has a very deep wardrobe, double depth, with twin rails, ideal for those who arrange their clothing in a seasonal manner.

Located a few miles south of Carrigaline, on a quiet back road off the Minane Road, the house faces south, and gets lots of sun and is generally warm, says the departing owner, and helping it gain and maintain heat is special ‘K’ glazing.

The gardens give it huge maturity, and among the many shrub and trees are a rare Rowan tree, and, by the front drive, a lush fir tree planted for Christmas by a daughter, and now loftily far beyond easy seasonal decorating.

VERDICT: More than meets the eye.