TRADING UP: Waterfall, Cork - €285,000

The tracks of the West Cork Railway might have been pulled up, and the land given back to farmers, but there’s memories galore still of the glory days of rail and routes west of Cork city, past viaducts, through tunnels, and over bridges.

Waterfall, Cork - €285,000

Size: ?93 sqm (1,000 sq ft)

Bathrooms: 1

Bedrooms: 3

BER Rating: G

Waterford and Mayo have made massive virtues of their old rail routes, opening them up as green cycle paths: any chance of similar in Cork?

A memory and, thankfully, a living one, is Railway House.

It’s a detached former gate keepers’ cottage on a third of an acre site at Castlewhite, Waterfall, about 15 minute trip by car from Cork city.

Estate agent John Barry of Frank V Murphy & Co is now selling the pretty-looking, old world cottage, with three bedrooms and about 1,000 sq ft of abundant character, on equally pretty, cottage-style gardens in full summer bloom.

It scores a lowly G BER due to age and the fact its central heating is fired by a back boiler, but it does already have double glazing, and there’s a spread of outbuilding as a back-up bonus.

The location is hot too, notes Mr Barry, as Bishopstown isn’t far away, and this house has extension scope for family buyers, and will particularly suit those looking for a more novel home than a standard suburban semi-d, especially at its €285,000 price guide.

VERDICT: Choo-se country living and make your own tracks to Waterfall