Walk of the Week: Garretstown Woods, Cork

THIS walk is best enjoyed in summer. These recent weeks, wildflowers are everywhere along the paths in Garretstown woods. Most are at their best this week. In late May, the bluebells were a little faded, but those growing in shade were a vivid, gentian blue.

The entrance gate once led to an estate driveway; the gate pillars are three metres in height and topped by mock-Grecian urns. Passing through, we are immediately in woodland, with massive lime trees on our left, their characteristic basal shoots entirely hiding the lower trunk.

Limes are the tallest broad-leaved trees in these islands and may live for 500 years. Garretstown House and lands, including this 200 hectare woodland, was originally the property of the Kearney family established in Kinsale in the 17th century. It came into the possession of the Franks family in 1834.