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View garden and Ocean Front of house terrasse Warm and cozy living area Fully equipped kitchen Living room with view Bedroom with ensuite bath Cozy cooking and eating Outside patio Barbeque room Golden beach Guest room Meditation room   Tweet       Property Location     Toormore House Schull, Cork, Ireland       One-off feature     If you want to withdraw and nourish your soul, be surrounded by cozy fireplaces, art, paintings, books, music and movies, handmade furniture, Persian carpets, a huge garden with palm trees, if you want to see, smell and feel the Ocean, breathe fresh air, hear nothing but the waves, this is the most amazing place to be.       Property Info     Accommodation Type: House / Villa     Property Setting: Near the Sea / Beachfront / Village / Rural / Riverside / Waterfront     Holiday Type: Relaxing / Night life / Sports & activity / Culture     Bedrooms: 2     Guests: 3     Catering: self-catering       General Info     The house is in the most south-western part of Ireland, close to the village of Schull. It is right in front of the Atlantic Ocean with views of the world famous Fastnet Lighthouse, as well as a 4000 year old stone tomb. Across the house, there is an intimate sand beach. The main house is cosy and comfortable. It has two floors and features open fires, handmade oak and pine furniture, black natural stone slabs and Persian carpets. Under floor heating, bathrooms en suite, reading room, open fire sitting area and conservatory offer space and comfort to relax. The house has several rooms but is ideal for two people. There is a living room with wooden beam ceiling, open fire and a natural stonewall, a meditation room with a massage bed, a master bedroom with en-suite bath and a guest bedroom. The large handmade pitch-pine kitchen, glass conservatories, fireplaces and reading area are also charming. You have ocean view from every room. CD, DVD and book library are available. No children.       Details on the area surrounding the property/accommodation     The house is located at the sunny South West Coast of Ireland. Cork airport is 50 miles away; the next little town (Schull) is 4 miles away. It is surrounded by unspoiled nature on several acres of own coastal land, right at the Atlantic Ocean. All you see from the windows is the sky and the blue of the water and the Fastnet Lighthouse. Because of the Gulf stream, the climate is mild (palm trees in front of the house) and most of the year is perfect for being outside. Because this area is highly sought after by tourists (a sailor’s paradise) the coastal towns are bursting with charming pubs, first class restaurants, little shops and activities.       Getting there & away/local amenities     Getting There: Cork airport, Kerry airport, Shannon airport are all within easy driving distance.     Nearest airports: Cork 50 ml     Nearest train station: Cork 50 ml     Nearest ferry terminal: Cork     Nearest bus stop: Schull     Car Hire: Essential     Nearest restaurant: several in Schull and Goleen     Nearest beach: sandy beach right in front of the house     Nearest shop: in Schull and Goleen, little shop in Toormore     Nearest market: in Schull, Bantry and other places       More Info Owner Info     Name Denise Nagle   Contact Phone No. +353860502742       Accommodation details     Activities Nearby Beach within 30km / Birdwatching / Canoeing / Climbing / Cycling / Fishing / Flying / Golf within 30km / Horse Riding / Tennis / Therapies / Walking / Watersports       Interior Facilities Dishwasher / DVD player / Internet Access / Linen provided / Log Fire / Television / Washing Machine       Interior Details This house has a very special personal and charming touch and atmosphere. The owner uses it himself regularly; it is very different from a typical holiday rental cottage. Everything authentic; you will find handmade furniture, Persian Carpets, very expensive HiFi system, huge library with books in several languages, art, several hundred CDs and DVDs. The owner travels a lot and the house is full of things from all over the world.       Exterior Facilities BBQ / Courtyard / Garden / Terrace       Exterior Details The house is very remote. In front of the house is a garden with palm trees, fuchsia, escallonia. The Gulfstream creates a very mild climate and we never have snow. This allows a very sumptuous vegatation. Every room has ocean view and you can see the famous 'Fastnet' lighthouse. A sheltered intimate sand beach is in front of the house. From the guestroom and the meditation room upstairs you can see the 'Standing Stones'. At night, you only hear the waves of the ocean, and sometimes a fox!       Further Details Over 15 years ago the owner, an international working artist, came to work on an art project in the Southwest of Ireland. Finding peace and serenity and a refined lifestyle which can only be found in a few places on earth, he built his dream house in a very special location. The house is on an elevated piece of land and overlooks the Atlantic, a stone tomb und the bay. A unique combination of endless blue, space and a feeling of longing to be far away --created by the ocean-- yet at the same time the feeling of being at home, protected and sheltered --created by the bay and the cliffs-- had a very strong impact on him and he fell in love immediately. In Toormore he found a place where one can still discover secret places, be enchanted by the grace of thousand year old forests and explore ancient castles and stone circles. Here where people still take the time to chat, it is possible to withdraw from the hectic modern life and to relax, be creative or even find oneself.       Conditions of Rental Rental cost include: bed and household linen, towels. A damage deposit of two week's rent against damage or breakages is payable when you arrive. A receipt will be given to you. The cheque will be cancelled after the house has been cleaned and provided that there are no breakages and that the accommodation is left reasonably clean and tidy. Maintenance cost (water, gas, waste, electricity, heating etc) is not included and costs 140 Euro/ week (80 Euro from May 1st to September 1st). Final cleaning: 80 Euro.       What visitors have said about Toormore House       ... and there it was with its splendid view! We enjoyed our stay in Ireland very much. The first week we stayed in Dublin, looked around and did all the beautiful standard stuff like Trinity College, the Longroom of the Library, the book of Kells (wow!), the Christ Church Cathedral, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and above all and everything the Chester Beaty museum; this is probably the finest collection of old books and manuscripts in the world, in any case the finest collection I have ever seen. Than Tara, Newgrange, Glandelough, the Powerhouse gardens. And Templebar, my goodness, there the party goes on every night till 4.00 am. We than drove from Dublin to Toormore, the communication with Denise was perfect and we met at Altar Church. Denise brought us to your home and there it was with its splendid view! We have enjoyed your house and the privacy very much and were impressed by some precious pieces of your furniture. Good bed, beautiful linen, cozy and warm interior. We even had very beautiful weather! We did all the peninsula’s (Mizen, Beara, Ring of Kerry; amazing, especially Beara is extremely beautiful), Garisnish Island, Bantry with the very lovely Bantry House (had a chat with the landlady who speaks perfect German), visited 2 stone circles picked from the booklet we found in your house, dined in Blairs Cove in Durrus (impressive spot, the lady that welcomed us turned out to be from Hamburg), the heron’s Cove in Goleen (very friendly, interesting concept to pick your bottle of wine). And we did our shopping in Schull, good Spar, nice bookshop, prima pubs. On our way back we stayed a day in Cork, had lunch at the Farmgate Café on the First Floor in the English market and were lucky to get a place (no insider tip any more) and left Ireland with the late ferry from Rosslare to Pembroke; with melancholy. We had a wonderful time! AndreR,  Frankfurt, Deutschland,  Jun 2010  We were truly blessed residing at Toormore House ! From Canada to Ireland, to be more precise to Toormore House. During a visit to Ireland one of the things we were extremely pleased with was our accommodations. Toormore House afforded us a beautiful “home away from home”. It was so clean, spacious, and safe. From its amazing setting to our kind and hospitable host and hostess, we couldn't have asked for better. We wish to express our sincere thanks to them and our landlord. To anyone visiting the beautiful Emerald Isle, if your stay includes residing at Toormore House, you are truly blessed John and Bev,  Nova Scotia, Canada,  May 2010  Amazing trip, amazing house! Thank you so much for allowing us to experience your lovely home and beautiful Ireland. It was such an amazing trip. We had a wonderful time...it was hard to leave. I've shown pictures of the house to everybody and they are amazed by how beautiful it all is. Thank you! KellyG,  Arlington, Virginia, USA,  Apr 2010  ... like us French do ... We spent one week in Toormore in February 2011 and were delighted by the experience. The site is magnificent with the wild coast visible from all rooms and the atmosphere made of silence only troubled by the sounds of sea and wind is unique. The house is cosy, peaceful and richly decorated. We were fond of the kitchen which was evidently designed by somebody really loving Cuisine like us French do. It is a perfect place to stay and relax which we did when the weather outside was bad; we took advantage of the sunny days to visit the area which is really worth seing with places like Mizen Head or Beara Peninsula. Special mention and thanks to Denise who welcomed us greatly and is a master of Irish humour. Da.pe45:Paris,  Paris, France,  Feb 2011  ***A terribly romantic adventure*** We had an absolutely lovely time at your cottage and thank you for your kind hospitality. Denise and her husband we very welcoming and helped set us up perfectly for our week in Toomore. The highlights were getting snowed in (?!) for a day, driving the ring of Kerry and the treacherous "Priest' Leap", kissing the Blarney Stone, and making quiet dinners by the fire with a bottle of great Italian wine. It was a terribly romantic adventure and we look forward to more! TiMaHe,  Los Angeles, CA, USA,  Nov 2010  The highlite of our Ireland tour! We had an absolutely amazing trip to Ireland. We travelled across the county and saw & did everything from veiwing the Cliffs of Mor, visiting dozens of charming towns & taking a walking tour of Derry. The Irish people are very friendly & accommodating. But the highlite of our experience was our time at our beautiful home in Toormore. The privacy, the location, the well appointed home, the ocean view, the lovely cats all made for a serene vacation. Denise was great and very helpful she even provided wood for the fireplace. It was difficult to leave as we felt so at home. We will be back next year! Belinda & Alex, Toronto, Ontario, Canada BelindaAndAlex,  Toronto, Ontario, Canada,  Sep 2010  The house was AMAZING! will never forget my week there - it was magical! I had a week of fun, serenity, relaxation and harmony. The cottage is truly a haven and while it is secluded it's so close to everything that I never felt stranded. Congratulations on creating an environment where you can share what you love and contribute to others. I will DEFINITELY be back! ManalB23,  San Francisco, California, USA,  Sep 2010  We had a restful, peaceful time. Just a note to say the house was great thanks and we found it both peaceful and comfortable. Also well equipped. Denise was very helpful, and in the event we had no problems at all during our stay. The views were great, and we were surprised to get really good weather during the whole week, which was a bonus. We had a restful, peaceful time. Paul and Susan PaSu5647,  Warrington, Cheshire, England,  Aug 2010  ...wonderful time... We had a wonderful time at the house and all was well. We hope to repeat the experience next summer! br24353,  Leeds, UK,  Jul 2010  We spent three weeks in Ireland and the use of Toormore House was the highlight. I have to put a really 'good word' in for Denise. She was very helpful and a great hostess - she did a great job. I loved the look of the new studio and the east-end sitting area. I'd love to spend a month sculpting there. Beautiful house in a beautiful setting. Thanks for the opportunity to share a bit of your vision, Nick and Marion NickMcM,  Ontario, Canada,  Jun 2010  Terrific ocean views We very much enjoyed our stay in Toormore House and found it to be very well equipped and comfortable with terrific ocean views. BarryD,  Dublin, Ireland,  Jul 2010  I'd never go out if it were mine!! I really don't know how the owner can spend time away from that house, I'd never go out if it were mine!! We had a very peaceful and relaxing week. The ocean views were amazing and we hope to return again to West Cork. DaveLangf2,  Plymouth, Devon, UK,  Jun 2010  We are already planning a grand return!!! Achim, thanks so much for sharing your home with us. Although only a week, it felt much longer as we settled into Ireland's beautiful South West coastline to enjoy the spectacular views, charming surrounding towns and of course the pubs and people. Whether sitting outside on the patio enjoying local cheeses with wine or driving along the curious coastal roadways stopping occasionally to absorb the magical landscape or walking about the countryside in search of castles, stone circles and ruins, we always felt at peace and at home. We are already planning a grand return in a few years. In the meantime, we have shared our Irish adventure with others and if i were a betting man, I'd wager a few of our friends and family might be planning the same as well. All the best! bob CindyAndBob,  Lebanon, New Jersey, USA,  Sep 2009  Peaceful and comfortable in rain or shine... We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The house and location are very peaceful and comfortable in rain or shine ……….and we had both!! Basically if you can see the lighthouse it isn’t raining…….yet! Many thanks to you and Denise. Best wishes. Alison AlisonGar.,  London, UK,  Jul 2009  Lovely, quiet setting The house in Toormore is in a lovely, quiet setting convenient for solitude and easy day trips to scenic Southwest Co RobDrey,  Boston, MA, USA,  Jul 2009  A piece of paradise!!!!! Achim, WE LOVED YOUR HOME!!! You do have a piece of paradise over there!!! We were so relaxed and your home is so peaceful. We played your classical music and enjoyed the birds singing and the sounds of the ocean. Oh, so sweet it was! We look forward to another visit. DawnKenn,  Canton, Connecticut, USA,  Jun 2009  Beautiful, comfortable .... just lovely!!! We enjoyed our stay at Toormore House very much. It was beautifully situated, very comfortable (particularly the beds) and with a lovely ambiance. It felt very good being there -- with all the natural light, beautiful colours, graceful furnishings, a huge variety of music and books. But most of the time we were busy admiring the view... Prof.RayBishp,  Manchester, UK,  May 2009  Better than the website! Choosing a holiday house from the Internet is never easy. Wen I looked at the web site for Toormore House, I caught myself thinking 'it can't be that good'. But the house really is that good and better!! Better because it allows you space to make it your own. Toormore House is a very special place in a landscape hallowed by centuries, indeed millenia, of humans seeking out its quietness and solitude and oneness with nature. There is a real and soothing spirituality of place and the design of the house and gardens, with many little nooks and crannies and private sitting areas, helps you enjoy the the house in your way. We had a wonderful holiday. The house is ideal for touring the rugged coastline of SW Ireland, there is much to see and do in the area but most of all the house is ideal for one of those quiet 'do nothing' holidays. There is an excellent library and eclectic collection of CDs and DVDs, with a good HiFi and TV, and also a good Internet connection for those who, like me, just can't leave home without it! The letting arrangements all worked simply and efficiently, from first contact and payment to the friendly welcome from Denise who quickly settled us into the house and then left us alone to enjoy the house as our own for the period we were fortunate to live in and enjoy Toormore House. Achim, once again a genuine thank you, we really did enjoy your house and you are to be congratulated balancing such a special place with your own needs and the needs of commercial letting. Well done and thank you. The Reverend John S., Hampshire, UK RevJohnSctt,  Hampshire, UK,  Apr 2009  Breath-taking I had a wonderful stay at Toormore House. The views and the setting are breath-taking, and the house truly feels like a home. My favorite moments were spent sitting around the fireplace and sampling the music collection. I found it difficult to choose between spending my time indoors by the fireplace or outdoors exploring the countryside! I hope to come back again for another visit. Thanks Achim for having me to your home, and thanks Denise for taking such great care of me! TOMAG,  London, UK,  Jan 2009  Our honeymoon in your house was unforgettable!! We wanted to spent our honeymoon and New Year's Eve at a very special place and took great care in searching for the perfect place. Thank you for welcoming us into the house, the two weeks we spent in Toormore House were unforgettable!! We will be recommending the place to friends in the future and we certainly will be coming back! Stoy,  Reading, Pennsylvania, U,  Dec 2008  Cozy Christmas in Ireland We were so lucky to stay at Toormore House for Christmas! The peaceful and friendly atmosphere created a warm and wonderful spirit. It's a really great getaway HeidyKoesAms,  Amsterdam, Netherlands,  Dec 2008  I don't know how you could do better than this!! Our holiday in Toormore House was a wonderful adventure! The location is terrific, and if you feel like taking a three-minute walk, you are looking out at Mizen Head in the North Atlantic. Look around, and you will find yourself standing next to an ancient stone Dolman, dating back before Christ! Being in West Cork, the climate is terrific, and you will love the palm-type trees in the yard. The cottage is cozy, with in-floor heating, and wonderful panoramas of the ocean. There are a number of enticing courtyards, each virtually begging you to sit down and read your new novel. At night, I could not help but to crack the blinds just a bit in the master bedroom, so I could feel transfixed by the magical beam of light passing from the famous Fastnet lighthouse. As a reader and lover of music, there are infinite possibilities, in both English and German, to help you relax. The artwork alone makes you feel like you are in a gallery, while retaining the feel that this is your home. If you want the serenity of a special home, and still be near the amenities of Schull, as well as the magnificent Beara Peninsula, I don't know how you could do better than this TomWa,  Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA,  Oct 2008  A beautiful, warm and peaceful home We've had a wonderful week in Ireland. Achim, you have a beautiful, warm and peaceful home. Thanks for sharing it with us. We hope to come again AntonS,  Stamford, Connecticut, US,  Nov 2008  Something special !! We had a fantastic time! Everything was just perfect, in fact for us it was the ideal rural setting. Because of our business, we rarely get enough time for a break - so if we do, we expect something special. Both of us have agreed: Toomore House is just that, very special. Achim thank you for allowing us the use of your home, we hope we can do it again in the very near future, and also thanks to Denise for her help. JoSullivan,  Dublin, Ireland,  Nov 2008  Any time again!! Your house is gorgeous and our holiday was just perfect! We had to get away from our hectic schedule so we didn't go out at all, but just relaxed completely. We especially loved the glass roofed lean-to with the firplace in it and ate there by candlelight and in the day time. Denise is a complete star and made us feel very welcome. We loved the place so much and your good taste that we often wondered about you. Just lovely! We would stay again at the drop of a hat! Bena Stutchbury, Architect,  Leap, Co.Cork, Ireland,  Aug 2008  Perfect Honeymoon Toormoore house was everything we had hoped for for our honeymoon. Idyllic scenery, secluded, relaxing and a place to recharge after a few very hectic weeks. We look forward to returning in the future. AndVau,  London, UK,  Aug 2008  I was invited by the West Cork Literary Festival and did a short reading at the awards ceremony. I was so nervous but I did it without too many mistakes. I wanted to participate in more but had to give in to my daughters and spent time hiking and picnicking on hilltops. The first morning we drove to Goleen and stopped in The Green Kettle for wood and vegetables. The shopkeeper looked like he stepped out of a Melville novel and the town was so unlike the malls we're accustomed to that we all started to cry! The funny thing is, I'm not a crier. We hiked to a castle and my oldest daughter, Kim, jumped into the ocean even though it was cool and misty. We hiked most days (we even climbed to the top of Lough Hyne) and then returned to your wonderful home and cooked dinner. (I have to tell you: My husband's occupation is building and installing high end kitchens and you did a fantastic job!) And we loved your massage bed in the meditation room. Now we all want to buy one! It was always such a pleasure to know at the end of the day we could return, light a fire in the living room, play Sade and Mozart and leaf through your library. We read poems we wrote and laughed a lot. We also cried at the amazing fact that we were in Ireland in a house with drop-dead scenery spread out in front of us. And then there was the sound of the ocean. A year ago these things didn't seem possible. We'd suffered a lot of hardships and misunderstandings like everyone and never expected to be so fortunate. Your house, the rocks and the sea, the people, all had a wonderful healing effect on us. I gush, I know, but we all did, aborbing the energy in every frying pan and wooden spoon, the Chagall and the drawing of Ireland from a child's hand framed on the upstairs shelf. We enjoyed your photographs and the mango moon like a perfect half of pie, and then as the sky grew black, the stars so bright, my daughter woke me at 2:30 am to show me. I know I go on and on, but staying at a hotel is so depressing.. you try to avoid returning and in the morning you can't wait to leave. We had to force ourselves to leave the house. My youngest daughter Kellie, stayed home all day on Friday because she said she "needed to say goodbye to the house in peace". I could go on and on and sound more and more corny, but I tell the truth when I say that our stay was magical. Oh well, we will be back! Julia Julia Van Middlesworth, Author,  Princeton, New Jersey, USA,  Jul 2008  Unique artistic feel Toormore House is unique in its artistic feel: every stone and every bookshelf exudes art. When you combine this with a view of waves crashing on rocks and spikey palm trees nodding in the breeze, you know that you have reached a place where you will write poetry or compose a song. Actually living in the home of a creative photographer, using his fine collection of kitchen tools and browsing through all the books (in English, German and French) you know that you have spent your money well, no matter what the weather. Great household help is two miles away in the form of Denise and Chris, who can fix everything, connect you with the local families, and may indeed bring you a bucket of live muss BiHam,  Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA,  Jun 2008  Right At Home Just want to let you know that we absolutely loved your house. We had a wonderful stay and felt right at home. The house is so creative and well planned we enjoyed every bit of it. My favorite room was the sun room off the kitchen. The view of the outdoor room was just perfect. My husband enjoyed the stonework, something he has secretly always wanted to do. Your house has given him many ideas and I think he is on a roll now to experiment. Mary March,  Atlanta, Georgia, USA,  Jun 2008  Our recommendation ***** We own a restaurant in Schull and our guests often ask for recommendations where to stay. We like to suggest Toormore House because it is very charming and has an unique and homely atmosphere, and the setting next to the sea is beautiful ... West Cork at its best. So far 4 times guests managed to secure an immediate booking and all of them were more than happy. As we Irish say: "Fair Play and Good Luck to you!! JagoRes,  Schull, Ireland,  May 2008  A special and spiritual place We had a wonderful holiday and did not want to come home ! Your property is lovely and we felt you had allowed us into your home - a very special and spiritual place. WenIng,  London, UK,  Sep 2007  Cosy, peaceful and elegant John and I had a most enjoyable time at Toormore. A cosy, peaceful, elegant and characterful home in the midst of the most beautiful surroundings. It was exactly what we needed - to read, relax, listen to good music, drink wine looking into a gorgeous sea swept landscape - absolute bliss. We loved our time in Toormore and we will, without doubt, return as soon as we can. Thank you for a lovely holiday! Pippa Longworth,  London, UK,  Jul 2007  Just perfect! A fantastic house, a wonderful opportunity to discover Irland. Just perfect. Justine Maillard,  Paris, France,  Mar 2007  A little private World "We fell in love with Toormore House from the website. The moment we drove up the steep driveway into the little private world it inhabits, we knew it was all that we had imagined. As described, it has a beautifully stocked kitchen, a warm and open conservatory, a cozy living room with walls of books, extremely comfortable beds, and a great bathroom. There are also a number of outdoor spots to sit. What makes it so special, though, is the incredible mixture of Mediterranean, Moorish, Irish and contemplative spirit. Achim has collected objects from his travels, and much of his own and other's art, and you are truly in his house. With the house comes a marvelous caretaker, Denise, who made us feel instantly welcome and was available for all questions and any kind of help. We also found that the compilation of information which Achim provided on the website was enormously useful in touring. We fell under the spell of West Cork, and alternated days of touring several of the peninsulas--each different--with lazy reading and walking down the driveway and out on the rocks across the road to watch the tides and the light change and just to bask in the spirit of place. We know we will be back." Lisa and Joel,  Boston, MA, USA,  May 2008  January without the crowds - Beautiful. We had a wonderful time - despite the fact that the weather was quite miserable. The house is beautiful! I hope to return again in spring or fall. While I am sure summer in West Cork is gorgeous, I like the idea of being there without the crowds. Samantha SaGri,  Cadiz, Spain,  Jan 2011  Beautiful home, great atmosphere, lovely lazy cats, lightshouse shining in the bedroom, the stars at night, cozy fireplace. Toormore house fits like a glove….We cooked, we enjoyed the super weather (almost to hot to sit in the sun) and we drove +/- 1600 km in the surrounding area. JappAndCorinne,  Amsterdam, Netherlands,  Oct 2010