Ballyferriter, Suantra Cottages

In May, for the second time in three years I spent a week in the Suantra Cottages out by Clogher Head on the Dingle Peninsula. Three traditional houses sit side-by-side with a view to Sybill Head, the Three Sisters, and the ocean. The area is wonderfully quiet, with a beautiful dark sky, and miles of walkng paths right along the coast.

The cottage itself is simple, with an open living-dining-kitchen main section, three bedrooms, one bathroom, and a washer and dryer out back, with all linens and kitchen basics provided. Heat is provided by space heaters and a peat fireplace. Nothing extra fancy, but comfortable and homey.

The best part, though, are Phil and Alec, your landlords, who are exceptional hosts. To put them in perspective, the Irish are the most hospitable people on earth. And Phil and Alec put the rest to shame. I was included in family functions, and found myself visitiing for hours as we talked and shared tea. And for an added bonus, their sons run An Canteen restaurant in Dingletown, with great food and prices. I can't wait to go back.

Excellent value,quiet peaceful location,stunning scenery,beautiful beaches;idyllic setting ,village with amenities nearby,kind generous hospitality,highly recommended

If you're looking for value for your money, you can't do better. These three little cottages are nestled at the foot of a mountain at the end of the Dingle Pensinsula with the ocean in front of you. Run by Phil O'Connor and her husband Alec, with great hospitality, each cottage has room to sleep up to 6 with basic amenities, that include a peat-burning fireplace, CD player, TV, microwave, and space heaters(you do pay for the fuel).The houses are spotless and comfortable. The Dingle Way is across the street and the Blasket path over the mountains to where Ryans Daughter was filmed is out the back door. Dingle is 20 min away, but there are plenty of places to eat, drink and enjoy the people within ten minutes of the cottages. And the scenery is unmatched anywhere.

Suantra Cottages is our regular haunt when on the Dingle peninsula. It is located near Ballyferriter and has a beautiful view of the ocean. If you're looking for a small house with a kitchen to rent, you can't go wrong. There are three separate cottages with three rooms in each. They are identical, so it doesn't matter which one you get. You can easily sleep 5-6 people. Small fireplaces provide a good opportunity to explore peat as fuel. It smells wonderful and actually puts off a good amount of heat if you get it going well. There is also a bookshelf with a selection of books and maps and information about site seeing on the peninsula. There are several comfortable chairs for stretching out in front of the fire and reading as well as a small couch. There is a TV and small radio/cassette player. The TV reception isn't good and there are only three or four stations, but you didn't come here to watch the telly, now did you? The kitchen is well stocked and has a stove/oven and a small refrigerator. The bathroom is large and has a bathtub and shower, something you don't see often in rental cottages. There are radiators in each room for heat and I believe a portable one is available for localized heat if necessary. You do pay for your electricity, so don't get carried away and leave the heat on all day. You shouldn't really need the heat during the spring, summer and fall unless the temperature really drops. There are laundry facilities outside in a detached shed. You can take a nice walk West to Clougher Strand or off a nearby road through the fields and towards the ocean (see 12/24 below for this location). This was our third visit, and it feels like home and is highly recommended!

It's New Year's Eve as we creep across the wind swept mountains of the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland in our small rental car. With the dual carriage way long behind us, the road narrows as the scenery opens up to provide the dramatic setting of mountains, sky and sea. Passing through Dingle (An Daingean, as it's now known) we weave our way along the final stage of the journey to our destination in the far western corner of the Peninsula.

Living in Dublin since 2000, I've visited An Gaeltacht (native Irish speaking) areas of Dunquin (D n Chaoin) and Ballyferriter (Baile an Fheirt araigh) regularly, bringing friends and family to share in this unique experience.

Suantra Cottages are three dwellings nestled together on a mountain side with stunning views of the ravaged Kerry coast line. Set halfway between Ballyferriter and Dunquin, the cottages offer cosy, clean, good value accommodation with heating, showers, cooking and washing facilities. Each Cottage sleeping five or six people comfortably. Philomena O'Connor (the Proprietor) keeps the cottages very clean and well maintained. For those preferring more luxury accommodation, the family also rents a beautiful converted traditional stone house just down the road.

The area offers something for everyone, invigorating coastal and mountain walks, surf and fishing beaches, local craft centres, historical sites, trips over to the Blasket Islands (weather permitting), fantastic local pubs and restaurants and even the chance to bump into an All Ireland Medal winner or two.

Whilst this part of Ireland is very picturesque on a sunny summer's day, it can also be quite busy, by Kerry standards. A visit outside the main tourist season can offer a more pleasurable experience. There are no queues, less traffic, a chance to talk to some of the locals, and to witness nature's dramatic elements at work during the wintry months. These lovely cottages offer fine protection against the wind and rain rattling the windows and you can enjoy the romance of the peat fire crackling and spitting in protest. Two minutes walk away you can view the giant Atlantic waves as they surge onto the beach at Clougher Strand, itself set against the dark silhouette of the island known as The Dead Man.

Ballyferriter is a five minute drive away, a small community providing food, supplies and hospitality all year round.

Our destination for New Year's Eve celebrations was one of the five bars in Ballyferriter (first on the left as you enter the village from Suantra Cottages). When we arrived the place was buzzing; men, women, boys and girls of all ages laughing and chatting; in a collective state of merriment or having 'The Craic' as it's more commonly known. Out the back they had music on, Traditional musicians normally, but tonight there was a disco so we drank and danced the night away with the locals and loved every minute of it. The night seemed to fly by and before we knew it we were climbing into the back of a cab to head back to the sanctuary of our cosy cottage.

Suantra Cottages, Ballyferriter provide a wonderful base for exploring and enjoying this spectacular corner of Ireland. We will certainly be back again soon!