West Cork was the destination for my latest travel adventure for the ‘This is Living’ series on The Moncrieff Show. 

The first stop on my trip was Ballylickey, a small town just north of Bantry. My lodgings for the night were at the secluded Seaview House Hotel, an old fashioned country house overlooking Bantry Bay. After a long drive from South Kerry, this charming country house served as an ideal spot for a much needed rest. The staff were warm, chatty and attentive, each providing their own story about the hotel and its beautiful surroundings. The food was simple, traditional and extremely tasty. 

The next stop on my adventure was Durrus Cheese, just twenty minutes drive from Ballylickey. The small farmhouse sits in the beautiful upland valley of Coomkeen. Jeffa Gill is the innovative woman behind the whole operation and she was there to meet me upon my arrival. Unfortunately I was too early to see the cheesemaking in action but I was given a personal tour of the small factory. I couldn’t leave Durrus without sampling a few of their cheeses, so Jeffa gave me a personal cheese tutorial, explaining the origin and production process of each cheese. It was truly delightful. 

Full with cheese, I went back towards Ballylickey and continued northwest along the N71 to the town of Glengarriff. At Glengarriff Harbour I jumped on a small ferry - much like Popeye’s boat - that brought me across to Garnish Island. This uninhabited island is just ten minutes from the mainland and is famous for its beautiful gardens and the colony of seals that sit and stare at the onlooking tourists. Garnish Island is small so an hour was sufficient time to stroll through the picturesque gardens. I was lucky to visit on a day when the sun was out and rhododendrons were in full bloom.

This small corner of West Cork has so many hidden delights and is certainly worth a visit.

Listen back to the full interview here: