As you may have noticed from my blog and Instagram I love built heritage and architecture. On my travels in August I visited Bantry House and Gardens and was not disappointed-it is spectacular! The owners live in the house and you can visit some of the rooms in another part of the house. The setting is stunning overlooking Bantry Bay on the Wild Atlantic Way. The photographs below are all of the back of the house with the back gardens... just imagine if all our back gardens looked this good. There are 100 steps leading up the back garden and the views are incredible down over the house to Bantry Bay beyond. If you are in West Cork you will have to visit as it well worth it and the entrance fee is going towards the continued renovations and restoration of the house and gardens.

Recently we visited Belvedere House and Gardens near Mullingar in County Westmeath. We had visited before so just spent a few hours wandering around the house and gardens. It is a lovely place for a day out and we booked online before we went €6.50 per adult. My last post includes some photos from the walled garden and glasshouse. Here is the house itself and views of the larger gardens. The weather has wonderful here in Ireland for the past two weeks but some rain came yesterday. The garden will start to flourish now so I'm off to the garden centre today to buy some Antirrhinum (snapdragons), Nemesia and perhaps some Sweetpeas. I have two new trailing Hydrangeas that I set last year and they are going to bloom this year as the blooms are appearing. My Lupin is also doing well but it appears something may be eating the flowers buds!!! I will have to investigate...

Would you like to stay in an Irish Lighthouse? Well with the Irish Landmark Trust you can, check out their lovely properties on their website from cottages, gatelodges to schoolhouses and towers, take your pick!

Sorry for the lack of blogging lately, I have a few days off work and I'm really enjoying the good weather. I went to my parents holiday home last weekend and while there I visited a car boot sale and picked this up!

I have it out in the garage, all sanded and the handles off cleaning them. I'm going to paint it white. I am also sanding a chair to paint white too for the new house. The house is progressing well, all the bedrooms are plastered and now they are starting to plaster the entrance hallway. The door surrounds are in downstairs so it will soon be time for painting :) I'm enjoying the lovely weather and here are a few photographs of my walk in the woods yesterday, enjoy! Oh and Happy Easter to everyone :)

Today I love....

I came across this amazing website today while searching for some old cottages, I love it, how did I not come across it before or hear of it. It is called Former Glory and it depicts the wonderful architecture of historic properties in Ireland. As you already know I love photographing ruins and old historical buildings, here are a few of my images below.

{All images my own}

This weekend, my boyfriend and I went for a night away to Kilkenny with wonderful walking trails,  historic Kilkenny Castle, beautiful parks and gardens and lots of fine bars and restaurants. The weather was beautiful yesterday so here are a few nice photographs to share with you. Today is miserable and wet and I'm back home!

The Castle Walls

Pretty Bridge

Kilkenny Castle

Castle Gates

Castle Tower

A view from the Castle Gardens

St. Canice's Cathedral & Round Tower

Rothe House

The Thosel