Stylish Earth House offering unique seclusion close to bay and heritage town

Kenmare Eco Lodge. 3 bed 3 bath eco house steeped in 3 wooded acres offering deep privacy and convenience. A ten minute drive/5 klms from town shops, restaurants, bars and 3 major supermarkets and the beautiful, wooded Kenmare Bay. 200 sq m., spacious split-level home nestles into hills, maximises views from each room. Kenmare Eco Lodge hides its modernity with style and character. You will be stepping into somebody's home, complete with library. The kitchen has a breakfast table, large walk-in pantry, as well as plant room corner and boot room. Double doors lead to dining table for six and stepped down living room with floor to ceiling windows capturing views. Beyond is the library room and downstairs bedroom with wheelchair accessible wet room. The utility room is off the hallway. Upstairs are two bedrooms. The master is king sized en suite. The second is a double with extra single bed and main bathroom alongside it.

Built with natural, ecological materials with south facing French doors and vertical windows capturing the best of the south facing aspect to the rear and east-west. The spacious yard has ample parking. Two patios have seating for 6 + BBQ + fire pit. Kenmare Eco Lodge offers a unique opportunity to holiday in a detached, secluded house on its own private 3 acre wooded grounds close to town:

Inside, the lodge offers 1 king bedroom 2 doubles and one with extra single bed. 3 bathrooms, 2 ensuite one a walking wet room and one main bathroom with bath . Sky TV + smart TV + super fast WiFi 251 Mbps for 4K. Kitchen is large, double height ceiling. It has dishwasher and 5 ring cooker, large walk-in larder and utility room. The entrance porch, hallway and utilities buffer the house at North and all living area take full advantage of southern light. Living steps down and has two sets of double doors to patio and to garden. The north-facing facade blends into the countryside as a modest rural home. The grounds are naturally/environmentally managed with extensive woodland of planted trees. A private pathway leads down through willows and alders to the shallow river full of rock pools. The pathway continues in a loop around the three acres of wetlands and woodlands and a grove of alders before arriving back to the front of the house and its long, narrow wooden shed. There is a large parking space and play area to the front of the house and an overflow car park area close to the entrance gate. The lodge is a timber frame construction built from ecological materials in 2006.



Location:
The lodge is 5 klms from the bay and town. Situated on the edge of The Beara Peninsula with its remote, wild beauty of sea and mountainous landscape and the lush valleys of Lauragh and Gleninchiquin. Killarney National Park with The Ring of Kerry are accessed within 5klms of the house. The lodge may not boast sea views but offers complete seclusion and privacy in its own wooded grounds with no other houses in view. The nearest neighbour is a five minute stroll down the laneway. The lodge is a deeply peaceful retreat, situated on a quiet back road outside the town, on 3 wild, wooded acres and on a river. The river, The Sheen, approx. 120 meters down from the back lawn has hidden access through the woods. It is therefore safe for children and can be avoided altogether. The river is very shallow and full of rock pools. except during heavy rain. There is a hammock erected by the stone steps which lead to the river for bathing. To access a swimming pool on this river, drive down the N71 and access the river at the spectacular rapids half way to town.

Note on air conditioning:
Irish temperatures rarely exceed mid twenties centigrade. Air condition appliances are therefore not in common usage. All bedrooms have full length windows and doors which can be thrown wide open, plus the glazing has UV filters. In further detail, this consists of the main bedroom having French doors and a Juliet balcony. The second upstairs bedroom having a full height vertical window to the west (with views of McGillicuddy Reeks mountains) and the downstairs bedroom having a separate glass door to the patio lawn. Living spaces of the double height kitchen has French Doors and 2 large skylights. The Living room has vertical glazing on three sides with 2 sets of French doors opening to the outdoor patio and garden. In good weather it is common to have kitchen French doors open to patio with outdoor granite dining table and canopy which seats six. Further breathability and coolness is provided by the materials of the construction. The timber frame of the lodge is infilled with fully breathable hemp. Plus it is rendered and painted in organic, breathable materials. Widows, which are insulated and have UV filters also keep the house cool. The treble glazing technology stores solar gain during sunny days and emits heat at night.

New Amenity:
A new BBQ has been added to the western patio. Outdoor protection use in inclement weather is provided by a sheltered awning by the woodshed.

The Eco house sleeps 6 guests. A large main bedroom overlooking the river valley with en suite and dressing area. A second upstairs bedroom has a double + single bed + main bathroom alongside side this room. Downstairs there is a wheelchair accessible double bedroom and walk in shower room. Dining room has a long oak dining table with steps down into living area. Floor length windows and French doors have insulated glazing + all capture hill views. A double height kitchen with exposed beams, has a breakfast area, a desk area, a walk in large pantry and a boot room inside the rear door. There is a second living room/ well stocked library room.

Ecological credentials:
This is an authentic ecological building made of hemp, lime and wood. The heating is by a ground source heat pump, the walls are fully breathable, there are triple glazed high spec windows, furnishings are natural materials and the decor is in calm natural colours using organic and chalk paints. The grounds have been planted in native trees and the river valley itself is full of mature trees dating back to the eighteenth century.

Further details:
Double height kitchen, Glazed LivingMain bedroom king-size bed plus balcony railings overlooking river valley. Bedroomhas a double and single bed. Alongside it is the main bathroom with bath. A downstairs bedroom has a wheelchair accessible walk-in wet room/shower plus access doors to the second sitting room and to the outside patio and lawn.

Location:
The location is perfect for climbing Ireland’s highest mountain and exploring the whole Killarney National Park while avoiding the mass tourism infrastructure of Killarney. The house is on the edge of the wild, sparsely-developed Beara peninsula and across the bay from The Ring of Kerry/Iveragh peninsula. West Cork can be explored from here, the southern Cork coast and its myriad villages, piers, beaches and small pretty towns are all within one and a half hour drive away. Please feel free to enquire if there is something specific not covered in the above outline area.