Cork's Great Escapes: Glamping in the lap of luxury

Do you know that feeling when a place instantly transports you back to a stand-out memory from your childhood? Well, Ballyvolane House did just that for me once I stepped onto its beautiful grounds.

It was as if I had just stepped onto the set of The Secret Garden - one of my favourite childhood movies - with high stone walls, wooden benches, blooming flowers, and leafy trees dissected by gravel paths leading to the main house.

Upon arrival at the property, you are greeted by a long driveway surrounded by trees and rolling parklands, which leads up to the impressive country house owned and run by the Green family.

A popular wedding venue, it also hosts product launches, company workshops, retreats, and conferences, and is the home of Bertha’s Revenge - the original Irish milk gin - which is distilled on-site.

The house was originally a classical Georgian home, built in 1728 for Lord Chief Justice of Ireland Sir Richard Pyne, before being remodelled in Italianate style in the early 1870s.

There are six guest bedrooms in the main house, but it is what is on offer at the back of the property that makes this a truly unique experience.

Surrounded by nature is Ballyvolane House’s glamping (glamorous camping) site of bell tents and pig arks, which are available to book from May through to September.

I opted to stay in one of the three glamping arks, which sleep two, as it was so different to any other glamping offering I had stayed at, being inspired by traditional pig ark structures constructed from timber and clad with rounded tin.

There are also four-metre bell tents with double or twin beds that sleep two people, and five-metre bell tents for families that sleep up to four (two adults and two children) for those drawn to the aesthetic appeal of staying overnight in a bell tent.

Pitched on raised timber decking platforms, the pig ark has a real ‘cabin in the woods’ feel upon entering through a wooden half door, with its wooden flooring, wooden wall ling, and view of the surrounding trees from the window. Despite being a short stroll from the main house, its location in the garden surrounded by trees makes it feel quite private.

For comfort, there are two armchairs, an additional warm blanket, and lots of comfy cushions inside the ark. It is fully connected to the mains electricity and equipped with lighting, plug sockets and USB ports for charging phones and devices.

It is worth noting that the pig arks and bell tents do not have toilet or showering facilities, instead, there is a dedicated ‘wash house’ with toilet and showers located in the barns a short stroll from the glamping units.

The wash house has private shower cubicles, full-length mirrors, coat-hooks and hair-dryers, and towels are provided.

Free WiFi is available in the barns adjacent to the wash house, which provides a space for guests to chill out on the comfy sofas, select a board game, or play some table tennis.

I’d recommend making use of the hammock in the garden by bringing a book to read, or simply taking in the sounds of the birds and breeze blowing through the leaves overhead.

Another element to a stay at Ballyvolane House is that its glamping offering is dog-friendly, meaning your pooch can come along with you on your countryside escape and mingle with the owners’ own doggies who greet you at the main house.

The main house is still very much central to the glamping experience as there are no cooking facilities in the units and breakfast and dinner are served in the dining room of the house.

Glampers can book a seasonal 4-course set menu at €75 per person, while breakfast is included in the glamping rate.

Guests usually opt to communal dine - a unique experience that allows guests from all over the world to get to know each other over the dinner and breakfast table.

The glamping site at Ballyvolane House was established in 2012 after a wedding couple asked if their friends could camp on site for their big day.

“As we only have a limited number of bedrooms in the house, the extra glamping tents and arks are ideal for groups, like house rentals and wedding parties,” says co-owner of the property Jenny Green.

“We didn’t want to build additional rooms and take away from the authenticity of the house, so the idea of having glamping made sense.

“Like most of the projects here, things evolve over time and we have made upgrades to the glamping over the years.”

Having explored every nook and cranny of the grounds, it was evident the proud owners Justin and Jenny Green have in their property, and how much love has gone into making their home a real countryside escape while still being just 30 minutes outside Cork city.

If you’re looking for a unique stay in nature while still having the comforts of hotel accommodation and food, look no further than Ballyvolane House.

See https://ballyvolanehouse.ie/

AT A GLANCE

Cost of Stay

• Big Glamping Ark (sleeps 2) for one night: €215
• Mini Glamping Ark (sleeps 2) for one night: €205
• Large Bell Tent (sleeps 4) for one night: €280
• Small Bell Tent (sleeps 2) for one night: €200
• Highlights

• Unique glamping experience in pig ark or bell tent
• Dog-friendly property
• Communal dining experience in the main house
• Extensive gardens to explore and relax in
• A countryside escape just 30 minutes from Cork city

ITINERARY

Local Amenities

Located just 30 minutes from Cork city, 20 minutes from Midleton, 15 minutes from Fermoy, and 25 minutes from Lismore and the River Blackwater, there is a large selection of amenities and activities near Ballyvolane House to include on your itinerary.

Here are some suggestions:

• Walking and cycling
• Corrin Wood (15-minute drive)
• Glensheskin Wood (25-minute drive)
• Midleton Greenway (20-minute drive)
• The Galtee Mountains (Kings Yard - 35-minute drive)
• Knockmealdowns Mountains/The Vee (45-minute drive)
• Ballyhoura Mountains (50-minute drive)
• Ballysaggartmore Towers Loop Walk in Waterford (30-minute drive)

Activities

• Mitchelstown Cave - www.mitchelstowncave.com (35-minute drive)
• Adventure Park at Kartworld - www.adventurepark.ie (15-minute drive)
• Canoeing on the River Blackwater - www.blackwaterecotours.ie (45-minute drive)
• Lismore Castle and Gardens (Waterford) - www.lismorecastlegardens.com (30-minute drive)

Beaches and Cliff Walks

• Red Barn Beach Youghal (35-minute drive)
• Ballycotton Cliff Walk (40-minute drive)
• Knockadoon Cliff Walk (40-minute drive)
• Inch Beach (35-minute drive)
• Roches Point (40-minute drive)

Local Foodie Spots

• Dooleys Bakery in Rathcormac (10-minute drive)
• O’Mahony’s of Watergrasshill (15-minute drive)
• Hanna’s Market and Café in Fermoy (17-minute drive)
• Ferrit & Lee, Roastie, La Trattoria, Salinas Bistro, PAN, Church Lane - all Midleton (20-minute drive)
• Midleton Farmers’ Market on Saturdays (20-minute drive)