Self-catering holiday homes: County Cork

Make a holiday rental, home or holiday cottage County Cork, Ireland your home away from home

County Cork is the South Eastern county of the Republic of Ireland, and the largest of all the Irish counties. County Cork is a land of lush farmland, river valleys, jagged coastline and wild sandstone moors. County Cork has a long history, will traces of settlements dating back to the Stone Age. A holiday from a self catering Cork holiday cottage can be as adventurous or relaxing as you like, but County Cork is a haven for peace and tranquilly.

Places to holiday in County Cork

The city of Cork is Ireland’s second largest city, with a huge shopping sector. It has a reputation as a relaxed destination where the bars, restaurants and pubs are lively and serve a combination of the best of local and English foods. There are many festivals to be enjoyed from your choice of self catering Cork accommodation, with the Cork Jazz Festival, Folk Festival and Film Festival. A great place to get a feel for the city is to climb Shandon Tower, and have a go at ringing the bells!

Things to do on a County Cork holiday

The hiking in County Cork is extensive. The stunning scenery of the coastline provides a beautiful backdrop to enjoy whilst you walk from a Cork holiday cottage. Walks to the Beara Peninsula and Mizen Head are very popular due to the breathtaking rock formations and the abundance of charming, friendly villages.

County Cork is a golfing hot spot. Corkians love their golf, and as a result there are a huge number and variety of golf courses in County Cork, and with 33 courses open to the public, there should be no trouble getting in a round from your County Cork holiday cottage.

The best ways to get into the stunning scenery of County Cork is by foot, bicycle or on horse back. There are many stables in County Cork offering hirelings or guided treks into some of the most beautifully wild scenery in Ireland. Alternatively, there are off-road driving centres at Clonakilty and Coachford which can teach you to drive on the rough terrain.

County Cork’s coastline is an ideal location for sea fishing. Boats can be hired from Cork Harbour, Ballinacurra and Ballynoe. For course and game angling, the Blackwater River near Mallow is one of the best Rivers in Ireland. There are also 3 diving centres on the coast.

No holiday in a County Cork holiday cottage would be complete without sampling some Gaelic sports, whether it is Gaelic football, hurling or road bowling. Details of matches can be found in all local papers.

Weather in County Cork

Ireland’s climate is well documented as being unpredictable, but if it starts to rain whilst you are enjoying County Cork's beautiful countryside, there is always a pub nearby! Summer average temperatures reach around 18°C, and winters stay mild at around 5°C.

Flights and ferries to County Cork

Cork has its own airport, just a few miles outside Cork City. Cork Airport receives flights from Birmingham (BHX), Bristol (BRS), Cardiff (CWL), Leeds Bradford (LBA), London, Manchester (MAN), and Southampton (SOU). Cheap flights to Cork are provided by Flybe, BMIbaby, RyanAir and British Airways.

Alternatively, you can reach your County Cork accommodation by ferry. Ferries leave from Swansea provided by Swansea Cork Ferries.

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