Rent a holiday cottage close to Baltimore Harbour in County Cork

Ireland abounds in fabulous holiday homes in a wide range of beautiful settings. It can be difficult to decide where to take a self-catering break in Ireland and it all depends on where you would like to stay and what you would like to do. One attractive place with great activities is Baltimore Harbour in County Cork. Find a good quality cottage or apartment to rent near Baltimore Harbour and you can enjoy a holiday of a lifetime.

Founded in 1607, Baltimore Harbour is the place to be if you love water. Whether you like sailing, fishing, scuba diving or pretty much any other water sports you can think off, Baltimore Harbour literally has it all. Also known as 'Fort of the Jewels', it is the perfect place for a family holiday, or maybe even just go with some friends. Rent a holiday cottage and explore the island.

Baltimore Beacon is without a doubt the most notable landmark around, it was built in 1798 and rests at the entrance to the harbour. It is an easy walk to visit it. When booking a cottage here, you really can not go wrong. No matter where the cottage is located, you will always be able to walk to the harbour and also have amazing, clear views of the water.

Calling all photographers for a self-catering holiday near Baltimore Harbour

Baltimore Harbour is also incredible if you are an artist or photographer as there is so much natural beauty to capture, so whether you like painting or taking pictures, you will find something inspiring to recreate. You can even take amateur photography and art classes if you want to improve your skills. Take a walk in the roads leading from the harbour and you will find inspiration at every roadside. There are mounds of lobster pots, fishing nets and old marine ropes in heaps on the verges. These always make for interesting photographic topics, especially if captured with the bay behind them. Staying in a holiday cottage means that the accommodation is secure for your photographic equipment and laptop. You will have peace to view, enhance and annotate your images in the evenings.

Inspirational holiday on the Cork coast

If scuba diving is your passion, get a boat ride to Lough Hyne, a marine nature reserve, and explore the several ship wrecks that lie at the bottom of the lake, which include a world war one submarine. You could also see some of the amazing marine animals it has to offer. Prefer to stay dry? Book a sea safari and spot all sorts of marine wildlife including whales, sea lions and sea birds.  The basking sharks off the coast are of an incredible size, larger than your boat and yet gentle creatures that you can get very close to.

If you need to wind down after a long day of activities, why not go sit in one of the many beer gardens that overlook the harbour, this is also perfect for the little ones as a lot of the pubs offer a menu for children. You might be staying in a self-catering cottage but it’s up to you whether you bother to cook or go out, and who wouldn’t on a bright sunny day? Want a break from water activities and want to find something the whole family can enjoy? Go to the 18-hole golf course and have hours of fun!

Another thing you could do is one of the many hikes Baltimore has to offer, whether it is along the sandy coastlines or through villages and towns, you will never be far from nature and you could even book a private guide to show you the town. Dogs are also welcome in the majority of holiday cottages available in Baltimore harbour and there are so many places you could walk them, or even rent a paddle boat and take them onto the water with you. Just check that the accommodation is categorised as pet-friendly.

How about a change of scenery? Book a boat tour which will take you to Schull, Sherkin Island and Cape Clear, which is inhabited by just over 100 people and offers safaris to see wildlife including seals, basking sharks and dolphins. If plants are your calling, you will be able to find Sea Pinks, Honeysuckle and many more on the island. There is also a bird observatory, where you can look for rare migrating birds during the summer months. 

A holiday near Baltimore Harbour is a dream location for people who like to get out and about during their holiday. If you book a holiday home that has a hot tub, swimming pool or sauna, that can make the stay even more pleasurable.