Following the absence of good weather over the summer here in Ireland, there was a certain irony to the very fine conditions experienced as we set out on our much-anticipated early autumn weekend break in Kinsale, Co. Cork.
The sun shone in a blue sky as we travelled the scenic coastal road towards Courtmacsherry, from where we were to embark on our whale watching trip with Atlantic Whale and Wildlife Tours.
As we turned out from Timoleague, with the 13th century ruins of Timoleague Abbey in our rear mirror, the tide seemed to rise to meet us, and it was as if we were waterborne before we'd even left the car.
We were advised not to get our hopes up as we set out for clear water and, for a while it seemed like a spot of sunbathing might be all that was in store, but before long the sight of diving gannets brought us into the company of a large school of bottlenose dolphins who immediately turned on the theatrics, jumping out of the water, almost within touching distance.
Thankfully, we were safely positioned a little further away when a Minke Whale blew air before breaching the surface of the water, much to the delight of our boatload of seafaring companions!
Later that afternoon, back on terra firma in Kinsale town, we were excited to join Suzanne Burns of Kinsale Food Tours for a leisurely stroll, taking in some of the culinary delights on offer, as well as learning a lot about the history of the town at the same time.
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Kinsale, in generations past, was often described as the culinary capital of Ireland so we were curious to see if this held true now that Ireland's food culture has matured so much. Among the highlights of the tour were stops at The Collector where Shannon served us her global flavour infused coffees (e.g. an Aren Latte with a fusion of delicate Indonesian flavours, with tropical pandan, palm sugar, and hibiscus) and Koko Kinsale, where Frank Keane handcrafts delicate artisan chocolates with an enticing and innovative array of flavours.
But, diner beware, and save space for the pleasures of the Black Pig Wine Bar on Lower O’Connell Street, where alongside the fabulous service and great food we enjoyed that night is an extensive wine* list offering a vast range of options by the glass (including organic, biodynamic and natural wines – yes, there’s a difference!) for those intent on exploring far and wide, without leaving the bar!
Our second day started with breakfast in the dining room of our comfortable and easy to reach hotel, the Trident, which is situated at the end of the pier road and overlooks the moorings for many of the impressive yachts that are based in Kinsale. And the wildlife sightings continued unexpectedly (from our breakfast table) with the surprise appearance of seals hopefully encircling a trawler as it unloaded it’s catch at the quayside!
After the indulgences of Saturday night, some fresh air and exercise was called for, so we took ourselves off on the Scilly Walk which snakes its way along the harbour walls before taking you through a fascinating and surprising network of densely built houses, from slate-clad 18th century treasures to modern architectural wonders, then further along the outer harbour, affording fantastic views back in to town.
But if it’s views you’re after, keep walking as far as the breath taking 17th century Charles Fort. Now managed by the Office of Public Works, the fort has a number of museum type displays that cover Kinsale and its surrounds through the ages, and is in effect a one-stop shop to discover the rich history of the area.
It has something for everyone, with oodles of military history, contained within layers of architectural history, uppermost of which are the ramparts from which you can enjoy far-reaching views into the harbour, and which are also home to a surprising number of bird species.
On Sunday afternoon we were back on the culinary trail taking in separate tours, the first at Kinsale Mead Co.'s 'meadery’ where they are producing delicious and versatile modern takes on the world’s oldest alcoholic drink, and afterwards a tour of Black’s of Kinsale brewery and distillery, where contemporary taste is very much the order of the day, with on-trend craft beers and some very interesting whiskies.
After ample tastings, it was off to the Lusitania Museum and Old Head Signal Tower, where a climb to the top rewarded us with views of the Old Head and the seas beyond (not to mention a much-needed blast of fresh air after the whiskey).
We finished our Sunday back in the pleasant surroundings of the historic centre, with dinner at No.19, a restaurant with a very atmospheric dining room, where they specialise in charcoal and barbeque cooking, with a very tempting range of in-house dry-aged steaks.
Suffice to say, our appetites were fully sated after that, but as we had learned the day previously on our food tour, in a town of just 5,000 inhabitants with more than 60 food and drink venues, and all the other possibilities for a long weekend in Kinsale, there’s plenty of reasons to return.
This trip was courtesy of Fáilte Ireland for purpose of review. For more information, visit DiscoverIreland.ie.
*Always drink responsibly
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