The Beautiful Bantry House & Gardens, West Cork ♥

Last weekend we set off on another little road trip, this time to the beautiful Bantry House and Gardens in West Cork. As you'll see from the tons of photos we took, this place is absolutely stunning.

I shared this first picture on my Instagram and I couldn't believe the interest it go - and there was me not even going to share it! People described this place as "breathtaking" and even asked "is it a real place?", and who could blame them? With those sea views, fluffy clouds in the distance and a beautiful old house in the distance, it sure does look like something that wouldn't be out of place in a fairytale.

If you're looking for a nice quiet place to visit that you can explore at your own leisure then this is it. We didn't go inside the house itself - our three year old and old houses full of precious things definitely wouldn't mix well, but we enjoyed the gardens to our hearts content.

It's €6 each to explore the gardens and we were charged €12 for two adults and two children, which I think makes Bantry House and Gardens a very affordable family day out. The price is €11 per person if you want to go inside the house.

The main feature of the gardens is the 100 steps, or 'the stairway to Heaven' as I've dubbed it. The boys went up and down these steps multiple times, not a bother on them! If you can make it to the top it's well worth all the effort to enjoy the gorgeous view over Bantry Bay and looking down upon Bantry House and it's stunning gardens that awaits you up there.

We visited during Wisteria Week and it was lovely to see the wisteria all in bloom among the middle pond. I love wisteria, there's something quite regal about it and it fit right in perfectly with the old world charm that Bantry House has to offer.

There are stables on either sides of the gardens, the east lot hosting a charming little cottage and wheelchair and buggy accessible toilets. A little feature I noticed in the toilets was a basket with some baby wipes, cream, etc. and I thought this was a lovely touch. It's lovely to see things like this in places of interest because it means families are welcome and I love that.

One of my favourite parts of Bantry House and Gardens was the old walled garden, which is about a ten minute walk through some quiet woodland from the old house. This area was unkept and didn't have much in it but it was such a lovely place to sit and enjoy a moments peace.

I love little grass and daisy covered pathways and crumbling buildings and features, so this was a real treat. It was nice to sit here and try to imagine what it looked like in it's glory days.

The gardens of Bantry House are beautiful and right now are in bloom with a burst of colourful rhodoendrons. This path leading towards the house from the wooded area is especially pretty. The house itself is just stunning, with it's little ivy-clad bits, red brickwork framed windows and general grandness. It's a beauty!

There was a little meadow of sorts by the car park so we had to stop and have a little moment there amongst the pink wildflowers. It was a gorgeous, summery sight and I love the few snaps that we got there.

We visited on a clear blue sky day so it really felt like summer and finding this little meadow was a real treat. We're quite simply pleased people, give a patch of wildflowers and we're delighted with ourselves!

Everywhere you go in Bantry House there is something unique and beautiful to look at. All aspects of the house itself and it's gardens are so lovely to explore and beautiful, no matter what direction you're looking at.

Some parts of the gardens are being renovated, but it doesn't take away from their overall beauty. At the side of the house there is a little tea room which is quite quaint and lovely. We ordered some bits and sat outside. It was a little expensive for what it was €20.50 for two small slices of lemon cake, two scones, a lemonade and a black coffee, but it's nice to support little tea rooms like this when you're visiting a place of interest I think.

If you're someone who loves the simple things in life, enjoying a stroll in beautiful surroundings, looking at the flowers in bloom and just relishing a little bit of slow living and 'the way things used to be', then I highly recommend a trip to Bantry House and Gardens.

It offers some old world charm, grand views and a whole lot of beauty to behold.