Funky Nest instincts on West Cork's Long Strand
One of West Cork's most glorious wild beaches, the Long Strand near Clonakilty and Rosscarbery is having a bit of a 'moment in the sun', it would seem.
A breathtaking setting overlooking a dipping rollercoaster stretch of sand dunes, beach and ocean at West Cork's Long Strand, plus the Galley Head lighthouse flashing in the distance, combined with 'Bohemian' interiors, mark out 'Long Strand Nest' as a quirky coastal property spring 2019 sale to stir the heart.
But, with a price tag of €345,000 for a diminutive duo of one-roomed cabins, will it also stir the desired bidding response?
Clonakilty estate agent Con O'Neill, of Sherry FitzGerald O'Neill thinks so: he's selling the two adjoining, architect re-worked 345 sq ft cabins with verandas as one 695 sq ft unit, facing east over the sweep of Long Strand, describing it as a beach bungalow, and says the property “is truly, one of a kind.”
As broad comparable, this time last year, SFON's Mr O'Neill offered 13 acres, looking west over Inchydoney beach with FPP for a modest 1,200 sq ft bungalow, and it sold for c €395,000.
Closer to Long Strand, meanwhile the 3,500 sq ft cliff-set Castleanui by its own secluded beach (reached down precarious steps) has just had a price drop, now down to €1.1m from €1.25m, and before that Castleanui had high hopes of €1.8m, when first offered for the Dublin-based Henry family, of gym owing and TV Operation Transformation links.
Just one-fifth the size of that beach bookending counterpart Castleanui, are Long Stand Nest's cabins.
They've recently been offered out on airbnb, and were upgraded about three years ago by a couple who moved from the UK, and who also bought a long-disused cafe at the western end of Long Strand, along with several acres of land by Castlefreke woods and under Lord Carbery's cross.
Having bought the mix of cafe, cabins and land for an unconfirmed sum of close to €500,000, both subsequently got extensive investment, chiming with the huge success of the Wild Atlantic Way which funnels visitors along this coastline section seven miles from Clonakilty and two or three from Rosscarbery.
The revamped restaurant could have had sand in its sandwiches, so close to the beach is it set and it opened first as Puffin Cafe, trading with a somewhat mixed response.
But, last autumn, Puffin Cafe was leased out to local food operators the Fish Basket, from Rosscarbery and its success trajectory (with a coffee take-away also opened since in a converted shipping container) since has been close to stellar.
It's hard enough to get into the place out of season, and the beach has rarely had as many weekend walkers, building up an appetite, or walking off a meal.
Come summer? Who knows?
The pristine, wave-pounded beach (loved by surfers, not so safe for swimmers) may well look like the scene of some Normandy beach invasion, thanks to the shoals massing the Fish Basket.
Coincidentally Cork County Council has started upgrading and linking walks around the Castlefreke wood and Kilkern lake, changing parking by the Puffin/Fish Basket alongside the strand, and a new vantage point signpost for the Wild Atlantic Way's Galley Head views has just been erected 250 metres from this suddenly 'centre of the action' Long Strand chalet mix, called Nest.
Right now, each of the semi-detached duo is a funky self-contained unit 25' by 13', done with sort of 'industrial chic meets rustic charm' look.
The exteriors are faced in untreated cedar; inside, birch trees with bark in situ support raised platform beds, while kitchen worktops are decked in copper.
They have cedar-shingle clad showers in small WCs, and are heated with wood-burning stoves, and they share a veranda, perfect for rocking chair sit-outs and sun-up views (the hill behind screens the westerly winds, but also blocks evening sunset views over Glandore bay, and points further west.
On c two acres, Long Strand Nest has on-site services, CCTV and an alarm, broadband, but no TVs, more than compensated for by the starriest skies above, the arc of the Galley Head lighthouse beam, and the ever-present sound of crashing, rolling or just tumbling waves.
different feathered nests.
