Notes from the host
The Little Green House
The Little Green House is an extended centrally heated terraced cottage equipped with fibre Wi-Fi and sleeping 6 (+baby) in three bedrooms and set up as a warm, comfortable and fully equipped base for exploring Dublin, and the Counties of Wicklow and Wexford all the year round.
Despite its compact frontage, the front door opens onto a light and spacious open plan ground floor, providing a relaxing seating area with sofa and chairs facing an open gas fire and a television with satellite and DVD . Additional chairs are provided at the other end, where prints of Wicklow landscapes by a local artist, Stanley Pettigrew, are displayed.
This leads through to the dining area set within an 'L' shaped kitchen fitted out with full sized equipment including cooker, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washing machine and microwave and all the necessary utensils, crockery and cutlery to provide for the preparation and cooking of full meals for our guests and their visitors.
The ground floor is completed by a toilet and shower room beside the stairs leading to the upper floor, which comprises one double bedroom, facing the garden and two twin bedrooms facing the street and the family bathroom, incorporating a bath with shower over, toilet, hand basin and hot press.
The back door from the kitchen opens onto the fenced patio with garden furniture in the seating area. Access through a gate leads down the terraced garden, planted with shrubs and surrounded by hedges for greater privacy with an off street parking space accessed from the road behind.
The cottage is located on the edge of the old part of Wicklow town, which provides all the resources of a country town, combined with easy access from Dublin, the airport and the counties of Wicklow and Wexford using road, rail and bus. An express bus 133 (hourly service) connects Dublin city and places en route directly to within 50m of the front door.
Local places to explore include:
• The Port and the ruins of the Black Castle overlooking it (15 mins walk).
• Wicklow Gaol - re-enacting the story of Irish emigration and deportation (10 mins walk).
• The Vartry lakes - a local nature reserve (1 mile, 20 mins walk)
• Beaches - the Murrough, a 1.5 mile long grass backed stony beach to the north ( 1 mile, 20 mins walk) and the Town beach - a small stone/sand beach to the south (1.5 miles, 30 mins walk). Further down the coast, Brittas Bay offers long stretches of sand and areas for swimming under lifeguard supervision (8 miles, 15 mins drive).
• Walks - up the Murrough to Bray or down from the Black Castle along the cliffs passing Lime Kiln bay, home to grey seals, to the old lighthouse and onto Brittas Bay.
• Golf - the nearest course is Wicklow 18 hole Golf Course (1mile, 20 mins). 25 courses within County Wicklow.
• Childrens' Playground and small tennis court (150m, 5 mins).
If it is wet:
• Kidszone (childrens' indoor softplay area) and Bowling alley (2 miles along Dublin Road)
• Swimming Pool and gym - hourly sessions 1.5 miles along Station Road
• Library (free book loan & internet access using own or library computers) (10 mins walk)
Other local activities:
• Eating out/Takeaway - a wide variety of restaurants, pubs, take-aways and cafes in the town to suit all tastes (all within walking distance)
• Shopping - Department store, choice of three supermarkets, smaller Boutique shops
• Sea Trips - either fishing or sightseeing - with Chris Dunne from the port.
• Sea swimming - off the New Pier (1 mile, 20 mins)
• Sea Angling - either off the Murrough or using boats hired from Wicklow Marine on the Murrough or by using charter (Kit Dunne).
Other local resources:
• Car hire - Sinnotts Garage - on the Dublin Road (2 miles)
• Cycle hire - Town or Mountain bikes -
• Kayak/canoe hire - Wicklow Marine on the Murrough (25 mins walk)
• Fishing Boat Hire - Wicklow Marine on the Murrough (25 mins walk)
• Taxis - easily available in the town
• Train station - trains to Dublin or Rosslare - not very frequent service but very picturesque routes (2 miles)
• Express bus 133 to Dublin (hourly) - terminus (10 mins walk)/nearest bus stop 50m.
• Tourist office - national - Failte Ireland- Fitzwilliam Square (15 mins walk)
• Tourist office - local - www.visitwicklow.ie. Office in the Old Town Hall at bottom of Kilmantin Hill (10 mins walk)
• Banks - a choice of AIB Bank and Bank of Ireland in the town - both in the Main Street.
Exploring further afield:
• Dublin - accessible by car, train and bus or a combination of these
All the highlights of Ireland's capital including:
• Trinity College and the Book of Kells
• Guiness Brewery
• Temple Bar
• Irish Writers Museum
• Abbey Theatre
• and many more outside Dublin
• Glendalough - an early Irish monastic settlement (18 miles)
• Avondale House - home of Charles Stuart Parnell - Rathdrum
• Avoca - home to 'Ballykissangel' and the famous Handweavers - also at Kilmacanogue on way to Dublin.
• Scenic Gardens at Mount Usher (4 miles), Powerscourt (17 miles), and National Garden Exhibition Centre (10 miles)
• The Wicklow Way - a long distance footpath, accessible from Roundwood (11 miles) or Glendalough or other intermediate points
• Horse riding at Ashford (6 miles)
• Golf - 25 courses within County Wicklow (9 within 10 mile radius). Championship courses at Druids Glen & Heath (10 miles) and the European (12 miles). The nearest 18 hole courses are Wicklow (1 mile) and Blainroe (4 miles) Others include 18 or 9 hole and par 3 courses with further details on visitwicklow.ie
• Walking - climb Greater Sugarloaf from above Glenview (Kilmacanogue)
- explore the Eagles Nest above Bray and walk along the cliff path to Greystone.
- self guided walks with details from visitwicklow.ie
- Sculpture Woods and Waterfall at the Devils Glen above Ashford
- visit Tinahely and try their self guided local walks
• Trout Fishing - Annamoe trout farm
• Shopping - Dundrum Shopping Centre (Ireland's premier shopping centre) and then catch the Luas (Tram) into Dublin City centre.
• Cinema - Bridgewater Shopping Centre in Arklow - multi screen complex.