Wow. What a location. As a daily sea-swimmer I booked Evelyn's Nissen Hut with high expectations, given the sea would be on my doorstep. Always dangerous to have high hopes but my expectations were totally surpassed. First of all the hut is even cozier and cooler than the online pics, which set a fairly high bar themselves! The wifi is excellent, I worked during the mornings and afternoons, including doing video calls, and in the evening I was able to seamlessly stream Netflix on my laptop. The bed is also really comfy and the shower with a view is brilliant. I loved all the details that showed what a sea-lover Evelyn is - lamps, door handles, decorations, a small library. It gives the hut a wonderful, contextual theme.
Outside the hut exceeded expectations as much as the interior. Rathmoylan Cove is on your doorstep, a shallow, well-sheltered cove that reaches within 50 yards of your back doors at full tide. There is a coastal path/cliff walk that goes by your back door as well, so a stunning 3km walk to the East brings you to Portally Cove, with Dunmore East a further 1.8km on. The scenery on that walk is stunning. If you go west from the hut instead, you'll hit Ballymacaw Cove in just 2km, where I'm told you can also access the spectacular views from the two high pillars on Brownstown Head. I didn't get to make that trip myself, but will on my next visit.
A 10 minute walk away are Ballymacaw's two pubs, White's and Dower's. White's opens Wednesday to Sunday, and I'm not sure when Dower's opens. I walked up to White's on the Wednesday evening with my paper and enjoyed a great evening talking to the local regulars who were unbelievably welcoming and very good company. The paper was left unread!
The Hut is just a 5 minute drive from the beautiful village of Dunmore East, and also 20 minutes away from Tramore (to the west). Evelyn had great recommendations for places to eat and drink or visit in both places, so make sure to ask. I went to Mezze in Tramore for lunch twice for lunch, it's a great spot for vegetarian food, and I say that as a full-blooded carnivore! For the swimmers out there, you can't visit this part of the world without going for a dip at the Guillamene, just outside Tramore. It is heaven for sea-swimmers and an example of what sea swimming facilities should be like all over Ireland!
I really can't recommend this location highly enough, it's an absolutely wonderful getaway if you want some peace in the middle of a beautifully rugged Irish landscape, while at the same time being a perfect base from which you can explore Ireland's beautiful Copper Coast. Evelyn was a wonderful host, and gave me excellent advice and tips. She even posted back a pair of swimming togs I'd left behind! I thoroughly recommend you try the Nissen Hut for a Waterford break, just not on the dates I want to go back!