Retreats don't get much more gorgeous than this. I spent a week here in the fall of 2015, waking up to the slow tides of Kilcar, the freshest air, swaddled by the surrounding hills.

The house itself manages to balance a quiet luxury, with the comforts of cottage living. Elegant, custom built floors lead you from spacious bedrooms, to a well-equipped open kitchen, to the living room, where the surrounding countryside spills in from its large wall-to-wall glass doors. The gorgeous stone fireplace and massive couches offer endless nap havens, hours lost in a good book, and deep movie snuggles.

There are tonnes of blackberry bushes everywhere, and making a fresh blackberry pie for dessert is a must.

The house is a short 20 minute drive from the highest sea cliffs in continental Europe, and an absolute must for hikers. Make sure you stop at Kilcar's (Ballymoon) flagship Fishermen Out of Ireland store on the way back. You won't find authentic wool knits this gorgeous anywhere else.

Basic provisions are a 15 minute walk away in the main drag of Kilcar, as are a few quaint pubs.

Maple Cottage is a serious retreat. As a working artist, this would be an ideal place to set-up some mics (the acoustics in the living room are amazing) and do some demo'ing. Writers would also have a field trip here, offering serious peace and quiet, with an endless supply of inspiring, ocean-side walks to break up the days.