Somewhere slightly East of Heaven, whatever you perceive that to be, and just to the North of Paradise is a place called Mizen View.
19:00 hours may well be considered as slightly late in the day, but our arrival coincided with the lengthening of the evening shadows and the leisurely descent of that golden orb we call the sun, into the azure vastness between the rugged beauty of the Western shores and the shimmering offing of the Atlantic Ocean. To say it was a fine evening does not begin to paint the picture.
We were met by Karin with genuine enthusiasm. After our friendly introductions Karin presented to us, what I will describe simply as the best rented accommodation I have ever stayed in. I am not embarrassed to say it but there are more nice touches packed into every square metre of this apartment than our modest 2-bedroom terraced house. The weather was particularly kind to us during our 2-night stay at the end of August, but one could not escape the notion that this place would be a holiday home away from home in spring, summer, autumn or winter. In fact, down to its sheer cosiness, I would be tempted that our next stay will be in the depths of winter when the wind is howling around the Mizen peninsula and the Atlantic rain is lashing at the windows. I have one special bottle of red set aside for that night.
Karin was meticulous in her guided tour of the apartment. Nothing went unexplained and when my spoken German is as good as Karin’s mastery of the English language, I will pat myself on the back for a linguistic job well-done. However, should I find myself transported to the Hofbräuhaus and desirous of two beers, then I will not be found wanting.
Having done your homework, you will know that the village of Goleen is less than a 10-minute drive away. Slightly further is Crookhaven. There are many good reasons to visit both of these places. I tend to think of beaches in a rather prosaic way; it’s where the sea meets the land. However even I was completely blown away by the natural, uncomplicated beauty of Barleycove Beach. Staying at Mizen View these three must-see destinations are minutes from your front door.
We chose this property for its geographical location. We were on a castle tour of Mizen and its hinterland, and this location was right bang in the middle of where we needed to be. Good luck or good judgement is of little matter now, but even if you want to go to West Cork to do NOTHING then you will not pick a loftier Xanadu. You will come away rejuvenated and safe in the knowledge of the uniqueness of every breath of wind, every shaft of sunlight and every crashing wave. Mizen View will play a large part in this rebirth of the soul.
On the morning of our departure, we met Reinhard. He is the model maker, the collector, the avid reader, and the military historian. When our conversations moved on to the Battle of Waterloo, I was beside myself with excitement. For me, this alone would have been reason enough to travel the 298 miles required.
I cannot recommend this place highly enough – it is, for want of a better word, perfect. Thank you, Karin and Reinhart.