Hare Cottage was the ideal place for us! The warmth of our welcome from John and Angela was matched by the cosy warmth of the charming cottage on our arrival. Our young daughters felt immediately at home, enjoying the views of sheep out the back and the safe, flat garden out the front. The house was very well-equipped from the kitchen to the wood for the fire and the barbecue outside (should we have had the weather!) John and Angela were able to provide a travel cot and linen for it which was perfect. The projector was a terrific feature, allowing us to make the most of rainy afternoons and wood-fire evenings. Heading out the back door and out onto the wild hillside amongst the sheep, between stone walls and forest, was a great adventure. John was extremely generous with his time and shared produce from his homegrown veg, even allowing our daughter to assist in the harvesting of potatoes which she devoured for supper that evening. What a treat! We cannot speak highly enough of John's communication and attentiveness when it was needed.
When we ventured beyond Glenhest, Newport was less than 10 minutes in the car, a lovely spot with a playground near the old viaduct and some lovely shops, cafes and pubs. It was also a great place to hire bikes and get shuttled out to Achill Sound for the 30km cycle back! Beyond that, Westport provided much entertainment, including the fabulous Westport House and gardens. So Hare Cottage is extremely well situated for exploring all that part of Mayo has to offer.
We only had a week but would certainly love to return for more of the same, at Hare Cottage and beyond.