Wanting to visit Dublin but don't want to stay in the city? Or prefer to stay and experience country Ireland? Then ours is the perfect place. Nestled exclusively by the national park in the Wicklow mountains we are a 60min drive to Dublin. Though in reality once at ours you are a world away in the peace, beauty and tranquillity of rural Ireland and its spectacular nature. Pet friendly. If you wish to bring a small/medium sized dog give details in booking request for pre-approval. The space Originally this remote mountain cottage was a gamekeepers lodge, dating back over two hundred years. Our home Brocky Cottage has been restored but preserved rather than modernised. Don’t expect dishwashers, microwaves or WiFi but to enjoy country-life and an open fire! It is nestled by the Wicklow Mountain National Park. Astonishingly, this piece of paradise is only a sixty minute drive to Dublin city. It is a great base for hill walking and getting away from hectic modern life. Relax! We use Air BnB ourselves, all over Europe and beyond. We enjoy the unique experience of staying respectfully in other people’s homes. We open our home to paying guests in the same spirit. Conventional stays in serviced apartments and hotels aren’t for us. We hope through the pictures and text that we attract like minded people to stay in our property. We hope you enjoy the experience of staying in our home as we do others homes. At ours you will live as we live. Being our home it is a NO SMOKING indoors policy and strictly NO WET WIPES down the toilet in our home. Doing so causes much environmental damage and expense to us maintaining our septic tank. Please do not do this when staying at ours. Dogs: Pet friendly. But if you wish us to pre-approve bringing a small to medium dog please give details in your booking request. Two maximum by request and approval. Our country cottage is an ideal stay for anyone looking to relax and refresh themselves on a short break or for those who would like to experience Irish country living for a longer period. Since the nineteen twenties, Brocky Cottage has been passed through the hands of various artists, who drew inspiration from this truly magical environment. Our cottages aesthetic and decor reflects this. You will need to have a car to get to the cottage and around the area. KITCHEN Natural granite cobblestones immediately invite you into the country kitchen. Here you will find the heart and hearth of the home, including a large open fire place with original cooking crane. The dining area is also contained within the kitchen and is the perfect place for guests to gather together to eat, drink and chat. Much as we do with our own friends, family and guests. SUN ROOM From the kitchen you can lounge in the garden sun room in summer (or as suits in autumn/winter i.e. unheated). The garden room looks out into the low stone walled private garden. Beyond over the wall there are magnificent views of the mountainside. It is a perfect spot to relax in the south facing sunlight. The garden room door leads out to the garden via a sheltered patio terrace with a table and chairs. It's ideal to sit out in summer reading, eating and drinking or just relaxing and taking in the nature around. LIVING ROOM The living room and two bedrooms are a muddy shoes and boots off zone. There is a thick mat before entry. There is a well cared for and tuned upright piano, a wood burning stove and comfy 2-seater sofa and two arm chairs to watch freeview television or DVD movies on the player provided. Weather atmospherics can sometimes lead to poor TV reception. We have a small collection of DVDs that guests can watch or you can bring your own. No real child friendly DVDs available, so please do bring if required. There are stores in Blessington where DVDs can also be purchased. We provide oil heating. You will need to bring your own logs or compressed wood briquettes if you wish to build a kitchen or living room stove fire. Essential in the kitchen in winter as it is then the life blood of the cottage and stay. It breathes warmth into the organic granite walls of the cottage. TWO BEDROOMS Both bedrooms have large beds, one super king size and one king size trestle beds. The master bedroom has a great view of the onlooking mountain and a bank of beech trees, through it's small Georgian wooden framed window. The second bedroom is nestled in the back of the house. There is also an option of putting out a single fold out Z-bed around the cottage for any fifth guest. Be sure the sleeping configuration works for your group. BATHROOM The spacious stone and timber panelled bathroom hosts a free standing antique bath and a separate walk in pressure pump shower. The bathroom also houses a washing machine and a tumble dryer. Under the bank of beech trees to the front of the cottage, is the Rock of Ages, a granite seat which faces the sunset. IMPORTANT TO NOTE: THERE IS NO WI-FI INSTALLED OR AVAILABLE IN THE COTTAGE. This is deliberate and how we like it and has never been a problem for our guests and certainly not those looking to have a break away from their busy working lives and cyber noise. 4G service provision to your phone, tablet or other device should be able to be received to go on line for the internet and emails etc if required. You can then also tether any laptop to your phone as we do. Mobile call reception is good. Guest access Guests will have free reign of the cottage in it's entirety. And outside the Wicklow Mountains to explore. Directly across the yard is our Georgian cottage with a wood cabin style one bedroom en-suite. It is also listed here on Air BnB: www.airbnb dot com/h/brockycabin We are to be found living in either one of the property's depending on visiting family or friends or as the Air BnB rental of either requires. However both cottages can be booked for larger groups or families if the two booking calendars allow. Direct message us please if you have a query on this. The enclosed yard area and extensive grounds are all shared spaces, with a private garden and patio area to the rear of this cottage. ***It is important to stress that due to the rural location of our home it is essential that guests will need their own transport*** Plenty of parking space outside the cottage gates. PLEASE NOTE AGAIN: There is NO Wi Fi AVAILABLE. It is deliberate and we very happily live without it. This has never been a problem for our guests and certainly not those looking to have a break away from their busy working lives and cyber noise. There is good 4G mobile reception and one can tether this to other devices ie tablets, laptops etc This is what we do ourselves. Mobile call reception is good. Other things to note THINGS TO DO Twenty minutes or so of a short trek (seasonal bracken growth dependent) are small natural rock pools which you can sit in on a hot day and eventually a small 2/3 meter drop waterfall. Ask us for directions and don't forget sensible shoes and your towel. Perfect to cool down on a hot day or Ben also goes under the waterfall drop in winter for any similarly budding Wim Hofs! DUBLIN CITY CENTRE is only 60 minutes away by car, a surprising short distance considering our unspoiled location. Blessington town is a short ten minutes drive and contains all the necessary amenities and all the usual food and grocery stores. POULAPHOUCA LAKE is just over the mountain, with wind surfing and canoeing facilities - information available on an internet search. You also have the possibility of HORSE RIDING - local information available on an internet search. The abundance of mountainside and forest hinterland, make any stroll into a pleasurable one. SALLY's GAP also allows avid hill-walkers to explore at a more challenging pace. During your stay we can provide other local 'To Do' information on request. Guests please note. We supply oil heating for the cottage. However if you wish to and are confident to build an open fire in the kitchen or in the living room stove you will need to bring your own logs or compressed wood briquettes. We can't provide both oil and briquettes. These will be available along with firelighters at stores and garages in Blessington. Coal must NOT be used in the living room stove or kitchen fireplace. RUBBISH AND RECYCLING There is NO rubbish collections to the property so we kindly ask for the following green minded assistance. Bottles, and rinsed glass or plastics can go in the white boxes as labelled in the kitchen for us to take care of. FOOD SCRAPS - To be placed in the silver 'ucky bucket' in the kitchen area. - No cooked food or raw meat scraps to be left outside or Mr Fox and Mr Rat start to sniff around! - Please put raw vegetables and peelings on the compost at the back of the yard. - Fire place ash can also be put on the compost heap. GARDEN The front gate to the driveway can remain open. A "How to Do Cottage Instruction Book" can be found on arrival detailing how to switch on hot water, heating if needed and various other basic household instructions.