Local Area Information

Stroll to the local village of Gurteen, its just 1km away. With traditional Irish music at the Coleman centre, hotel, and lively pubs you will be well entertained on the music front.

Food is served in the Hilltop hotel and two of the bars - The Crossbar and Teach Murray.

The local supermarket is open until 9 pm every night.

Sligo is a patchwork of rolling hills, mountains, lakes, rivers, and fields dotted with ruined castles, forts, and abbeys interlinked with small towns and villages.

The cottage as many of our guests have said is an ideal base from which to set out and discover it all.

Close by are the ancient lake dwellings on Lough Gara and the passage tombs at Carrowkeel where on the winter solstice the rising sun enters the chambers.

Gurteen is surrounded by lots of country towns and villages. The old market towns of Boyle and Ballymote with their Abbey and castle ruin are within 10 miles. Boyle holds a farmers market every Saturday in the grounds of King house once the home of the Connacht rangers regiment also known as the Devils own.

Just outside Boyle the beautiful lough Key forest park has lots of walks including a tree canopy walk, lake cruises, a Boda Borg adventure building, a bathing area which is patrolled by lifeguards in the summer and a cafe.

Horse riding, clay pigeon shooting and other country pursuits are available at Lough Gara riding stables.5 miles from the cottage.

The Raptor centre near Ballymote (7miles) is a must-see. There you will encounter some of the great wild birds and watch them going through their paces.

There are lake, forest and upland walks to suit all. I keep a list of walks at the cottage.

The beaches in Co Sligo are some of the very best. Those at Strandhill, Mullaghmore, Rosses Point and Enniscrone are suitable for everybody for swimming, walking, surfing, kite flying or just lazing about.

Well established surfing schools are based in Strandhill with the Atlantic providing ideal conditions.