For our 35th anniversary, we decided--practically on the spur of the moment--to go to Ireland. We were very lucky to find the Inish Beg Island Estate where we spent the majority of our time in Ireland. Although we have visited wonderful and beautiful places on several continents, Inish Beg island is the most idyllic place we’ve seen by far.

We went to Inish Beg in mid-April, and found it an excellent time of year to experience the island and the western Cork region of Ireland. We never tired of the green hills parceled by yellow gorse and meandering rock walls, the ocean views, or the scenic country lanes.

Although we used our cottage at Inish Beg as our base while we traveled around the area, we could have been completely content to simply remain on the island and explore its varied natural environments. We loved the walks through the woodlands filled with moss-covered trees, wild flowers and lush ponds; along the river with the rolling hills beyond, where the... more