Gardens are a hidden jewel in West Cork

Nestled snugly among the twisting, windy roads, not far from Béal na Bláth, is a little bit of hobbitty heaven in Enniskeane, called Glenview Gardens.

I had never heard of the place, which is odd given that I thought Cork, my home county, had no more secrets to offer up to me. That’s why it’s always silly to underestimate the Rebel County.

Big sister had spotted a post on Facebook and a girly day out was planned. So, as we rolled into the ample and very busy car park, I came with no expectations, just a childlike excitement at the idea of seeing a Hobbit House in the wild.

A kindly gentleman greeted us warmly, and after paying the more than reasonable €7 entry fee, our adventure began.

Set amongst four acres, Glenview Gardens have used the space impeccably well and it certainly felt much bigger than that.

I don’t want to give away too many spoilers about what you will see when you visit, and I insist that you do, because there are surprises around just about every corner.

Nothing is haphazard about the layout of the little gardens, vegetable patches, fairy villages and huts - there has been real thought put into this slice of Hobbiton from Lord of the Rings.

You essentially embark on a journey of discovery in a place that feels magical. There is also a plethora of places to have a little picnic, pretty much every section has tables and chairs, most welcome for those that need a breather on the long walk.

You’ll always have somewhere to rest here. In addition, there’s a handy little tea room where you can grab a snack and a brew, should you wish.

The highlight for me, an animal obsessive, were the pygmy goats. It was a giggle to watch them sliding on their little half barrel, inquisitive of the visitors and as gentle as anything.

They are just a few of the animals at Glenview, all well cared for and happy looking in their shelters.

I’ll admit, I’m not much of a horticulturalist - in fact, I know nothing about flowers - but I was accompanied by seasoned garden-heads and they were all amazed at the unusual types of flora growing in vast amounts, putting on a magnificent show of colour.

If you’ve got kids, you could even let them bring a football for a kick- about, as there are a couple of very spacious plain gardens for them to run around in while Mam and Dad lie down and soak up some rays. Not that you’d be soaking up many rays on the Rain Island that is Ireland, but look, we can dream.

Oh, and you can actually go inside the hobbit houses! Excuse my over-excitement but as a Lord of the Rings nerd, this was the ultimate Bucket List aspiration ticked off. I was a like a kid at Christmas, and for the first time in my life as a short person, I got a little peek into what it would be like to be tall.

Every detail was amazing - it felt like being on the film set. And I didn’t even need to board a plane and spend a day and a half flying to New Zealand. It was clear that this feature was designed by someone who knew the films inside out.

There are plenty of ponds just teeming with koi fish and the Japanese Gardens present the perfect opportunity for an Instagram worthy snap, upon the eye-catching red bridge.

Be sure to take heed of the warning signs along the Fairy Trails and do not, under any circumstances, take any flowers home with you or you shall surely feel their wrath!

I asked permission to enter their meeting place and made sure to keep on their good side, lest they follow me home and get in my business. You simply do not mess with the fairies.

As it transpired, the lovely man at reception turned out to be the owner, David Tanner. He spoke with love about the creation of the gardens and the work he and his family had put into it.

Fourteen years of hard labour went into the making of Glenview Gardens and David, a skilled craftsman, even built his own house on the property. He bought most of the plants as established shrubs and keeps adding to the gardens all the time.

Glenview is generally closed on Tuesdays, and will be opening on reduced hours going into the off peak season, so get your skates on if you wish to enjoy a lovely autumn stroll in this hidden gem along the West Cork Garden Trail.

Enniskeane is just 20 minutes from the beautiful town of Clonakilty and is also right in the middle of The Michael Collins trail, so you can immerse yourself in Big Mick Country before ambling in to this otherworldly forest of fairies.

Don’t forget your sneakers!