Co Cork: €1.85mTraditional good looks and many extras set Rockforest Lodge apart, says Orna Mulcahy, Property Editor

With good country houses relatively scarce in the present market, Mallow agent Michael Daniels expects strong interest in Rockforest Lodge, an impressive country house on 62 acres in the Blackwater Valley near Mallow in Co Cork.

Asking €1.85 million, the six-bedroom Georgian house is likely to be snapped up by a wealthy southerner, though the price will also attract Dublin viewers seeking an alternative lifestyle in the country.

The property, which is 38kms from Cork city, is also likely to interest buyers in the UK, particularly Irish residents keen to move home. Described as a "status buy" by Daniels, he says Rockforest's combination of traditional good looks and so much land so close to Cork is a winner. "There are a lot of people who want to buy an upscale country house with enough land around it to ensure privacy."

Rockforest Lodge is approached via entrance gates guarded by a lodge house, and a gravel driveway that winds through its wooded grounds.

The two-storey house, which has been in the same family for over 30 years, has around 415sq m (4,500sq ft) of living space, including three fine reception rooms and a billiards room.

The drawingroom is a bright double-aspect room with full height shuttered sash windows (these appear throughout the house) and ornate cornicework and period fireplaces.

A large country-style kitchen has patio doors leading to a terrace. Upstairs, a big gallery landing leads to the main bedroom which has a high vaulted ceiling and tall windows on two sides. A large dressingroom and bathroom complete the suite.

The five further bedrooms are all sizeable doubles. The grounds include a stone yard with stables, while the gardens are arranged at different levels with steps leading down from the house to an outdoor swimming pool.