A pair of wild deer greet me at the gates of Seaview, as I turn off the winding hillside road. It took just 30 minutes to get here from Merrion Square, but in that half an hour, I’m transported.
The deer quickly scamper off into the surrounding forest, and the drive brings me up, past the hard tennis court, to the long low house itself.
DNG are selling it by private treaty for €950,000.
Seaview is a modern bungalow with six bedrooms. Two of these are in a semi-separate apartment, with its own front door, kitchenette, sitting room and bathroom. This can also be accessed via the house, which obviously makes it hugely flexible for different family needs. It’s difficult to know what the biggest draw of Seaview is: the options the accommodation provides, the wild, wonderful, and marvellously private location or the gardens themselves.
These are 1.1 acres, and laid out in lawns and patios, with mature planting, sun-trap seating areas, and the chance of getting friendly with the local deer. Inside you have approximately 214sq m (2,300sq ft) of living accommodation, renovated just over a decade ago by the owners, to upgrade the kitchen, windows and insulation – giving the house a BER of C. Apart from this it’s a summery house in mood, with timber floors and large uPVC windows, though solid fuel stoves suggest warmth and cosiness for later in the year.
There’s also a jacuzzi in one ensuite, and a sauna in the family bathroom. Now it’s summer, Seaview could possibly be more aptly called Treetops, as the foliage allows just a glimpse of the sea, but the setting is lovely.
Nearby local schools are at Glencullen and Kilternan, and secondary schools within easy reach include St Columba's, St Gerard's and Rosemount. There's golf, horseriding, plus Johnny Fox's famous pub, a little further up the hill.
