Ardmore Cliff Walk

 Ardmore Cliff Walk

(pics taken on a sunny September day, last Thursday 29th)

You'll see this early 19th signal station (one over 80 built around the Irish coast)
for much of the walk.

You pass the Cliff House Hotel on your way to start the walk.
You may also start by the Round Tower.

Hotel (top left) and village below.

As you "climb" up towards hotel, take a look back towards the village and beach

Having passed the hotel, this path starts you on the walk

St Declan's Hermitage.

Here we go... on a sunny day

Cliffs and the wreck of the Samson from 1987

Pathway between carrots and parsnips takes you
in to signal tower where you can climb the outside steps
for even betters views. You can also see the tower at
Knockadoon, the next to the west.

Above and below: the wall of the ruined church in the graveyard.
This is the finish or start (if you prefer) of the walk)

The round tower overlooks the bay.
Didn't keep track of the time but the walk didn't take much more than an hour, if that.
And  the photos took a fair bit of that time. What I am sure about is that the trip back
from the village to Mayfield took 50 minutes.

Lunch in Ardmore's Cliff House Hotel a celebration of Irish producers

Lunch in Ardmore's Cliff House Hotel

 a celebration of Irish producers

It was a dull Saturday when we arrived in Ardmore for our lunch reservation at the spectacularly situated Cliff House Hotel, just 50 minutes from the eastern side of Cork City. We took a walk around the town and the beach, just to stretch the legs and work up an appetite (doesn’t take much!).

A warm welcome awaited us at the Michelin starred Cliff and we walked down a level from reception to the bar - the main restaurant does dinner while the bar does all the meals (including their own dinner menu in the evening from 6.00pm). 

Lunch time by the way is12:30-15:00. Quite a few people were sitting on the outside tables as the temperature was up around 16 or 17 degrees Celsius but we were happy with our indoor perch, very comfortable chairs in a very comfortable room with a fine view over the bay.

Cliff House (above) and Café Lavinal (Bages, Medoc).

We had determined to try out the main courses here. Our server obviously anticipated that we’d be waiting a while so soon we had a few slices of their excellent brown bread at hand. Enjoyed that very much indeed.

We could have had a starter of course. The list included Soup of the Day and Seafood Chowder and also Harty’s Oysters (Gin Mignonette). Also on the list were rather substantial plates such as the Cliff Toastie, Chicken Goujon Wrap, a Roast Squash & Halloumi Wrap, along with a Garden Beetroot salad featuring Ardsallagh goats cheese. All sandwiches are served with organic salad leaves and coleslaw.

The mains are more like a dinner plate. Sample dishes - the menu varies - include steak, hake, fish and chips and a very tempting Stuffed Courgette (with Ratatouille, crispy kale, sautéed mushrooms and spinach).

After that anticipated wait, we enjoyed two of the best main courses around, not very Instagrammable perhaps but very appetising indeed. They were the Chicken Supreme, mash potato, ratatouille, tarragon jus (25) and the Confit Duck Leg, roast cabbage, celeriac, gratin potato, port sauce (23).

The Chicken may have lacked colours but the flavours were amazing and the interplay between the well-constructed ratatouille and the top notch poultry was a match made in paradise. And that creamy mash potato was another heavenly enhancement. 

Reminded me of the lunch-time Traditional Chicken Fricassee and Dauphinoise Potatoes that we enjoyed in the village of Bages in the Medoc a few years back. Neither dish was earth-shattering but each was excellent and the produce was top notch and was really properly cooked and presented, with the nod going to the Cliff House. 

Cabbage and confit duck leg is another of those pairings that bring a meal to a higher level. The only problem with the Port sauce was that there wasn’t enough of it while the gratin, with its middle layer of bacon and cabbage, was another well-executed, well judged, component for a super dish. No shortage of sides and we shared a  pot of their excellent Twice Cooked Chips.

Stripes in the Ardmore Beach car-park.

The short dessert list included Irish Farm House Cheese (12.00). Also on, each at 10.50, were Apple Crumble, and Pannacotta plus our shared Tiramisu which was a bit of a letdown following the main courses, too much mascarpone in the jar perhaps, leaving me sorry I hadn’t picked those Harty oysters at the start. 

But it is the Chicken and Duck Leg Confit that will linger long in the taste memory. It confirms that new Executive Head Chef Ian Doyle (appointed last year) is living up to his promise to serve meals that are “very local, seasonal and simple, with no more than three or four ingredients on the plate — a celebration of Irish producers.” Harty's Oyster, Glenilen, Highbank Orchards and Goatsbridge are among Irish producers listed on the website here.

And Irish drink producers are also being supported here. We weren’t drinking of course but good to note that the local Dungarvan Brewing Company had quite a few bottles on the list. Their Helvick Gold Blonde Ale is on draught as is the Wicklow Wolf Elevation Pale Ale and Arcadia. No draught cider but the local Legacy is available in bottle, either medium or dry.

NEW BEACH-FRONT CULINARY DELIGHTS IN ARDMORE

 NEW BEACH-FRONT CULINARY DELIGHTS IN ARDMORE

 

The latest inclusion to Waterford’s impressive gourmet food and beverage offering is new Ardmore beach bar, Urchin Bar and Adventures. The Pantry at CLIFF has also launched an exciting new phase, with a brand new unit next door. The exciting dual offering at Ardmore Beach from the members of Food the Waterford Way, the county’s food brand, is focused on championing local ingredients and suppliers.

 

Bold orange and blue colours set the tone for Urchin Bar and Adventures — open Monday to Saturday from 12 noon until 11.30pm, and Sundays from 12.30pm until 11pm. There is a full bar with signature cocktails such as the Tanora Gin Spritz from Blackwater Distillery along with gins, beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks. The Insta-worthy venue, complete with neon signs, also champions other local suppliers, Dungarvan Brewery and Legacy Cider.

 

For added fun, the Urchin Bar has partnered with Ardmore Adventures and adults and children can book stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking along with other water activities from the venue.

 

Meanwhile, neighbouring The Pantry at CLIFF is open seven days a week during the summer season, serving teas and coffees from 10am and food and drinks from 11am. Those purchasing takeaway food from The Pantry at CLIFF can take it away with them or eat in at Urchin Bar and Adventures. 

 

Continuing to showcase the true taste of Waterford, The Pantry at CLIFF is serving their signature prawn rolls, sandwiches and wraps, along with warming food for those colder Irish summer days like house-made seasonal soup and hot pots. Coffee is provided by Drury, a small family run boutique coffee roastery in Youghal; and there is Freezin’ Friesian artisan ice-cream — with delicious lemon meringue, triple chocolate and salted caramel flavours — on offer, made by the Kiersey brothers in Kilmacthomas.

 

Ronan O'Connor GM of Urchin Bar and Adventures

Food the Waterford Way is the county’s food brand, showcasing authentic Waterford cuisine. It is supported by the Department of Agriculture and the Local Enterprise Office. A producer-led, county-wide members’ organisation, Food the Waterford Way celebrates and nurtures artisan food producers, food retail and hospitality outlets.

 

For further information, see urchin.ie and thepantryatcliff.ie and visit  foodthewaterfordway.ie.

Press release

 

The Delightful Ardmore Cliff Walk

The Delightful Ardmore Cliff Walk

The Ardmore Cliff Walk is a loop, about 4 kilometres long, starting and finishing in the village. Immediately after passing the Cliff House Hotel, you'll find yourself in St Declan's Hermitage. Then you continue on around the headland. Note a couple of lookout buildings and a wreck.  Next, you turn back towards the round tower in the distance. Well preserved and well worth checking out, along with graves from an earlier shipwreck, that of the SS Ary. A few minutes later, you'll find yourself back in the village. After an hour's walking, you may be tempted to bathe those tired feet in the salt water. Much more detail on this local site here .

Park down in the village and check out the fabulous beach.

Much of the walk is about St Declan and you'll pass this on your left on your way up towards
the Cliff House Hotel (below)

The gable end of the Cliff House Hotel. Restaurant here is Michelin starred.

St Declan's Well

Follow the bishop

The sea was so calm on Monday. Not always so, as this wreck of the crane barge Samson testifies.
It's been here since 1987.

A signal tower, like the restored one in Kinsale, both part of an early 19th century defence system.
.From here, you can see the next one west, in Knockadoon.

Like to see this when the winds are high and the waves crash in!

Don't forget to look "inland" from time to time

Where does the sea meet the sky?

Fr O'Donnell's Well

The round tower overlooks the bay. If you started your walk via the Cliff House, you'll end the loop here.
But you may also do the walk in reverse.

Cliff House Hotel. New Menu. Bar above. Sea below.

Cliff House Hotel. New Menu.

Bar above. Sea below.

Salmon

Some people wanted a table in the sun. Some preferred to be in the shade. And a few stayed indoors. We were on the terrace at The Bar in the Cliff House on one of the sunniest days of this sunny summer. Earlier we had been walking on the Waterford Greenway and so we two settled for a place in the semi-shade to try out the new bar menu at this superbly situated hotel.

Looking out to sea

A glass of Rebel Red and lots of water helped cool things down as we studied that inviting menu, divided into sections: From the Garden, From the Land, From the Sea, Irish beef from McGrath’s and Sheelin,  Small Bites and Snacks, Sides, and Desserts. And also a Dish of the Day. This superb well-priced menu is served 12 noon to 4.00pm and 6.00pm to 9.00pm.

Service, we noticed, is rather leisurely here. In any case, it is the kind of spot you come to slow down, take in the fantastic views out to the ocean and back towards the curve of Ardmore beach. A “school” of young wanna-be sailors gather below at the base of the cliff and add a riot of colour. Who’s in a rush?

Asparagus

Spring rolls

So, eager to try out as much as possible, we pick and choose from under the various headings. My Green Asparagus Peperonata, Burrata, Almonds (9.75) comes from the Garden, maybe the Garden of Eden it is so tempting, so delicious.

Oysters, Iberico Ham and Organic Olives come under the Small Bites and Snacks section. So the Official Blog Chef (OBC) gets a surprise when she sees no less than three Skeaghanore Duck Spring Rolls (7.50) arrive. And they are packed with that renowned duck meat, rich and satisfying. She feels the energy lost on the Greenway flowing back!

Below the bar's terrace

A bit of a gap between round one and two. But the second phase is just as impressive. My pick, From the Sea, is the Organic Irish Smoked Salmon (12.50 small & 21.50) Mi-Cuit, Buttermilk, Dill Oil, Radish. I take the starter portion. The quantity is enough and the quality is off the charts. Just superb and the buttermilk, dill oil and radish make a great match with the warm flaky flavoursome fish.

Terrine

View from Table 40
Table number on the stone!

And it’s thumbs up at the other side of the table also as OBC tucks into the well presented (they are all well presented) Guinea Fowl Terrine Pickled Vegetables, Brioche, Parsley, Mayonnaise (9.50) that comes out of the Land section.

The Lemon and Cream pot with Blackwater Gin was calling me from the dessert menu but, having enjoyed a hearty breakfast earlier in the Granville in Waterford, we had had enough and so reluctantly bade goodbye to the lovely crew at The Bar. 

With so much much delicious food on that menu, we promised ourselves a return visit! After all, the hotel is just 53 minutes from the eastern side of Cork City (and Google Maps often over-estimate). No excuse.

Also on this trip:
The Candied Hazelnut
Everett's New Waterford Restaurant

Into the East: Yawl Bay Fish - Greenbarn Italian - Ardmore Cuppa

Into the East: Yawl Bay Fish - Green Barn Italian - Ardmore Cuppa

Award winner!

Great to meet up with David Browne at Yawl Bay Seafoods  in Youghal last Friday. It was a busy afternoon for David who now runs the company that his father started in 1986. It is well known for its smoked salmon, much of which is exported.

“....it is rich, succulent, not too smokey, it is just right. It reflects true craftsmanship and respect for tradition and flavour....” Not my words, but a quote on the site from Martijn Kajuiter, Head Executive Chef of the Cliff House Hotel.

I first met David a few weeks back at the Cork Kerry Food Forum and Fair in the City Hall and here too there was good news for the company as its Cooked Crab Claws won a Food Sensory Experience Award sponsored by Sensory Research Ltd (SRL), who tested products incorporating all five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.

Italian Red

As the crabs indicate, there is more to Yawl Bay now than the smoked salmon. On the fresh fish counter, they stock a mix of cod, haddock, sole, hake, oysters and mussels and “whatever else is good on the day”. The fish comes from near and far (sometimes a trip to Union Hall is needed to stock up on particular items). It is very tempting display so if you're passing - the premises is between the town proper and the bridge to Waterford - it is well worth a call.

Back home on Saturday, we had an all fish dinner, lots of crab and hake. Smoked salmon to come and also some smoked haddock for a fish pie! David, as I mentioned, was busy on the Friday collecting new supplies and making and arranging deliveries but still had time to fill us in on the business and make us very welcome indeed.

This spontaneous “tour” had started with an invitation to visit Dungarvan Brewry and our first stop was for a terrific lunch at Green Barn Restuarant  between Killeagh and Youghal. The crew from Capri Bay in Youghal (now closed) has taken over here and are in top form.

Risotto

My starter was a Wild Mushroom Risotto with Saffron, perhaps the best risotto I've ever had. The other starter was also very good: Goats Cheese Bruschetta with caramelised onions (great touch!) and roasted red peppers.

Both of us were also delighted with the mains. The Ravioli Granceola with crab meat in a generous fresh peccadillo tomato sauce was brilliant. No shortage of crab meat either and the sauce was incredible.

My Saltimbocca (Veal medallions, parma ham and sage, cooked in a butter white wine sauce finished with fresh parsley) was perfect, great flavours and textures and aromas, the sauce scooped up with the bread. I hope they didn't think I licked the plate! Great stuff.

This place is open all day, breakfast through to dinner. Well worth a visit. 

Saltimbocca

After the stop in Youghal, we headed to Ardmore for a walk on the beach. There was a great relaxed feeling in the town. Families playing together in the water and on the sand and people strolling up and down the street and stopping now and then for a chat or a snack or both.

The United Beach Mission and the Fortune Teller’s Caravan caught the eye. So too did the tearooms at the Ardmore Gallery and Studio and that is where we ended up. They do sandwiches and salads and pastries but, after the satisfying lunch, we settled for a big pot of tea and very nice it was too. We sipped away and took in the varied artwork on the walls. They have seating indoors and outdoors in the terraced back garden. Lovely spot.

After that it was time to hit the road to Dungarvan and keep our appointment with Claire and Cormac and you may read a short account of that visit here.