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| Janis & Christine welcoming with a big smile |
Yesterday, Sunday, was a dreadful day. Rainy, cloudy and cold so I was not eager to get out but was considering staying in front of the fire instead with a stack of homemade biscuits. But instead, I remembered that Christine Girault took over a cafe in Oysterhaven. So, I faced the elements and made my way down there – driving through a traffic jam at Sarsfield Roundabout (they are building a new flyover…..) took ages to get through and I was already talking to myself that it was a bad idea to leave the warm house.
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| Beautiful display of cakes |
When I came to Oysterhaven, I noticed that Christine never mentioned the name of the cafe so considering that Oysterhaven ain’t that big, I turned into Walton Court hoping that I had the right one – and yeap, Christine was smiling from ear to ear.
The fire was roaring, the atmosphere of the cafe was homely, welcoming and warm. Delicious cakes were waiting for hungry tummies and I had the feeling of having returned home rather than entering a business. Christine introduced me to Janis Rafferty – one part of the power duo that runs Walton Court and I learned so much about Walton Court.
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| My lunch platter – delicious, fresh and wholesome |
Janis and her lovely husband Paul have bought Walton court in 1996 – a total derelict building and made it to a bit of paradise in Oysterhaven (they even have people from Belgooley spending their summer holiday there). It took 5 years to restore the house to its former glory and to add the modern comfort without compromising the historic meaning of the building. Several self contained cottages are spread around the estate and bookings are already coming in for 2014. A small swimming pool in the courtyard just looks as it is has been there from the beginning and doesn’t seem to be out of place. You can feel the love that Janis and Paul put into the estate and you can imagine yourself spending many happy hours there.
I planned to stay for a cup of tea and chat to Christine for a bit before heading back. I stayed for hours – that is the type of place where time seems to stand still and when you get out you realise you just spent 4 hours in the most relaxed place on earth.
The Courtyard Cafe is currently opened at the weekend from 11am to 5ish (I stayed til 6ish) and offers savoury dishes like hummus with homemade bread, salads, dips, soup of the day and platters. Cakes are displayed beautifully and the service comes with the biggest smile. The cafe will be opened full time at the start of the season – and I will be spending quite some time down there.
But the cafe and cottages are not the only thing that makes Walton Court worth a visit (although it would be) – the Pamper Room, run by Josie,
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| A roaring fire invites you to stay and relax |
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| Leave reality behind when entering Walton Court |
offers massages and beauty treatments and Janis is offering cookery classes as well as tapas nights and much much more….
Contact Janis on +353 (0)21 4770878 or email [email protected] for rates and more details. This is a place removed from the stress of our daily grinds – you will be transported into a little piece for paradise.
