Guests say
The Ferry House in Ramelton is highly praised for its stunning location, cosy comfort, and characterful charm. Guests have enjoyed the beautiful views, the proximity to local attractions, and the homely atmosphere. While some noted the bathrooms could be updated and minor maintenance issues, the overall experience is one of tranquillity and relaxation, with many expressing a desire to return.
Most guests found The Ferry House to be clean and well-maintained, though a few mentioned the presence of spiders and webs. The cleanliness is generally appreciated, contributing to the comfortable stay.
The location is consistently lauded for its breathtaking views and proximity to local sights. The lough-side setting and easy access to the Wild Atlantic Way make it an ideal spot for a serene getaway.
Guests have reported very comfortable beds and cosy living spaces, with the house providing a warm and inviting environment. The presence of open fires adds to the overall comfort of the property.
While the house is equipped with necessary amenities and guests enjoyed the characterful charm, there are several mentions of the need for updates, particularly in the bathrooms. Some guests also noted the lack of drying facilities and a small clothes horse as drawbacks.
There is no mention of gifts or special touches that would indicate thoughtfulness from the hosts. Therefore, it is not possible to provide a score in this category.
About this property
This characterful, historic, stone built house sits on the water’s edge of Lough Swilly close to the heritage town of Ramelton, (2.9 miles away) in Co Donegal. It is a most spacious property of 2690 sq ft. With sea views from all the front windows, The Ferry House is well located for exploring the county, and provides a comfortable base to return to each evening, whether it be with family or friends. It has a bright and airy sitting room, complete with two comfortable sofas arranged in front of an open fireplace. The farmhouse style kitchen is appointed with plenty of worktop space, electric oven, hob and a Rayburn cooker which makes it cosy in the colder months. A scullery, off the kitchen, has the dishwasher, clothes washer, the sink and an extra fridge. The central hall works as the dining room with seating for 8 and has a wood burning stove. A games room, at the southern end of the house, has a table tennis table with bats and balls provided. There is also a rear entrance, where you can dry off your coats or dogs and a Belfast sink to wash muddy attire. Upstairs there are four well-presented bedrooms; a spacious king-size with en-suite bathroom, a second double room and 2 twin rooms. There is a second bathroom to serve these three bedrooms. To the exterior of The Ferry House there is an area of paving stones by the back door and a lawn. We provide an outdoor table and chairs in the summer. At the front of the house is a small area of lawn overlooking the lough and the private road to the Boathouse and cottage which are to the south of the Ferry House. Infrequently, a few cars will pass the house to access these neighbouring houses. There is a seawall between the house and the shore which it is hazardous to climb over. You can safely walk on to the shore just past the house by the old ferry. A few local people walk along the shore with their dogs. Ramelton, is less than a ten minute drive, and where you will find a couple of restaurants and pubs. There is a butcher, delicatessen, café, and post office, and on specific days each week, there is a vegetable stall, fish stand and indoor country market. There is an art gallery selling fine art and pottery.
Slightly further afield is the town of Letterkenny, with it's neo-gothic-cathedral designed by William Hague, a protege of Pugin, there is a museum and art gallery, as well as ample shops, bars and eateries. Just outside Letterkenny the attractive Castle Grove Hotel provides good food. Take a drive into the small seaside village of Rathmullan to explore the sandy beach and pier before a drink or meal in the renowned Rathmullan House Hotel. There are plenty of walks of a good variety of lengths including the 2 dominant hills, Mount Errigal and Muckish.Glenveagh National Park also offers great walking and cycling in a mountain setting with a castle and world class garden. Beautiful beaches abound in Donegal and watersports on offer include surfing and kayaking. There are also some of the finest links golf to be found anywhere, including Rosapenna and Ballyliffin. For bird lovers, Lough Swilly is an important wintering ground for waders and geese, and you can see these and other migratory birds near The Ferry House. Donegal offers above all wilderness, beaches, wildlife, and golf, and all are easily reached from the Ferry House – your spectacular base on the shores of Lough Swilly.
Ramelton is histroically one of Donegal’s most important ports, with ships arriving from the Carribbean in the 1800s to export linen made in the village. There is an abundance of welcoming shops and pubs in the village, and there opportunities for fishermen and golfers in the region. Nearby is the picturesque Fanad Head and the beaches at Rathmullan and Dunfanaghy.
Accommodation
Four bedrooms: 1 x king-size with en-suite bath ,with shower head attachment , basin, bidet and WC; there is one step down into the bathroom, 1 x double, 2 x twin.
Second bathroom with shower over bath, basin and WC.
Downstairs cloakroom with basin and WC.
Kitchen.
Hall dining room with woodburning stove.
Large sitting room with open fire.
Games room
Central heating.
Rayburn cooker, electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge, freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, TV, WiFi, games room table tennis.
Fuel and power included in rent.
Bed linen and towels included in rent.
Parking for three cars is under trees less than 50m from the house with short term parking available for loading and unloading right by your door.
Partly enclosed garden with lawn, stone paved area and table and chairs in the summer.
Two (well-behaved) dogs welcome, €35 charge per pet per week.
Sorry, no smoking on the premises.
Shop and pub 2.9 miles.
Note: No hen/stag or similar.
Note: this property has a good house keeping bond of €450.
There is a seawall between the house and the shore which is hazardous to climb over, you can safely walk on to the shore just past the house by the old ferry.
Note: There is one step down into the en-suite bathroom leading from the king-size bedroom.
Note: This property has a maximum occupancy of 8 people which also includes infants.
Reviews (21)
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Timothy
It is in a stunning location next to the Lough. The views in the morning were wonderful. Watching the Harvest moon shining on the water, the sunrise, all very beautiful. The Ferry House was clean and very well appointed, although a hair dryer and a cork screw would have been nice! The location is excellent for exploring North West Donegal, with the pretty little town of Ramelton nearby, yes we fell in love with the Blue Goat Deli. Letterkenny has all that you need. For dog owners the enclosed large rear garden is excellent. The bathrooms are a little tired and an update to the shower would be a bonus. But you need to understand that it is a very old property with a few foibles that go with the territory. Would I recommend The Ferry House? Absolutely 100%.
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Jenny
We saw loads of wildfowl, including and huge stork which had a little forage on the shore close to the house. We had one day of stormy weather on the first night, the swell caused the water level to rise on the lough. Marty from the boat house appeared in the darkness with his head torch and banked our door with sandbags just in case. They were not needed in the end, but we felt well looked after, Marty is lovely. We visited many beautiful spots during our stay including Giant's Causeway, the lighthouse, Glenveigh National Park and Ards Forest. We had a lovely day in Derry and some of our party visited the Science Museum in Belfast. Letterkenny is great for bigger shopping and eating out - take a look at the Hiring Fair Monument in Letterkenny Square. The house was very cosy and comfortable, lovely Rayburn in the kitchen, great for drying wet wellies and raincoats. The only thing we needed and didn't take with us was tableware - cups, plates and bowls for very young children. Otherwise, we managed to cook full family meals on the days we ate in. The house is in a very peaceful, secluded spot, we quickly found ourselves becoming absorbed into the landscape and ebb and flow of the tides, it was lovely.
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Kirsty
Beds and living room were really cosy and comfortable. Marty was so nice and turned on the Rayburn during our stay which made the kitchen super warm. The only downsides I'd say is that the main bathroom could really do with upgrading as could the oven. Also when we got there the house was full of spiders and spiderwebs. Maybe the cleaner doesn't hoover the cobwebs because she doesn't want to kill the spiders but it gave a really bad impression of hygiene and the spiders did freak some of the group out.