We are trying to get the cottage to a point where it is habitable. Right now, it's not. But it's an essential element of restoring the castle as it will provide a space for us land while we are in Knockderry working on the castle and the grounds.
We’ve referred to the cottage as the Hobbit House. There are 3 to 4 stairs leading up or down in nearly every room. The house makes no sense, but it is charming in a hobbit sort of way. Getting one of the fireplaces to work will be such a relief and make it a warm hide-away.
It will be so pleasant to come and stay in the cottage as we work on the many details of approvals and plans for the castle. The cottage is small, but the windows make is bright and inviting. I know it will be a cozy retreat given enough attention.
The paths around the cottage and the castle are all quite muddy, but soon we will get some pea gravel to make the paths walkable. The road to the cottage and castle is also soft and sucks cars into it. That will require a little more work, given the numbers of vehicles and machinery that will soon be frequenting Knockderry.