Operation renovation: 'We wanted to create a feeling of warmth, function, and comfort, so when you come back from a long hike, you feel at home straight away'

"After 12 years renting a two-bed apartment, buying and renovating this woodland retreat was a dream come true for two avid hikers"

"Like many rural Irish villages, Rathdrum in Wicklow, could be described as a one-horse town: a handful of pubs and shops dotted along its one long main street."

"There's no cosmopolitan vibe here but rather a sleepy one. But anyone fond of the phrase 'one-horse-town' might be missing the point entirely."

"It is exactly this sleepy, otherwise 'removed' mood that's part of its charm and makes so much of Wicklow prime real estate."

After 12 years renting a two-bedroom apartment, two avid hikers bought and renovated a woodland retreat in Rathdrum, County Wicklow. The property conversion fulfilled a long-held dream and positioned them within easy reach of local trails and countryside. Rathdrum retains a small-village character with a single long main street lined by a handful of pubs and shops. The village lacks a cosmopolitan atmosphere and instead offers a relaxed, sleepy mood. That tranquil, somewhat removed character contributes to the area's appeal and underpins the desirability and real-estate value across much of County Wicklow.

Read at Independent