You don't have to go far in County Kerry to find tranquility, as REBECCA BARNES discovers on a visit taking in two luxurious rural retreats

CUSTARD  and Dandy may sound like unusual names for tour guides but these two placid ponies proved uniquely suited to showing us the delights of County Kerry, Ireland. We trekked along sunlit, tree-lined bridleways, marvelling at our astonishingly scenic surroundings and inhaling great lung fulls of untainted Irish air.

As summer holidays go this was a million miles from the beach breaks my husband Scott and I had grown used to but we weren't regretting our decision to look closer to home for a second.

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Our first base, Hotel Dunloe Castle, is famous for its Haflinger ponies, a gentle Austrian breed that is ideal for children and beginners alike. A trek around the hotel's expansive grounds is complimentary for all guests, allowing them to observe the way the mares and stallions live side by side, grazing with some of the cattle from the hotel's farm. The Dunloe is a modern, luxury hotel with twin flagpole-adorned turrets, set in 64 acres of parkland estate.

Our route took us across some fairly hilly terrain and past the ruins of the medieval castle deep in the grounds from which the hotel takes its name.

The Gap of Dunloe, the glacier-formed valley which stretches through the MacGillicuddy Reeks mountain range, creates a spirit-soaring backdrop to the hotel which, despite its size, retains a casual, cosy atmosphere with antique paintings and furniture and a roaring log fire. Our superior room was spacious and comfortable with a large balcony for taking in the views. You won't find high-tech fixtures and fittings, however, timeless and traditional is more the order of the day.

When not in the saddle we unwound with full-body aromatherapy massages in the hotel's spa which includes one of the area's largest indoor pools.

I also fished for the first time during our stay, albeit with limited success.

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The River Laune, with its plentiful supply of salmon and brown trout, flows through the Dunloe Estate. A ghillie was on hand to show me the ropes, or rather lines, and to point out the best spots. Two fruitless but wonderfully relaxing hours followed.

If you're lucky enough to reel one in the hotel can cook it for you for dinner.

We didn't go hungry, however. Dinner in the Oak Restaurant is a relaxed, informal affair. With views over the gardens and mountains, nature surrounds you while you eat. It therefore seemed fitting to sample some local produce - Kerry beef for me and lamb for Scott, both cooked to perfection.

THE HALF-HOUR drive to our next base, Ard na Sidhe, took us via the town of Killarney which attracts visitors from all over the world. It's the gateway for the Ring of Kerry, Ireland's best-known scenic drive and the location of Muckross House.

Ard na Sidhe, meaning "Hill of the Fairies" in Gaelic, is a Victorian-style country house hotel built by Lady Gordon in 1913 who pledged to build the house of her dreams. We found it hiding down a pretty but very narrow road near the village of Killorglin, on the shores of glittering Caragh Lake.

The 18 en-suite rooms have marble bathrooms. With the emphasis on peace and escapism, there are no TVs or radios in the rooms.

We sat out and drank tea with the warm, evening sun illuminating the lake and streaming into our room well past 8pm. Ard na Sidhe is so quiet you barely notice any other guests until you meander downstairs to the intimate dining room with its open fireplace.

My duck starter was one of the best dishes I've ever tasted, while Scott again plumped for Kerry lamb, developing something of a fixation.

Ard Na Sidhe is said to be the perfect place to settle back with a book, while for others it's the inspiration to write one. Yet even those who don't believe in magic will find it hard not to fall under its spell.

GETTING THERE:
Hotel Dunloe Castle (dialling from the UK: 00353 646 644 111/www.thedunloe.com) offers doubles from £155 per night (two sharing), B&B.

Aer Lingus (0871 718 5000/www.aerlingus.com) offers return flights from Heathrow to Cork from £60.

Ard na Sidhe Country House (00353 669 769 105/www.ardnasidhe.com) offers doubles from £155 per night (two sharing), B&B.

Avis (0844 581 0147/www.avis.co.uk) offers daily car hire from £42.

Tourism Ireland: 0800 039 7000/ www.discoverireland.com