Ireland Guide
Kilkenny, Carlow and Wexford
Inistioge
Eight kilometres along the Nore from Thomastown is the quaint village of Inistoge (pronounced "Inisteeg"), set around a tree-lined green, an old church and a narrow-arched stone bridge over the river. Unsurprisingly, the attractive location, with its verdant hills rising above the village, has drawn film-makers and both Circle of Friends and Widows' Peak were shot here. The steep lane rising from the village green leads after a couple of kilometres to Woodstock, a demesne centred on a Georgian mansion designed by Francis Bindon, one of the architects of Russborough House. When its owners left Ireland during the War of Independence, the house was taken over by the Black and Tans and, like many similarly tarnished dwellings, was burnt down after independence in 1922. However, since 1999 a project by the county council to restore the gardens (April– Sept 9am–8pm; Oct– March 9am–4.30pm; car €4, pedestrians free; 
www.woodstock.ie ) has been ongoing and you can enjoy walks lined by firs and monkey puzzles, an arboretum, rose gardens and rockeries, and breathtaking views of the Nore valley.
The village's only accommodation is provided by the Woodstock Arms ( 
056/775 8440, www.woodstockarms.com ; Price: €60-90), a pleasant pub with tables out on the green, offering well-appointed en-suite rooms. You can admire the waterside while sampling the delights at The Old Schoolhouse, a crafts shop and café that offers soup, fresh salmon from the Nore and home-made cakes. Up in the Woodstock demesne, by the car park, is a highly recommended restaurant, Bassett's (closed Sun evening, Mon & Tues; 056/775 8820). Either in the bright, contemporary main room or at the outdoor tables with fine views of the Nore valley, you can enjoy sophisticated dinner dishes employing home-grown vegetables, local meats and fresh seafood, such as red mullet with potato, sautéed marrow and fennel; lunch consists of simpler fare such as omelette and cannelloni.