Feed Your Senses by Claire Gervat

The row of cakes was too mouth-watering to resist. That fantastic-looking pear and almond tart at the end, for instance, would go perfectly with the fluffy cappuccinos that had just been delivered to our table. We’d certainly earned a treat after our four-mile morning walk along the scenic Cork coastline. Besides, you don’t come to Kinsale, the gourmet capital of Ireland, to not eat.

Great food, though, wasn’t the only reason we’d decided to spend a few days in this idyllic seaside town on Ireland’s south coast. Kinsale’s long natural harbour makes it a magnet for watersports enthusiasts as well, though you don’t have to be a sailor to take to the water -- or to lap up the view. You could spend hours just standing at the harbour’s edge, surrounded by piles of bright blue, orange and green nylon fishing nets, watching the multicoloured windsurfer sails criss-crossing with the plainer ones of dinghies and yachts.

If you wanted to be part of that view, though, there were plenty of opportunities. Apart from windsurfing and sailing -- in anything from a dinghy to a big swish yacht -- there were harbour cruises and deep-sea fishing trips. I’d always thought deep-sea fishing was a rich man’s hobby, but if you went on a shared boat with 11 other people it definitely wouldn’t break the bank.

I wanted something cosier, however, so the next day we -- that’s two of us -- decided to charter a 16-foot motorboat from Castlepark Marina for the day. First, there was a picnic to buy: a real treat in Kinsale’s tempting shops. At The Gourmet Store -- a café, restaurant and deli in one, and the place with the irresistible pear and almond tart -- we picked up smoked salmon and home-made cakes. We added a hunk of gubbeen, a delicious local cheese, from the Quay Food Company, grabbed some bread, fruit and drinks, and were ready to head off.

After a short but thorough lesson on handling our craft we were away, bobbing through the gentle waves. The weather was perfect, a soft Irish summer day with a light, warm breeze, and we chugged gently round the harbour as far as Charles Fort. We’d actually walked there the day before, feeling a bit of exercise might be in order after a glorious dinner at the Savannah Restaurant -- a member of Kinsale’s Good Food Circle -- the night before. The star-shaped fort had been built by the English in the 17th century, as had James Fort on the other side of the harbour, and it was hugely impressive. From below, in our tiny boat, it was even more imposing.

The hours seemed to pass in a flash. We had a go with the fishing lines we’d hired -- with no success at all -- then motored slowly up the Bandon river to find a sheltered spot for our delicious picnic. One minute we were happily wiping the crumbs from our lips, the next it was time to return the boat. After such a relaxing day, I was sorry to be back on dry land.

Not that Kinsale doesn’t have lots for landlubbers to enjoy. It was once a wealthy international port and garrison town, so there’s plenty of history here. The narrow, winding lanes in the centre are lined with graceful Georgian houses, often painted in startling colours. Nearby is the old Courthouse, with an elegant arcade, which is now a museum. A short walk up the hill is Desmond Castle, the smallest I’ve ever come across, once a prison. These days it’s home to a wine museum, but don’t be surprised if you come across the odd life-sized model of a suitably forlorn prisoner languishing in a corner.

Funnily enough, though, all our walks seemed to end at The Gourmet Store and its array of cakes, where we’d sit and plan which top-notch restaurant to go to that night. Well, Kinsale is the foodie capital of Ireland, after all.