Tranquil Tigín: An Off-Grid Tiny House Hidden in the Wicklow Mountains

You can’t actually drive to Tranquil Tigín. You park up, grab your bags and make your way 300 metres across a meadow until this tiny wooden cabin eventually appears in the Wicklow countryside.

And what awaits at the other end is fairly special.

There’s a huge picture window looking across the surrounding fields, a king-size bed tucked into a mezzanine and, outside, a copper bath, fire pit and outdoor oven.

Oh, and there’s a wood-fired sauna a short stroll away. All of this sits amongst 70 acres of pasture, bog and native woodland in the Wicklow Mountains.

A tiny house in 70 acres of Wicklow countryside

Tranquil Tigín was handcrafted in the west of Ireland in 2023 using natural materials before finding its home in a large south-facing field in Wicklow.

And when I say it’s out in the countryside, I mean it. The cabin is surrounded by 70 acres of pasture, bog and native woodland, with deer, pheasants and rabbits amongst the regular passers-by. Sheep sometimes make an appearance, too.

There’s no pulling the car up beside the front door, either. The final 300 metres are on foot across a meadow, with the hosts recommending wellies or hiking boots when the ground is wet. So, maybe leave the 30kg suitcase at home for this one.

Have a nosey inside

The Tigín sleeps two, and the clever use of space inside is part of its appeal. A king-size bed sits up on a mezzanine reached by ladder stairs, while downstairs there’s a daybed positioned directly beneath an enormous window overlooking the countryside.

There’s also a foldaway dining table and a compact but fully equipped kitchen, with Irish-made ceramics and textiles used throughout where possible.

Despite being off-grid, you still have heating, hot water and electricity, with solar panels supplying power to the cabin.

Although there is one little reminder that you’re not staying in the Shelbourne… The toilet is a Scandinavian-style dry toilet rather than a traditional flushing one.

That window…

I’d say a fair few hours disappear on the daybed here. The enormous window looks straight across the surrounding Wicklow countryside and essentially turns whatever happens outside into your entertainment for the evening.

Deer, rabbits and pheasants roam the property, with the occasional sheep wandering into the mix. There’s Wi-Fi if you desperately need it, but sitting here scrolling through Instagram would feel like a fairly spectacular waste of the view.

And then you step outside…

This is where the Tigín really starts showing off. Sitting on the deck is a copper outdoor bath, so you can fill it with hot water and have a soak surrounded by the Wicklow countryside.

There’s also a fire pit with a cooking grill, benches, a picnic table and a Weltevree outdoor oven if you fancy cooking dinner outside.

A short walk from the cabin you’ll find a rustic wood-fired sauna that’s available to guests. So your evening can essentially consist of sauna, copper bath, food by the fire and then bed. I’ve had considerably worse Tuesdays.

The cabin’s electricity comes from solar panels, while drinking water is drawn from a well on the property and filtered.

Heating and hot water come from a gas boiler, so “off-grid” thankfully doesn’t translate to sitting in the dark wearing three coats. You also have the Tigín and its immediate surroundings to yourself, along with the freedom to explore parts of the wider grounds.

When you eventually decide to leave…

Glendalough is around a 15-minute drive away, while Beyond the Trees at Avondale is around 10 minutes away.

You can also reach Avoca in roughly 15 minutes and Brittas Bay in around 25.

Although after hiking across a meadow to your tiny house, firing up the sauna and climbing into a copper bath overlooking the Wicklow countryside, I’d imagine convincing yourself to go anywhere could prove difficult.