The Ring of Beara
Mizen Head
Gougane Barra
The Ring of Kerry
Local Villages
The Islands
West Cork is located in the beautiful South Western corner
of Ireland and the region stretches from the Ferryport of Ringaskiddy
westwards as far as the Beara Peninsula.
The unparalleled beauty of the landscape is complimented by a multitude
of attractions and activities catering for all interests and ages. Water-based
activities are numerous with several clean beaches Blue Flag designated
for swimming, windsurfing etc. Sailing centres dot the coastline and
sea angling, scuba diving, and sea-kayaking are also on offer.
Other activity holidays available in the area include golfing, fishing,
horseriding and walking. Indoors, there is a growing number of hotels
with leisure centres to cater for visitors in bad weather. So, there
is plenty to do in West Cork all year round. Get out there and explore
West Cork and if you cannot fit it all in one visit - come back again.......
and again.
West Cork is a famous gastronomic paradise and the quality and variety
of cuisine reflects the use of natural home grown produce. Dining in
West Cork is a delight with every budget catered for.
Whatever your accommodation needs, West Cork has the perfect answer.
The variety of accommodation on offer ranges from top-class hotels,
guesthouses, self-catering cottages, Bed & Breakfasts, Budget accommodation,
and caravan and camping sites.
West Cork's stunning scenery, clean unspoilt environment and an ever-expanding
range of top quality tourism and food produce ensure that West Cork
is truly A Place Apart.
Allihies, situated 12 miles west of Castletownbere, on the Ring of Beara Route, is a region of unspoiled natural beauty. Glacial and volcanic movement of yore played their part in the formation of this most rugged, most unusual and yet most beautiful landscape. Such activity, the geologists tell us, left in its wake the large store of mineral deposits so successfully mined throughout the 19th century and much more of which is still here with us - if deeper down. Plans are advanced regarding the siting of a Mining Museum in Allihies.
Castletownbere, nestled at the foot of the Caha Mountains, the rugged but beautiful scenery is all around you. It is Irelands' premier whitefish port and the many restaurants and pubs nearby, cater amply for the seafood enthusiast. There is plenty of accommodation available, Bed & Breakfasts, a Hotel on the water's edge, and a newly opened Hostel overlooking Bere Island.
There are numerous activities for everone to enjoy. As Castletownbere is situated in the centre of Beara, you can travel the Ring of Beara route with a choice of three different roads, to the West towards Allihies, to the north towards Urhan, Eyeries Ardgroom or to the East towards Adrigole and the Healy Pass. A nine hole links Golf Course, on the eastern side of the town welcomes visitors, with Green Fees as low as £12.00 for the full day. Sea-Angling and Coastal trips can be arranged, with rods and tackle for hire if needed. Shore Angling can also be enjoyed at the numerous designated sites. The famous Beara Way Walking Route has many short loop routes around Castletownbere, or for the avid walker can be opened up into longer treks. The full route is 125 miles long.
A newly opened fully equiped Gymnasium is located in the town with a Sauna, Hair and Beauty Salon. Outdoor Pursuits in the form of Canoeing, Kayaking, Dinghy Sailing etc. can also be enjoyed at Tralahan Strand close to the town. Gaelic Football is vibrant in Castletownbere, and indeed the whole of Beara, and there is always a match or two to watch at the week-ends. Dunboy, where the ruins of the Puxley Mansion and the older O'Sullivan Bere Castle can be seen, is only one mile from the town and is a lovely tranquil area to picnic in.
Bere Island, nestles snugly under Sliabh Miskish and the Caha Mountains of the Beara Peninsula , beautifully hugging the northern shore of the magnificent Bantry Bay. It is a charming island with an air of peace and tranquility which is unsurpassed in this part of the world. It is serviced by two licenced ferries sailing frequently to the Pontoon (near the Golf Course) and Castletownbere. The island is seven miles long and three miles wide, and has many of the Beara Way Walking loop routes.
Scattered around the island are the numerous remains, including two six inch guns, of the vast, late Victorian military fortifications which Britain built to protect its naval base at Berehaven which they held until 1938. Most can be readily inspected but should be approached with caution. For the energetic, there are two Martello Towers. They will repay the hill climb with stunning views over the harbour and bay as does the climb to the Holy Year Cross, erected by the people of Bere Island in 1950 to celebrate the Marion Year.
As with the rest of the Beara Peninsula, there are numerous historical sites to view, such as the wedge Tomb and a standing stone. The Ardnakinna Lighthouse (pictured above) was constructed in 1850 and capped in 1863. Lit in 1965, the light sweeps across the famous Piper Rocks. Again the panoramic views waiting for you here only add to the beautiful views you will experience along the rugged trail to the lighthouse.
Now at the heart of the cruising ground of south west Ireland, is a new boat haven. The Marina is a fully serviced boating base that will satisfy every cruising requirement. There are fabulous restaurants to dine in, and impromptu sessions can be had in either of the two pubs.
The Mizen Peninsula, at Ireland’s most south-westerly point, is worldwide renown for the beauty of its rugged landscape and ancient heritage. A tour of the Mizen Ring gives you the chance to immerse yourself in the various strands that make the Mizen unique. From geology, flora, birds and fauna to the influence of man and his history on the landscape.
Travelling west from Schull you drive along the bog road built originally in the eighteenth century to carry butter to Cork for export to the new colonies.
Toomore
As you approach Toormore on your left you will see the Altar Dolmen,
a Neolithic tomb. On the right just after that is The Altar Church built
during the Famine as relief work. In the grounds of the Altar Restaurant
a recent find was a Wedge Tomb from the Bronze Age.
Goleen
You continue on through the town lands of Kealfadda, Ballyrisode and
Ballydevlin until you reach Goleen. This village was built during the
nineteenth century at a crossroads where a cattle fair was held. You
will see that the street is very wide and all the houses were originally
built as shops. There is a hidden harbour at Heron’s Cove, down
to the left in the village, which gives the village its name ‘Goilín’,
‘little inlet’. Although the harbour dries at low tide,
giving great feeding for a variety of wildlife including a fox and a
pheasant, there is a deepwater quay at the entrance to accommodate fishing
boats and yachts.
Crookhaven
Crookhaven Harbour is as picturesque as it was useful being a large
sheltered harbour. You pass the old Roadstone Quarry on the side of
the mountain, which provided metalling for the roads of Wales until
1945. There are numerous Bronze Age field monuments in the hills around
Crookhaven. The Ordnance Survey Discovery Series map 88 will indicate
their whereabouts for you. The village of Crookhaven has a distinguished
history as the last port of call for ships going to and from America.
Over the centuries ships stocked up with provisions here before tackling
the Atlantic Ocean. All the shipping lines had agents here to tell the
ships in which port their cargo had been sold. In the late 1900s it
was said that you could cross the harbour on the decks of boats. 700
people lived and worked in the village against the 29 permanent residents
today. Marconi came here to try to get his first radio message across
the Atlantic and he fitted the first telegraphic equipment to the Fastnet
Rock Lighthouse to communicate with the passing ships.
Brow Head
On your way back to Barleycove, you can take the road up to Brow Head
from Galleycove beach. Looking back east from the top of Brow Head you
can see Roaringwater Bay, Cape Clear and some of Carbery’s Hundred
Isles. The Signal Tower was part of a chain built in 1804 in fear of
a French invasion to give fast communications all round the coast. The
original signalling was done with a system of flags and blackballs on
masts. Brow Head or Mallavogue was a vibrant mining area in the nineteenth
century and you can still see the remains of the mines and the miners’
houses.
Barleycove
Barleycove is a large sandy beach backed by sand dunes. The sand dunes
were thrown up in the tidal wave that swept Europe after the earthquake
in Lisbon in 1755. Today they have been partially eroded but they are
protected like much of the coast round this area as European designated
Special Areas of Conservation. The road goes to the east of the beach
across a causeway bisecting Lissagriffin Lakes and at the T-junction
you turn left to Mizen Head.
Mizen Head
Mizen Head Visitor Centre has been developed by a local tourism co-operative
at ireland’s most southwesterly point. They have a lease on the
Irish Light Signal Station which was built in 1905 to protect shipping
from the cliffs in fog. It is a spectacular location with its folded
rocks and high cliffs. The Signal Station is on an island joined to
the mainland with a fine example of an Arched bridge. If you have plenty
of puff you can go up the 99 Steps but there is a path for the less
energetic! At the top of the cliffs near the car park a new building
has been added. Here you may buy a ticket, visit the Shop or the Café,
experience the exciting exhibits about modern technology and Safety
at Sea, the Fastnet Rock Lighthouse, Marconi in Crookhaven and the Automatic
Weather Station. Well worth a visit!
Three Castle Island
Another gem of the Mizen Peninsula is Three Castle Head where the Three
Castles, which are three Tower Houses with, curtain walling. Built in
the 15th. Century on the site of a Bronze Age Promontory Fort, the Castles
stand sentinel beside a cliff top lake. Access is restricted at the
moment because of the unstable state of the castles, but it is worth
asking if it is possible to visit.
Dunmanus
Continuing the journey round the Mizen Ring, you take the road back
towards Goleen and turn left onto the Coast Road by Lissagriffin Lakes.
As you wind up the road the view to the north suddenly opens up to show
Dunmanus Bay, Sheep’s Head and in the distance the Beara Peninsula
and the mountains of Kerry. Looking down to the sea you pass Dhurode
Copper Mine with the round stone built Explosives Magazine. All along
the road you will see signs of the mines. You reach Dunmanus Castle,
an O’Mahony stronghold from the 15th. Century, beside the little
harbour. A short drive from there takes you back onto the Durrus/Bantry
road.
Location: Guágan Barra Forest Park is located 5km west of Ballingeary on R584 to Bantry, at the Pass of Keimaneigh.
History: The name Guágan Barra derives from
St. Finbar, who according to tradition, built his monastery on the island
here in the 6th century. Guágan was at one time part of the territories
of the O'Leary's who lost possession of the land in the plantation that
followed the Cromwellian wars. Subsequently it passed to the Townsend
family and ultimately the farming tenants under the Land Acts in the
early part of this century. The ruins on the island are not part of
St. Finbar's original settlement but were erected around 1700 by Rev.
Denis O'Mahony who, following the footsteps of St. Finbar, retired to
a life of asceticism here. Because of its isolation, in the days of
the Penal Laws people travelled from areas far beyond the bounds of
the valley to hear Mass in Guágan Barra. One of the most famous
'Mass Path' was that which led from the Borlin Valley to the west via
Gowlane Stream and down into Com Rua by way of the savage cleft of Poll.
Habitat: The Guágan Barra area, and indeed the whole of south Cork, south Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, is composed of old red sandstone. The characteristic layering or bedding of the sedimentary rocks can be clearly seen in the high cliffs around Com Rua at the head of the Guágan Barra valley. Guágan Barra Lake lies in a rock basin carved out by the ice but nowhere does it reach depths greater than 12 meters.
Forest Walks: Guágan Barra is unusual among forest parks in that it provides drive around facilities for the motorist and a motor trail can be followed right along the ring road. There are also a number of signposted paths.
Tree Species: The Forest Park comprises some 142 hectares. The area was virtually treeless until 1938 when the afforestation programme began. Plantings were largely of lodgepole pine, Sitka spruce and Japanese larch - three species that thrive in poorer soils and stand up well to exposure. Sitka spruce, which is particularly resistant to constant winds and suits a wide variety of soils, accounts for 40% of the area.
Biodiversity: Flora - In the Park natural
vegetation occasionally reaches down to the roadside on rock outcrops
and on stream banks but it is to be seen to better advantage as one
approaches the upper fringes of the forest. On drier slopes fringe grasses
such as brents and fescues, with heather and ling are abundant. Moist
slopes have a large collection of purple moor grass while wet hollows
harbour bog mosses and cotton grasses. Sedges and rushes flourish well
here as do fox's cabbage, butterworths and sundews. Rock faces are covered
with lichens.
Fauna - The otter hunts and fishes in secluded spots by night and day
as does the stoat. The nocturnal badger, the brown rat, the fox and
rabbit are all present in the park. Very occasionally the shy field
mouse, pigmy shew and the pine marten can be spotted. Other common species
to be found are the coal tit, wren, robin, wood pigeon, blackbird and
chiffchaff. Other birds include the willow warbler, pied and grey wagtail,
dock dove, cuckoo, thrush and starlings. Red buntings, cormorants and
herons, moorhens and one or two mute swans may be seen by the lake.
Facilities: Slí Loai follows the course of the infant Lee from the lower car park to the head of the great coum - a distance of about 1.5km. From the lower car park there is a choice of several other walks, including the ever-popular Nature Trail which is quite short - under 1km. For the more energetic there is a very fine walk called Slí Easa which commands magnificent views of the whole glen and the great mountain wall that encloses it.
Stretching out into the Atlantic Ocean, the Iveragh Peninsula has a backbone of mighty mountains. Every environment is here, from the snow-capped Corrán Tuathail, Ireland´s loftiest peak, through woodland and blanket bog, to the sandy beaches of the coast. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream ensure a mild climate all the year round. Sub-tropical plants grow quite happily here - adding marvellous splashes of colour to the countryside.
This is the setting for Ireland´s greatest tour, The Ring of Kerry. The 110-mile (176k) circuit takes in Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Caherciveen, Waterville, Sneem, Kenmare, and Killarney. Any one of the many stopping points along this magnificent odyssey makes an idyllic holiday destination. Killorglin, the home of the legendary Puck Fair, straddles the Laune, an excellent salmon-fishing river. The village of Glenbeigh is hugely popular in summer because of the glorious beach at Rossbeigh and the links course at Dooks.
At Caherciveen you can visit the birthplace of the great justice-seeker and parliamentarian Daniel O´Connell (1775-1847). The Liberator, as he was known, eventually settled near the beautiful secluded beaches of Derrynane. In this century, Charlie Chaplin of silent screen fame was a regular visitor to Waterville. Last year the people of the town erected a monument to his memory. Sneem, possibly Ireland´s most colourful village, has won national awards for its beauty and neatness. George Bernard Shaw did much of his playwriting while staying at the nearby Parknasilla Hotel. While much of the coach traffic takes the direct route from Sneem to Moll´s Gap, it is worth going the extra miles to visit the town of Kenmare with its delightful shops and excellent restaurants. If you travel the Ring anti-clockwise, as most traffic tends to do, then spectacular views await you as you head from Moll´s Gap down into the Killarney Valley.
Within the Bantry Bay region there are a number of villages
which have their own individual attractions;
Allihies, on the North Peninsula (Bere), famous for its copper mines
and quartz-white beaches;
Eyeries, for its ancient monuments and Christian settlements;
Adrigole, for its towering Hungry Hill mountain and highest waterfall in Ireland;
Coomhola, for its megalithic monuments;
Ballydehob, for its various pubs and restaurants;
Ballylickey, for its top grade hotels;
Durrus, for its sheltered haven of tranquillity; and
Kilcrohane, for its ancient Bardic University which was
renowned throughout Western Europe from c. 600 to 1200 AD
There are hourly boat tours to the three main islands of Bantry Bay. These are all summer schedules.
The car-ferry to Bere Island off Castletownbere operates from 9am. Ancient monuments, Christian settlements, the Viking harbour, and the gigantic gun batteries of the British Navy can be seen on the Island.
The Whiddy Island ferry runs daily from 9am till late. Whiddy Island has ancient church ruins, castle ruins, gun batteries, and remains of a WWI seaplane base.
The Garnish Island ferries operate from about 8am till 6pm. The ferry charge does not include the entry charge to the Island.
Access to another Island, Dursey Island, on the tip of
the northern Peninsula is by cablecar over the sea-rapids above the
narrow channel.