West Cork Coast Guide
Looking out to sea from 17th century Charles Fort, Summercove near Kinsale
latest update March 2008
This is the classic route heading south from Cork City to Kinsale then around the coast as far as Glengarriff. Slowly but surely the countryside gets wilder as dairy farmland gives way to uncultivated hills before areas of genuine wilderness are encountered.
South to Kinsale
The busy N27 heads due south from Cork City centre and uphill to Cork Airport, after which it becomes a smaller road. After a dip into the Owenboy Valley it crosses rolling countryside before reaching a sea inlet 3km from Kinsale. Kinsale is one of Ireland's most pleasant small towns with a core of delightful narrow 17th century streets . It has become known as the restaurant capital of Ireland with a 4 day Gourmet Festival around the first weekend in October. The Kinsale Arts Festival is held for 10 days each September. There is an excellent microbrewery The Kinsale Brewing Company with its own bar serving larger, stout, ale and wheat beer..2km south around Summer Cove is the stunningly situated Charles Fort, a huge 17th century 'Star Fort' defending the harbour. Modern seafaring is catered for by Castlepark Marina Centre.
West to Baltimore
For a first taste of the wild go down to the Old Head of Kinsale with its lighthouses poised above the waves. Inland Ballinspittle achieved fame in the 1980's when the statue of Mary in the local grotto was seen to move. Within days crowds of 50 000 people were turning up hoping to see it for themselves. For 9km into tiny town Timoleague the road hugs the edge of Courtmacsherry Bay looking over at the pretty same named one street village. Timoleague has a ruined Franciscan friary, See the small but perfectly formed Castle Gardens and a lovely little Church of Ireland with its Arts and Crafts style interior.
Clonakilty is a lively little town, population 3000. Its Georgian square speaks of its 19th century heyday as a 10 000 population linen producing centre. Today it is better known for its Trad music in the local bars. See the West Cork Model Railway Village on Inchydoney road, with its working replica of the old West Cork Railway. Lisnagun Ringfort is the only reconstructed one on its original site in Ireland. The best route now is a back way to the south of the main N71 to the estate village of Castle Freake whose glostly ruins can still be seen from the road. The R598 then heads down to the shore before reaching the N71 again for the lovely quiet town of Rosscarbery. Time appears to have stood still in its centre. Stop off for a relaxed pint at one of the bars. The R597 takes you over a rolling hills to Glandore Harbour, turn left to the Drombeg stone circle on the way. The classic West Cork landscape with a riotous mix of native and subtropical plants below wild hills is now all around you. Glandore and Union Hall are two too perfect seaside villages facing each other across the harbour. A maze of country lanes will take you on a back route to Baltimore.. You can divert to the pretty planned Georgian village Castletownshend on the coast where early 20th century authors Sommerville and Ross lived. From here there is a delightful coastal route to Baltimore. Don't miss Lough Hyne on the way, a unique brackish inlet/lake with its own unique ecosystem.
Baltimore, Cape Clear and Sherkin Island
Baltimore (website includes details of ferries to local islands) is quite literally the end of the road. It is also the port for Cape Clear (includes info on ferries) and Sherkin islands. Here you get you first sight of Roaring Water Bay with Carbery's Hundred Isles dotting it. The bar facing the slipway is a great place to watch the world go by. 'Ireland is an Island off the Coast of Cape Clear' is the slogan of the ferry company, and certainly you get a different perspective by visiting the island. Climb the steep hills by day, by night patronise the two bars Cotters Bar and The Club where there is frequent musicmaking. Bird watchers flock to the Cape Clear Bird Observatory on the North Pier. Sherkin Island is nearer Baltimore. The Jolly Roger pub attracts boats from the mainland for its music sessions. The remains of a 15th century Franciscan Friary are near the Jetty. You can take a boat to Cape Clear from Baltimore and then one to Schull or vica versa, or you can head back to Skibbereen. There are lush planned gardens with sub tropical plants at Creagh Gardens. Skibbereen is a typically sprightly West Cork settlement and is still a working market town. The West Cork Arts Centre is on north street with exhibitions and performances.
Mizen Head and Sheeps Head
Ballydehob is reached over its impressive 12 arched stone bridge. For a good 20 years and more it was the hippy capital of West Cork and it still keeps some of the atmosphere. You should have no trouble buying wholefoods here. The main route heads north but it would be a shame not to visit the Mizen Head penninsula. Mount Gabriel and its two early warning domes dominate the scene. Schull is a well to do sailing centre. It is now home to the Schull Planetarium, on Colla Road. Even by local standards the area westwards is very relaxed. A lot of alternatively minded people have come to live here and many of the houses have enviromentally sensitive improvements. Finally sleepy Crookhaven is reached with fine coastal scenery surrounding it. Nearby Barley Cove has a fine beach. There is nothing much at Mizen Head. Ireland's equivalent of Lands End. This is a Good Thing, there are just the sea views to enjoy .... and the inevitable Visitors Centre. In the same way that people do the Land's End to John o'Groats trip you can do the Mizen Head to Malin Head (In County Donegal) trip if you fancy it. There is a great local beach: Barleycove.
North across Dunmanus Bay is the 20 km long finger of Sheeps Head Peninsula. Climb up its hills for some of the best panoramic views in Ireland with Mizen head to the south and Beara to the North. The south side of the penisular is a pleasantly relaxed coastal road by farmland,. Turn up the hill at Kilcrohane for that stunning panorama. The north side of the peninsula is an altogether wilder more rugged experience.
North to Glengarriff
Bantry has several faces. A workaday town, a tourist centre, a centre for the local alternative community and a place of surprises - just see the 1960's Thunderbirds style public Library. It's variety makes it a worthwhile place to stay and indeed base yourself at. Bantry House is a substantial classical place overlooking the bay. The 2nd Earl of Bantry was a typical cleptomaniac son of the British Empire and his collection makes the entrance fee worthwhile. There is also a 1796 French Armada Exhibition Centre in the House's stables describing one of many failed Irish bids for freedom before the 20th century.
The 17 km road north to Glengariff was memorably described by travel writer Eric Newby as being like ' a snake in its death throes'. Even by Irish standards its writhes its way from bay to bay, how shall we say: quite energetically? Its a beautiful route but now too built up. At Ballylickey take the R584 a few km inland to Future Forests to see their crazy wooden buildings and impressive forest gardens. Back on the N71 steel yourself for perhaps the most beautiful view in Ireland. As the road rounds a bend at the top of a rise the whole Glengarriff area with the twisted mountains of the Beara Peninsular comes into view. Fantasy landscape painters put your brushes down, you can't top this ! Click here for Glengarriff.
