Things to Do – Trails
Garinish Loop (Beara) Dursey Island Cable Car Car Park, Ballaghboy, Castletownbere, Co. Cork
Fastnet Trails The Ballydehob Linear Walk Kilcoe Church Car Park, P81 Y573 Ballydehob Community Centre, P81 FC89
Did you know?
The Ballydehob Linear Walk is a scenic 6.5km route forming part of the Fastnet Trails network, linking Kilcoe and Ballydehob along quiet country roads with rich heritage and coastal views. Starting at either Kilcoe Church or Ballydehob, walkers follow blue waymarked arrows past historic churches, famine piers, scenic bays and viewpoints overlooking Kilcoe Castle, Carbery’s Hundred Isles and the distant Fastnet Rock Lighthouse. Highlights include the 18th‑century church ruin, medieval graveyard, and the impressive 12‑Arch Viaduct leading into Ballydehob. Optional detours can extend the walk by up to 1.5 hours.
The Garinish Loop is a 4.9km moderate trail beginning and ending at the Dursey Island Cable Car car park, offering dramatic coastal scenery at the western tip of the Beara Peninsula. The route climbs to about 150m, providing sweeping views of Dursey Island, Garinish Point, Long Island and the Atlantic. Walkers follow purple waymarked arrows across open hillside before descending toward Garinish Pier and returning along quiet laneways. Part of the longer O’Sullivan Beara Way, the loop is ideal for those seeking a short but rewarding walk with varied terrain and outstanding vistas.
The Beara Breifne Way through West Cork, follows the footsteps of Dónal Cam O’Sullivan Beare’s epic 14-day march of 1602, an unforgettable long-distance trail shaped by one of Ireland’s most dramatic true stories.
www.discoverireland.ie/cork/fastnet- trails-the-ballydehob-linear-walk
www.discoverireland.ie/cork/ garinish-loop-beara
Sheep’s Head Loops Sheeps Head Peninsula, Co. Cork
The Fuchsia Walk, Courtmacsherry Start/Finish: Courtmacsherry Rowing Club Trailhead
Fastnet Trails Ilen River Walk Lisheen Lower, Co. Cork
Sheep’s Head Loops offer a series of scenic walking routes across one of West Cork’s most peaceful and rugged peninsulas. Stretching 21km in length and only 4km wide, the Sheep’s Head Peninsula features dramatic coastal views, rocky outcrops, loughs and unspoilt wilderness. Walkers can choose from shorter looped routes – such as the popular trail to the lighthouse at the tip of the headland – or a longer 16km loop via Ballyroon Mountain with panoramic views. Quiet, remote and beautifully signposted, these loops provide an excellent introduction to the award‑winning Sheep’s Head Way.
A visit to Courtmacsherry isn’t complete without a stroll along the much‑loved Fuchsia Walk. This scenic circular trail winds through quiet woodland and open fields, bursting with colour when the fuchsia comes into bloom. Longer than the nearby Bluebell Walk, it offers ever‑changing views and a real sense of West Cork’s natural charm. Free to visit and suitable for families and dogs, the walk can be enjoyed at your own pace and in either direction, an easy, rewarding way to soak up the beauty of the area on a fine day.
The Ilen River Walk is an easy, scenic loop forming part of the Fastnet Trails network in Skibbereen. This gentle riverside route follows the banks of the River Ilen, offering peaceful views, wildlife sightings and a relaxing woodland atmosphere suitable for all ages. Starting from the Newcourt car park, the trail takes walkers along flat pathways past historic features and natural habitats that reflect the landscape’s connection to the river. It’s an ideal short walk for families, casual strollers and anyone looking to enjoy a calm stretch of West Cork’s countryside.
www.discoverireland.ie/cork/ sheep-s-head-loops
www.sevenheadswalks.ie/ fuchsia_walk_loop
www.discoverireland.ie/cork/ fastnet-trails-ilen-river-walk
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