The Beara Penisula with its national hike The Beara Way offers the wild and rugged side of Ireland.  The majority of tourists have not yet discovered its beauty giving us a lovely space and time for our hikes and explorations.  Begin your exploration of the Beara Way with a visit to the city of Cork, one of the oldest European cities and a key player in the Uprising of 1916 and the Irish Civil War.  Shop the English Market, sit in on a trial at the courthouse, visit St Fin Barre's Cathedral and Labyrinth, see the stars at the Blackrock Castle Observatory, or visit the historic Cork City Gaol with its infamous “weighing chair”. This vibrant city has much to offer and acts as a central point to southern destinations on the County Cork peninsula.

Next, we will catch the local van for our ride to Castletownbere, a fishing town on the Beara Peninsula.  This is always exciting to the American who is used to driving on the left side! We will pass through the city and into the country quickly and may be able to take a side trip to visit the ambush site of General Michael Colllins, a leading figure in the early 20th-century Irish struggle for independence . Traveling along the coast we will see beautiful vistas and the lovely little towns of Bantry and Glengarriff before arriving in Castletownbere. After settling into our accommodation its a wonderful time of day for a walk up the lane to see standing stones and remarkable views of the Ardnakinna Lighthouse on Bere Island and then into town to have dinner and to see if there is trad music playing. Castletownbere has many pubs and restaurants to enjoy as well as a terrific grocery store where we can buy supplies for our hikes. Its always good to have a Snickers bar in a hidden pocket!

Click the buttons above for descriptions and photos of Beara Way Sections.