WATCH: Incredible views awaiting walkers taking part in fest

GUIDED walks through quiet country roads, as well as access to some private routes, will offer up some of the most incredible landscapes and seascapes that West Cork has to offer, as part of this year’s Skibbereen Walking Festival.

Although the programme – featuring eight guided walks over a three-day period from Friday September 23rd to Sunday September 25th – was only launched on Wednesday, night spaces are being booked at a rapid rate.

The county mayor, Cllr Danny Collins (Ind) said it was no coincidence that the walking festival – which is now in its sixth year – has grown in appeal. ‘Walking has become a way of life for people, especially during Covid,’ he said, ‘and I have no doubt that it will be a great weekend, something to look forward to, at the end of September.’

The mayor said the festival, which is organised by Skibbereen and District Chamber of Commerce, is consistently good because of the level of organisation and attention to detail that goes into planning the programme every year.

Pre-registration is essential but once a person is booked onto one of the walks – which vary in degrees from easy to moderate to strenuous – everything is laid on from the bus at the centrally located Skibbereen Heritage Centre to take them to the starting point and the post walk refreshments.

Each walk is different, each walk – including the one that includes a 10km cruise back to Skibbereen on the return journey – has its own appeal and points of interest be they geographical, historical or archaeological.

Helen Dempsey, co-chair of Skibbereen and District Chamber of Commerce, said the event would not be possible without the planning and support of Niall O’Mahony and Skibbereen Walking Group, or the backing of Cork County Council – represented at the launch on Wednesday night by the county engineer Kevin Morey – Access Credit Union, Pure Cork and Fáilte Ireland.