West Cork is a walker’s paradise that is graced with a network of looped and linear walkways of varying lengths.
There is something to suit all walkers ranging from short Sunday afternoon loop strolls to the great trails of the Sheep’s Head Way and the Beara Breifne Way.
Lighthouse Loop, Sheep’s Head
This walk can be done as a loop (starting and finishing at the Tooreen Café) or as a spur walk, from the café to the lighthouse and back, depending on the ability of those in your walking group.
From the car park at Tooreen, follow the blue loop walk arrows (with Dunmanus Bay on your left) which will lead you to Lough Akeen and onwards to the lighthouse at the tip of the headland.
If you choose to continue as a loop, the north side views are splendid across Bantry Bay and hug a sea-cliff trail which will eventually bring you to a small marker which guides you off the main trail and back towards the café at Tooreen.
For guidelines and safety measures visit livingthesheepsheadway.com
Kilbrittain Woods, Kilbrittain
Kilbrittain is only about 10km out of Bandon and has some beautiful walks and amenities to its credit.
There are four official walks around Kilbrittain known as the Kilbrittain Trails – the walks range from the Castle Walk (which is 3.7km to the longer Kiln Walk which is 14.5km).
Along the Castle Walk, you will see the castle, which is the oldest inhabited castle in Ireland, said to date from 1035.
It is lovely to finish this walk off with some time in the playground and to visit the bones of the fin whale which are mounted on display nearby.
The whale was beached in 2009 and its jaw alone is 18ft long.
www.kilbrittaintrails.ie
Farranmanagh, Kilcrohane
The friendly alpaca greeting walkers on the Farranamanagh Loop near Kilcrohane.The Farranamanagh Loop Walk is a moderate loop on the Sheep’s Head Way and takes in shoreline, lakeside, and hillside views.
The loop is just over 6km long and the guidebooks say it should take around two hours and fifteen minutes to complete but we always take longer as it is fun to stop along the way and admire the friendly animals you will encounter, which can include, goats, alapacas and donkeys!
It is handy to carry some cash on you because there is an honesty box at the alpacas’ field which sells all sorts of interesting items including lavender bags and bundles of alpaca wool for the garden birds to line their nests with.
The walk has many interesting things to explore, including an old Bardic school (which was so famous in its time that the King of Spain sent his sons to be educated at it), a holy well nearby known as the Well of the Poets, standing stones and burial grounds.
www.livingthesheepsheadway.com
Ahanafunsion Bridge, Drimoleague
This is a special walk to do based in the heartland of West Cork near Drimoleague.
The Ahanafunsion Bridge is part of the greater Drimoleague Heritage Loop but can be done on its own as a riverside loop that has incorporated the nearby Moyny Bridge loop to make a wonderful walk that encompasses both bridges.
Small, well-maintained paths follow the edges of the young Ilen River as it threads its way through the countryside.
The area is rich in legends, folklore and history and there are memorial benches dotted along the route.
A guidebook is available from the Top of the Rock Pod Pairc and Walking Centre.
www.topoftherock.ie
Bullig, Dunboy Woods, Castletownbere
The Bullig Bay Loop in the Dunboy Woods just outside of Castletownbere is a lovely walk to do as a family.
The full loop is almost 5km, but can also be enjoyed as a there-and-back along the same trail to keep close to the bay and to enjoy the water views, both ways.
Along the way, you will see Bere Island’s lighthouse ‘Ardnakinna’ which was first built as a beacon in 1850 and then as a proper lighthouse in 1965 as well as the atmospheric ruins of Puxley’s Mansion, a collapse of the Celtic Tiger.
For further information on the 15 walks in the area visit www.bearatourism.com.
