Oh What To Do
It's hard to fit everything in while on vacation. With so much to see and do and so little time, here is a snapshot of some of our favorites along the
Cork & Kerry Coastline.
Oh What to do:
What to see and do while making the most of your time is s tricky one. Trying to get the most out of the valuable time you have while also not wanting to be rushed to enjoy your hard-earned vacation.
Here we have compiled a list of some of our favorites, from scenic drives to activities and visitor attractions for each county along The Wild Atlantic Way. It is by no means exhaustive as there is so much to see and do along the way. For more activities and attractions, you can also visit www.wildatlanticway.com.
Cork: The largest county in Ireland by area Cork fits into the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland Ancient East. West Cork and some stunning scenery and offers you a more significant opportunity to get off the beaten path as large swathes are very much undiscovered in comparison to other parts of Ireland. The indented coastline gives you so many small villages and towns and amazing coastline to explore. Whale watching trips or island visits await in the region that for many was the first or last sight of Ireland before or after a daunting crossing of the Atlantic.
The drive west from Kinsale to Kenmare offers up so much:
Timoleague Abbey: founded by the Franciscans in 1240, and its current remnants date to the 15th century; it is free to pop in and explore a little as you pass.
Drombeg Stone Circle: this Bronze Age Stone Cirlce is aligned with the setting sun on the Winter Solistace. It is situated just a little east of the town or Glandore. Again a free visit, but the road down is a little narrow.
Baltimore: is a small fishing village with some great seafood restaurants but also from where you will take the ferry to Clear Island for a day trip, or there is also the option of Whale Watching Trips off the SouthWest Coast from here maybe even a sailing lesson or half-day yacht charter around the islands.
Clear Island: just over 2.5 square miles, a trip to Clear Island sees a real example of Island life. Bring your walking shoes as there is so much to do from Megalithic Standing stones, a 5,000-year-old passage tomb, a 12th Century church, and a 14th-century castle. Of course, a visit to the Cape Clear Distillery is a must to sample its unique small-batch gin.
Mizen Head: is a measuring point for being one of the most southern points in Ireland, the headland offers some amazing cliff scenery, and a visit gives you a chance to explore the once inhabited signaling station and lighthouse and learn about the life of the keepers in this remote point that served as the first or last point of contact with Europe.
Bantry House: was built in the 18th Century and under the White family's ownership, the former earls of Bantry. You can take a guided tour of the house or a stroll around the gardens with their terraces and azaleas and rhododendrons. You could also visit the Armada center dedicated to the french Armada that tried to land in Bantry in 1796 as a precursor to the 1798 Rising.
Garinish Island: as you arrive at Glengarriff, you will see the signs for Harbour Queen. This is the ferry that will bring you on a short guided tour of the harbor as you make your way to the tropical Island of Garinish. The Bryce family had acquired the island, and the Gardens and house were designed after 1910. While the house was never built, the Tropical Gardens sprawl over the 37 acres and flourish because of the microclimate in the harbor caused by the shelter and the Gulf Stream's arrival. The gardens have hosted writers such as George Bernard Shaw and George William Russell.
Beara Peninsula: is the next of the Peninsulas as you make your way north. The Peninsula starts at Glengarriff and then heads west along Bantry Bay and makes its way through many small villages and towns and larger fishing towns like Castleownbere. Packed with local pubs and restaurants, the Peninsula has so much to share and takes you off the beaten path into rural Ireland. There is the Dursey Cable Car where you and take Irelands only cable car across Dursey Sound and explore the island. It has a multitude of walks, and the scenery is amazing. But bring a picnic as there are no bars or restaurants. As you reach the end of your westward journey, you travel east along Kenmare Bay and begin making your way towards Kenmare's town and cross into county Kerry. To be close to the head of the Peninsula Allihies is a good place to stay. The Peninsula in itself is best as a day trip to enjoy it the most. You could cut it short by taking the narrow but beautiful Healy Pass if you wanted.
Caha Pass: following the national road onto Kenmare and into Kerry in itself is a stunning drive that brings you over the Caha Mountains and the mountain tunnels into county Kerry and the town of Kenmare. This is the most direct route if you are heading further into Kerry. But it is no less beautifull and will not disappoint.
