|
A peninsula that falls between counties Kerry and Cork,
bordered in the south by Bantry Bay and the north by Kenmare Bay, it houses
mountains, ancient forests, sandy beaches, and more. It is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. We found this peninsula to be less touristy
than Dingle and Iveragh.
What to See and Do
Drive the Ring of Beara.
Glengarriff is a holiday resort town with fine food and art - visit
Garnish Island by boat. Adrigole is home
to the tallest waterfall in Ireland at Hungry Hill - it overlooks Berehaven
Harbor. Take the R574 road up Healy Pass
between the Sugarloaf Mountains and Hungry Hill; walk over two bridges and
through a field right up to the base of the waterfall, a grand cascade over
diagonal sheet of rock. Adrigole Arts is
fine galleries with unique gifts for all - what most impressed me were the
sculptures made of 5000-year-old bogwood.
See sea caves at Cuas Pier. See
the Hag of Beara. Visit Castletownbere,
Ireland's largest white fishing port.
Take a boat to Bere Island and see the Martello Tower and Ardnakinna
Lighthouse, a 45-minute walk from the ferry terminal. Visit Dursey Island at
peninsula's tip by cable car. Allihies
is home to artists and a sandy beach with dunes. The Puxley family ran the copper mines here
until 1921 - see the ruins of their 19th century castle, a mix of
architectural styles from French chateaux to Italian villa. Ardgroom has two lakes Glenbeg and
Derryvegal. The tallest Ogham stone in
Europe is here - 4.7m (17 ft) tall; it can be found in Ballycrovane
Harbour. Go through Lauragh and the
Cloonee Loughs and on into Kenmare.
Do the Ring of Beara Walk, a long distance walking route
that follows roads, bogs, and tracks to the Ogham stones, wedge graves, and ancient
sites of the peninsula.
The Beara Way Cycle Route is a national cycling route on
country roads. The entire route is 138
kms. You can begin the route in any town
or village on the peninsula; just follow the signs with the bicycle symbol.
Where to Eat and
Drink
Loop De Loop in Castletownbere has a new café with freshly
made vegetarian wraps, fresh squeezed juices, and homemade soups. Taste in Castletownbere is a gourmet food and
wine shops, stocking all your needs for a cliff side picnic. The Olde Bakery in Castletownbere prepares
fine seafood dinners.
Where to Sleep
Rodeen Country House in Castletownbere is a subtropical
garden overlooking Bantry Bay. For
breakfast, proprietor and art-lover Ellen Gown prepares "fresh fruit crepe
served with honey from our own bees and natural yogurt." Tel: 027 70158
How to get there
By car:
From Glengarriff, take the Ring of Beara drive west,
beginning on R572.
From Kenmare, take the Ring of Beara drive west, beginning
on R571.
By bus:
See www.buseireann.ie
website for all current travel details and restrictions.
By bike:
Bikes can be transported on the Irish Rail Network with a
small additional fare for bike depending on the length of your journey.
When to go
April to October when the days are long and the weather is
fine. Garnish Family Festival at
beginning of August in Garnish.
Castletownbere Festival of the Sea in early August. Bere Island Festival in mid-August. Allihies Sports Day in mid-August.
 A White Horse somewhere on the Beara Peninsula
|
