8-Day / 7-Night Challenging

From your point of arrival, use the public transport information we provide to make the journey to Castletownbere.

A hike along century old country roads takes you past a Bronze Age stone circle and through some forestry before it climbs up into the Slieve Mishkish Mountains. You can catch a glimpse of the northern side of the peninsula before the trail climbs once more and then descends past an old disused copper mine into the brightly coloured village of Allihies. From there a stunning coastal walk in truly spectacular surroundings takes you right out to the western end of the Beara Peninsula, where the Atlantic Ocean pounds the coastline.

Take a trip on Ireland’s only cable car which will bring you across Dursey Sound, a narrow stretch of water with a very strong tide and reefs of rocks. With just 6 permanent residents, little motorised traffic and abundant wildlife, Dursey Island is a walker’s paradise.

Start today with a beautiful coastal walk along the shores of Coulagh Bay, with the waves crashing onto the shore next to you. Pass a rock formation, known as the ‘The Hag of Beara’, one of the oldest mythological creatures of Ireland, before an old boreen takes you past Lough Fadda and onward to the tiny village of Ardgroom. Minor roads are now followed by a scenic hike on a rugged mountain path across Drung Hill. Continue on towards Cashelkeelty stone circle, dating back almost 3,000 years, before you finish in the tiny hamlet of Lauragh, hidden away in a large old forest.

Today’s hike will lead through fields and valleys and across a number of hills. About half way you will visit the Gleninchaquin Valley with its waterfall and the mystical Uragh stone circle – an undoubted highlight of the entire Beara Way and, on a quiet day, possibly one of the most tranquil and beautiful places on Earth.  From here you climb to another mountain pass before descending towards the bustling market town of Kenmare.

You have a choice of two routes for the first half of today’s hike . Either follow an old boreen through the Dromoghty River Valley and across a mountain pass or follow minor roads through the pretty Sheen River Valley. Quiet roads then guide you to a remote, ancient pass between Esk and Barraboy Mountain. From there the route descend into the beautiful Glengarriff Forest Reserve – a woodland area rich in wildlife and packed with lots of different walking trails. These trails guide you to charming Glengarriff, situated on the shores of Bantry Bay, where the mountains meet the sea.