BEARA WALKING TOUR IRELAND - 10-DAY CHALLENGING   DAY 1: Transfer to Glengarriff Your Beara walk starts in Glengarriff – a small town in the foothills of the Caha Mountains. DAY 2: Glengarriff to Adrigole • Distance 18km • Walking Time 5 – 7 hours • Max Height 544m A lovely path through the forest takes you up into the Coomerkane valley and then climb towards the Sugarloaf Mountain. Enjoy splendid views over Bantry Bay before descending into the village of Adrigole. DAY 3: Adrigole to Castletownbere • Distance 19/23km • 4.5 - 6.5 hours • Max Height 335m Today you pass Hungry Hill - a mountain immortalised in Dame Daphne Du Maurier's epic novel of the same name. You go around the mountain before continuing to the whitefish port of Castletownbere. DAY 4: Castletownbere to Dursey Sound • Distance 27km • 5 - 8 hours • Max Height 323m Walk along old country roads that take you through some forestry and then up into the Slieve Mishkish Mountains before descending past an old disused copper mine into the brightly-cloured village of Allihies. The a stunning walk out to the tail end of the Beara Peninsula. DAY 5: Dursey Island • Distance 15km • 3.5 - 5 hours • Max Height 245m With just 6 permanent residents, little motorised traffic and abundant wildlife, Dursey Island is a walkers paradise. DAY 6: Dursey Sound to Eyeries • Distance 23.5km • 5 - 6.5 hours • Max Height 249m You retrace your steps back as far as the colourful village of Allihies. From here, head up to a pass in the Slieve Miskish Mountains, then continue along old roads past the small townsland of Urhan before arriving at your destination overlooking Coulagh Bay. DAY 7: Eyeries to Lauragh • Distance 26.5km • 5 – 7.5 hours • Max Height 125m Follow a beautiful path out of Eyeries next to Coulagh Bay before heading inland towards the village of Ardgroom. From here you cross the Croanshagh River before making your way into the picturesque village of Lauragh. DAY 8: Lauragh to Kenmare • Distance 24km • 4.5 - 6.5 hours • Max Height 379m Today you arrive at the splendid setting of Lough Inchaquin - long regarded as one of the most beautiful sites in the country. From here you climb to another mountain pass before descending towards the bustling town of Kenmare. DAY 9: Kenmare to Glengarriff • Distance 24/26.5km • 5.5 -8 hours • Max Height 356m You have two choices for the start of today's walk. The shorter route is to turn left out of Kenmare village and follow old roads as far as the tiny village of Bunane. Otherwise, retrace your steps to the Dromoghty River Valley before climbing steeply to a pass in the Caha Mountains. Descend into Glengarriff. Day 10: Depart Glengarriff Daily bus service from Glengarriff to Cork city. From Cork city, there are regular connections to Cork, Shannon and Dublin Airports. |