Driving Driving 136 Kilometres 2 Days Wild Atlantic Way County Cork Old Head of Kinsale Nature & Wildlife Whale Watching Let the Haven Coast be your safe harbour as you weave along the exhilarating Wild Atlantic Way between Ballydehob and Kinsale The food. The fields. The easy-going West Cork vibe. And oh, that ocean: sparkling in picturesque port towns; crashing against wave-scarred cliffs; hiding hulking sea giants – and glowing by night as if by magic. Follow this fairytale trail between Ballydehob and Kinsale, and be rewarded with a true natural treasure: the Old Head of Kinsale. Ballydehob to Old Head of Kinsale Day One Celts and copper mines, castles and coastal thrills, fill your first day with '"craic" galore as you begin your journey through the heartlands of West Cork. A driving 27 mins Ballydehob Harbour A truly traditional village by the name of Ballydehob Set against the graceful backdrop of the Twelve Arch Bridge, cosy Ballydehob village is endearingly unassuming. Steal an hour to poke around the Gurtnagrough Folk Museum, packed to the rafters – literally – with contraptions and curios dating back as far as the 1700s. Or delve into the fascinating life of wrestling champion, Danno O'Mahony, at the Irish Whip Bar! Just one of the intriguing tales told by the proprietors, the O'Briens. If you have more time Climb Mount Gabriel, where copper was mined 4,000 years ago and stone remnants of the Celts still stand. B driving 14 mins Whalewatching Ride on the crest of the waves with Whale Watch Pods of porpoises, orca, pilot and even colossal humpback whales wave their fins in greeting here, where 24 species of majestic cetaceans are known to roam the crystalline waters that make up Ireland’s whale and dolphin sanctuary. Prepare to feel shrimp-sized as you step on board the catamaran Voyager for a trip between the Old Head, Cape Clear and Fastnet Rock. Afterwards, hitch a ride on the ferry to Heir Island and the unforgettable Island Cottage Restaurant. Come at festival time Make a beeline for Cape Clear Island during its annual Storytelling Festival (September). C driving 35 mins Lough Hyne Entering the incredible waterworld of Lough Hyne By day, enjoy the natural wonders of this marine nature reserve, packed with a multitude of marine life that call Lough Hyne’s salt water home. By night, fall in love with a star-lit kayaking session through waters twinkling with bio-luminescence. Alternatively, row out to Castle Island, home to the ruins of Cloghan Castle and the legend of Labhra: the king with donkey’s ears! If you have more time Fancy some Onion & Cider Soup with Mature Smoked Gubbeen Cheese for lunch? Pitstop at Georgina Campbell's Restaurant of the Year: Good Things @ Dillon's Corner in Skibbereen. Delicious! D driving 33 mins Drombeg Stone Circle A Druid's Altar that has stood the test of time Jutting up out of the ancient earth, the 17 free-standing stones of Drombeg have reached to the same Glandore sky for 3,000 years. Known as the Druid’s Altar, this sacred place remains adorned with the shell and flower offerings of countless, nameless visitors. Arranged symmetrically with a pair of tall portal stones forming the entrance, place your own offering, and feel the pervasive sense of the past emerge. If you have more time Feeling sentimental? Pop over to Castletownshend for a photo opp beside one of the last standing old-fashioned Telefón (telephone) boxes in Ireland! E Michael Collins Centre The story of the Big Fella, Michael Collins From precocious schoolboy to revolutionary leader, peer into the life of the Big Fella: Clonakilty’s most famous son. Rebellion and legacy, love and war all play out in the Michael Collins Centre’s audiovisual show, before you step outside to the quiet, grassy ambush trail where Collins met his untimely end in 1922. If you have more time Boasting one of the best pints and trad sessions in West Cork, take the weight off at De Barra's and feel like you've come home. Old Head of Kinsale Day Two Get ready for sprawling luxury, saintly retreats and more seaside showstoppers. F driving 14 mins Lisselan Estate Yearning for some old-world glamour? Kickstart your day with a full Irish breakfast, including local specialty, Clonakilty Black Pudding. Then prepare for elegance at Lisselan Estate, which has slumbered in Robinsonian elegance on the banks of sleepy Argideen River since 1853. The 80-acre Lisselan Golf Club is surrounded by mature woodlands and boasts one of Ireland’s most scenic – and challenging – golf courses; while the wider grounds include the ancestral home of Henry Ford – and the current home of a vintage Ford fleet. If you have more time Swing by Inchydoney Beach: a seemingly endless expanse of pale sand and perfect surf. Voted “Best Beach in Ireland” by Tripadvisor's Travellers Choice Awards. G driving 40 mins Timoleague Abbey If these walls could talk... The Franciscan monks sure picked a pretty spot when they established Timoleague Abbey way back in 1240. The secretive wall passages, stunning stonework and immaculate bell-tower make this building irresistible to intrepid explorers. Outside, uninterrupted views of the bay hark back to a time when ships delivered goods straight from the river into the Abbey’s cellar. Come at festival time Catch the whole village out in force for the traditional Timoleague Festival (August). Pig race, anyone? H Old Head of Kinsale Old Head of Kinsale Take a deep breath as you stop and stare at the Old Head of Kinsale, its sheer cliffs topped with that iconic striped lighthouse. The air here is a tonic, ruddying your cheeks and brightening your eyes with the ocean’s tang. Rather appropriately, the wedge-shaped headland jutting out into the Atlantic is part of a world-class links golf course; while the vast sea beyond conceals the wreckage of the tragic Lusitania, a British ocean liner sunk by a German torpedo during World War 1. If you have more time The Kinsale Gourmet Food Festival (October) is unmissable – but Fishy Fishy Café is a year-round culinary delight. Print your trip idea and take it with you Continue your Wild Atlantic Way journey Northern Headlands Trip IdeasDiscover a rugged and remote coastline that takes you off the beaten track in Donegal. Surf Coast Trip IdeasExperience thrilling waves and pure poetry from southern Donegal to the wilds of western Mayo. Wild Atlantic WayDiscover the drama of Ireland's west coast on the world's longest defined coastal touring route. Map Day One1 Day Two2
Northern Headlands Trip IdeasDiscover a rugged and remote coastline that takes you off the beaten track in Donegal.
Surf Coast Trip IdeasExperience thrilling waves and pure poetry from southern Donegal to the wilds of western Mayo.
Wild Atlantic WayDiscover the drama of Ireland's west coast on the world's longest defined coastal touring route.