A spectacular coastal walk begins along the banks of Lough Ine, one of the largest saltwater lakes in Europe, cupped in a lush valley of exceptional beauty. To get there, follow signs for Lough Ine along R595 between Skibbereen and Baltimore; a parking lot is at the northwest corner of the lake. The wide trail proceeds gradually upward from the parking lot through the woods on the west slope of the valley; once you reach the hilltop, you’ll see a sweeping view of the coast from Mizen Head to Galley Head. Walking time to the top and back is about 1 1/2 hours.

An easy 2-hour seaside walk on the Beara Peninsula begins at Dunboy Castle, a ruined 19th-century manor house about 1 mile west of Castletownbere on R572. Just down the road you’ll see the ruins of a medieval fortress; beyond, the trail (a section of the O’Sullivan Beara trail) continues to the tip of Fair Head through rhododendrons, with fine views across to Bere Island.

Walk to Abandoned Cummingeera

Stark and eerie, Cummingeera ★ is an abandoned village in a wild, remote valley near Lauragh, on the Kerry side of the Beara Peninsula. The walk to the village gives you a taste for the rough beauty of this mountainous area, and a sense of the extent to which people in pre-Famine Ireland would go to find a patch of arable land. To get to the start of the walk, take R571 from Castletown up along the coast toward the town of Lauragh. Just west of Lauragh, turn onto the road for Glanmore Lake, signposted on the right. After approximately 1km (2/3 mile), turn right at a road posted for “stone circle.” Continue 2km (1 1/4 miles) to the point at which the road becomes dirt, and park on the roadside. From here, there is no trail—just walk up the valley to its terminus, about 2km (1 1/4 miles) away, where the ruins of a village hug the cliff’s base. Where the valley is blocked by a headland, take the route around to the left, which is less steep. Return the way you came. The whole walk—4km (2 1/2 miles)—is of moderate difficulty.

The Sheep's Head Loop

A jagged strip of land reaching out into the Atlantic on the western side of County Cork, the Sheep’s Head Peninsula is well worth a visit. It’s a place of wild, rocky scenery, ice-blue lakes, and spectacular coastal views. It is also an isolated place; you’re likely to find yourself alone for large stretches of time, with the expansive sea views all to yourself. Which, in bustling modern Ireland, is enough to make it worth the trip.

To see it the easy way, drive the Sheep’s Head Loop, which begins just outside Bantry along the tiny road to Kilcrohane. It takes you through the coastal village of Ahakista, where you can stop to explore a Bronze Age stone circle, and on to tiny Durrus, home to the rocky ruins of the Cool na Long Castle. The main draw here, though, is the natural beauty. The north side of the peninsula is all sheer cliffs and stark, rocky scenery, unmarred by modern development (the sunsets on this side are unbelievable), while the more lush south-side road runs right alongside the wondrous Dunmanus Bay.

To explore the peninsula in more depth, however, you could walk the Sheep's Head Way, voted “Best Walk in Ireland” by Country Walking magazine a few years ago. The windy coastal walk is certainly ambitious, making an 89km (55-mile) loop around the peninsula. Most walkers choose to explore only the tip, from the point where the road ends down to the stumpy 1960s-era lighthouse, which keeps oil tankers from running aground. If you try the longer walk, be aware that the route is rough in places, particularly on the north side. The south side of the peninsula is greener and the path well-travelled.

The Guide to the Sheep's Head Way by Stephen Bosch (2003), available in local stores and tourist offices, combines history, poetry, and topography in a fantastic introduction to the region. The lavishly illustrated guide Walking the Sheep’s Head Way by Amanda Clarke (2014) helpfully breaks the walk into all its various stages.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.