Glengarriff West Cork

firstlight

Hi
Just booked a few days in Glengarriff for the end of the month
Love the beauty of west cork

Looking for any advice on the best things to do in the area
Any must visit places

Thanks for any help

irish_major

Get yourself up to gougane barra! A beautiful place.
I love west cork, glandore is stunning but a bit away from glengarriff

Jimbob1977

Glengarriff has a unique climate and ecosystem.

The gulf stream means that it has mild temperatures, normally escapes frost and supports palm trees.

You definitely need to visit Garinish Island. It's a short boat trip from the harbour. A stunning botanical garden island. It's almost like being in the Caribbean or South of France.

If you have the time and weather, Barley Cove is a great beach. It's a bit of a drive. The lighthouse at Mizen Head is also worth a visit.

If you're energetic, you can drive your car to the top of Priest's Leap (500 metres altitude) and hike up Cork's highest mountain of Knockboy (703 metres). 50 minutes up and 40 minutes down. Best have a paper map and the summit coordinates programmed into Google Maps.

Gougane Barra is a lovely forest park and idyllic church.

Nightlife and meals.... Glengarriff, Bantry or Kenmare

greenttc

Not sure I would liken garinish Island to the caribbean or the south of France (saying that I have never been to the caribbean!) but it is definitely worth a visit, I always love the boat trip out there, always lots of seals to see.

Drive out mizen head for good views and also around the sheep's head which I think is very scenic.

Glengarriff is very poor for food in my opinion, definitely head over to kenmare for restaurants, another nice drive along the way.

There are nice walks in the forest in Glengarriff, its one of the oldest oak forests in the country, nice to go up lady bantrys look out for views over the village and out over bantry Bay etc.

Some good pubs in the village, if the weather is good it's nice to sit outside and watch the world go by.

You will probably/hopefully miss midge season, you can be eaten alive in the evenings in Glengarriff so bring some insect repellent just incase!

A lovely spot over all and a great place to base yourself to explore west Cork.

firstlight

Cheers for all the great advice
Just googled and checked some of them places and they all look lovely
So much to do i might find another cheap hotel for the saturday aswell

Again thanks

Jimbob1977

greenttc wrote: »

Not sure I would liken garinish Island to the caribbean or the south of France (saying that I have never been to the caribbean!) but it is definitely worth a visit, I always love the boat trip out there, always lots of seals to see.

It was that glorious week in July 2013 when the temperature was 29c and sunny every day. I picked my time well

carrickbawn

The Beara Peninsula is beautiful.. Unspoilt,amazing scenery. Dzogchen Beara is well worth a visit. A unique experience.
The newly refurbished Beara Coast Hotel has a lovely ambiance and the standard of the food there is unbeatable for quality and value.

steamsey

Lady Bantry's Lookout is a nice spot with good views and a short ish but uphill walk if you want to stretch the legs

Barley lake is wild, totally exposed - worth a drive

The owners in Harrington's Bar or Casey's Hotel can help you out with any advise you need - they can tell you where all the good swimming spots are etc

Poolen is the business for a quick dip to clear the head (ice cold freshwater) - just watch the rocks there they can be slippy. If you want the sea, Zetland or Mucra are decent swimming spots - Zetland more "beachy" than Mucra which is cliffs (good for jumping)

There should be music on most nights in the village, and can be very good but a little off season at the moment. Hope you drink Guinness as the pints down there are savage

Casey's Hotel used to do a savage steak

Can get cashback at the Spar, no ATM last time I was there

firstlight

Cheers guys
By the sounds of it I should have booked a week down there ha
Have taken down all the information
Great having things sorted to do before you go and not just spend all the time in a pub

greenttc

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

It was that glorious week in July 2013 when the temperature was 29c and sunny every day. I picked my time well

Ah your very right so, when you get weather like that down there it is a million times better than the south of france or any fancy sun holiday!

kerry4sam

Thread moved to where it would be better suited.

Thanks,
kerry4sam

johnnyyesno

Whatever you do avoid The Lough Avoul Inn. Formerly known as the Rainbow Restaurant. Still the same owners.


https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=86431264

jimgoose

Woman and I are heading down there weekend after next, just for the Saturday night. Looking forward to it.

Roger Hassenforder

kerry4sam wrote: »

Thread moved to where it would be better suited.

Thanks,
kerry4sam

Dont tell me this was posted in a Kerry forum?

Roger Hassenforder

Hire bikes down in Castletownbere and go fir a spin around Alllihies.

Or pop out to Dursey on the cable car.

Weather permitting head over to baltimore for a trip around fastnet and/or whale watching.

One of the restaraunts in glengarriff wont take credit card, got caught one night