Welcome to the Beara Way

Enjoy the quiet southwestern corner of Ireland.

Beara is the third of the 5 finger peninsulas and visually different to its northern neighbours.

Walk the Beautiful
Beara Way

Enjoy this quiet southwestern corner of Ireland, the third of the 5 finger peninsulas.

The Beara Way is a peaceful long distance walking route of 196km (120 miles) circumnavigating the Beara Peninsula in the southwest of Ireland. Beara is less populated than its northern neighbour, the Kerry Way, and is equally beautiful. The waymarked Beara Way walking route offers superb hiking in Ireland’s Southeast. The trails traverse low rounded hills, old bog roads, and past abandoned copper mines. It is a largely undiscovered area, hilly but not mountainous, with some excellent open hill-walking sections. The rocky coastline of the Beara Peninsula is a walking holiday dream. 

There are plenty of interesting cultural and unspoilt natural stops along the Beara Way. Visit Dursey Island by cable car, walk the green roads of Bere Island and sample the best fresh fish from the port of Castletownbere. 

The Beara Way hiking trails follow old green roads, boggy mountain trails and country roads. It is an excellently marked route, signposted with numbered wooden or plastic yellow markers and road signs. The full trail starts at and finishes in the quaint foodie town of Kenmare.

Beaches

As you hug the coast of the Beara Peninsula you will find dozens of tranquil beaches carved out of the landscape. Some are small enough to feel like your own personal world, and others are dotted with moored boats and seaside settlements. One of the highlights of the Beara Way is dipping down to the water’s edge to take a swim or eat your lunch as the water laps at your feet.

Islands

A quick cable car ride from the Beara Peninsula, Dursey Island is a peaceful and sparsely populated island. The cable car was opened in 1969, and is Ireland’s only cable car. It is also the only cable car that traverses open seawater in all of Europe! Dursey has no shops, pubs or restaurants, so remember to pack your own food and water. 

Garinish Island is an unexpected gem about a 10-minute ferry ride from Glengarriff. This small island is home to a planted sub-tropical garden, including an Italian Garden, a Grecian temple, a clock tower, a casita, and an original Martello Tower.

Bere Island lies at the entrance to the magnificent Bantry Bay and is home to just over 200 people. Archaeological sites on the island date from the Bronze Age, and include ring forts, standing stones, a wedge tomb and burial sites. Bere Island has also been significant in recent history, which you can see in its Martello towers, signal tower, military barracks and seven gun batteries.

Nature

The stunning Beara peninsula is rugged and largely untouched. Known by locals as one of West Cork’s best-kept secrets, this slice of Irish nature offers hikers an escape from the hustle and bustle into solitude and peace. Your walking holiday route meanders through glens, forests, valleys, and curves around mountains and hills. On some days you’ll barely see another soul between the quaint towns that you start and end in. 

This is the ultimate escape to nature. 

Choose Your Way

Choose the Walking & Hiking Itinerary that suits you best.

The full Beara Way is rated STRENUOUS but our tours provide options for shorter walking days. Navigating is easy with excellent waymarking and our detailed Route Notes and maps. Our Beara tours are appropriate for walkers with good fitness, comfortable walking 12-24km (8-15mi) per day with ascents up to 620m (2,034ft). Our tours include optional routes, so please look at daily itineraries for details regarding daily distance and ascents.

Choose a Custom Trip

Don’t see an option that fits your needs? Let us design an itinerary that works for you!