The Beara Way is a long distance walking route of 196km (120 miles) circumnavigating the Beara Peninsula in the southwest of Ireland. Beara is a quieter than its northern neighbour, the Kerry Way, but is equally beautiful and offers superb walking.
Hiking is through low rounded hills, walking old bog roads, exploring abandoned copper mines. It is a largely undiscovered area, hilly but not mountainous, with some good open hill-walking sections. The rocky coastline of the Beara Peninsula is a walking holiday dream. 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 full trail starts at and finishes in Kenmare.
The Beara Way follows old green roads, boggy mountain trails and country roads. It is a very well marked route, signposted with numbered wooden or plastic yellow markers and road signs. This tour consists of 25% quiet country road walking.
The 8 day tour consists of 6 full days walking. The tour starts in Glengarriff and follows the southern shore of the peninsula to Castletownbere. After a rest day in this major fishing port, the route turns north to Eyeries before returning along the northern coastline to Kenmare.
The 10 day tour allows you time to explore the most southerly corner of the peninsula and take a cable car to Dursey Island.
The 12 day tour walks you right to the tip of the peninsula and onto Dursey before meandering back the north coast. A true immersion!
There are several possibilities for additional days on any of the routes.
Suggested Extra Options :
- Take a transfer (15 Euro) from Castletownbere to Dursey to catch the cable car to the island for the most spectacular walking possible. Return to Castletown for a second night, or walk to Allihies
- Extra night in Kenmare, a colourful lively town, in a wonderful location.
- An extra night in Cork City.
- Start the tour in Kenmare town and walk the Beara Way to Glengarriff.
- Spend an extra night in Adrigole to climb Hungry Hill 685m, s from the Dereen route.
- Walk from Adrigole to the Beal Lough to take a ferry to Rerrin, on the eastern end of Bere Island for an overnight. Walk the Bere Island Way to the western end, taking the ferry to Castletownbere.
- Spend an extra night at Lauragh to walk the fabulous Eskatarriff Circuit over a glaciated coum called “The Pocket” and Rabach’s Glen.
- Spend an extra night at Lauragh to climb Hungry Hill from the Glanmore Lake valley.
AIRPORT FOR TRANSFERS
Cork Airport is the most convenient for this tour. Airport service to Cork Bus Station at Parnell place. Services to Glengarriff take 2.5 hours direct or 3.5-4 hours connecting at Bantry. Bus Eireann route 236 timetable, remember weekend timetable is separate on pages 3 & 4!
Bus Eireann route 270 connects Kenmare and Killarney with onward services to Cork, Shannon and Dublin.