West Cork Islands

Go on, get out there!

Activities

Whiddy Island joins the Bantry Blueway

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Bantry Blueway Whiddy Island

(see full-sized image here)

Bantry Bay Blueway has become Ireland’s first water-based trail, designed to tempt visitors out onto the waters of the Wild Atlantic Way to explore Bantry Bay and Whiddy Island.

The trail invites visitors out onto Bantry Bay to enjoy a host of activities like kayaking, paddleboarding and sailing available in the area. On Whiddy Island, and around the bay, you’ll find information boards with trail maps, safety details, and tips on equipment hire and tuition.

The three trails available are graded for beginners, intermediate, and advanced kayakers, so people of all ages and abilities can get out onto the water.

The famous bay runs approximately 35 km (22 mi) from northeast to southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. It is approximately 3-to-4 km (1.8-to-2.5 miles) wide at the head, and 10 km (6.2 mi) wide at the entrance. Two of West Cork’s inhabited islands – Bere and Whiddy – are located within Bantry Bay.

The project has been developed over the last number of months by the Bantry Bay Port Company in partnership with Waterways Ireland, the Irish Sports Council National Trails Office, Canoeing Ireland, BIM and Fáilte Ireland. The Blueway is a welcome initiative that will help to draw more visitors out to Whiddy Island to make the most of their visit to the exhilarating Wild Atlantic Way.

Useful Information

Check out the Bantry Bay Blueway Guide here.

The Whiddy Island Pontoon and access gangway are suitable for craft of up to 3mtr draft. Full operating rules are available here. Contact the Harbour Office, Wolfe Tone Square, Bantry (+353 (0)27 53277 or harbourmaster@bantrybayport.com for details and charges.

For more details about exploring the Bantry Blueway from Whiddy Island, contact Tim O’Leary on 086 862 6734.

Bere Island Walking Weekends

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Bere Island Walking Weekends Ireland 2015

Bere Island, Co Cork is holding a series of Walking Weekends this autumn! The first will be held on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27st September 2015, with another taking place on 24th-25th October.  On a mellow autumn afternoon, there’s no better place to be than walking the hills of Bere Island.

Explore the length and breadth of this historic island, which was once a former strategic military base during WW1, and lies at the southern most reaches of the Wild Atlantic Way.

Bere Island is part of the Beara Way and, together with a series of looped walks and wild open terrain, offers up to 6 hours of continuous walking with spectacular scenery. The hills of Bantry Bay shelter the southern side of the island and flanking the northern side is the rugged Caha Mountain range.

Bere Island caters for all levels of walker, and the walking weekends are perfect for anyone looking to meander along quiet roads and lanes, and for those seeking a more challenging walk through open heathland. Guided walks will be available over the Bere Island walking weekends. A local historian who will lead walkers to Ardnakinna Lighthouse on the western most point of Bere Island, across the hills to the Holy Year Cross on the island’s highest point, carrying onto the standing stone which marks the centre of the island, before climbing up to one of two remaining Martello towers, and then back to Rerrin village.  

A second walk will take in the flatter, eastern loop of the island past military fortifications from WW1. Maps and suggested routes will also be available to those who wish to walk under their own steam. Wind down at the end of the day with a hot shower and a hearty, well-earned meal at your accommodation, and then finish off the day in one of the island bars.  

If you can play a musical instrument, bring it along and join in the session! For those who want to take in even more of this beautiful island, take an evening stroll and watch the sun set over the hills of Beara.

Book Now: Special Offer

For €120 pps – to include 2 nights B&B (Friday & Saturday night), one evening meal, 2 packed lunches and return ferry trip for foot passengers.

To book, please contact one of the accommodation providers involved in this offer:

Ardagh Holiday Village
Tel: 086 8091204

Bere Island Holiday Homes
Tel: 027 75995 / 021 437 2531/ 086 8845709

The Hotel
Tel: 027 75018 / 086 1628344

Lawrence Cove Lodge
Tel: 027 75988 / 086 1513612

Travel Details

Bere Island is approximately 2 hours by road from Cork City, and Cork Airport. Two ferry services ply between the island and mainland with numerous trips each day. For ferry details contact Bere Island Ferries 086 2423140 or Murphy’s Ferry 087 2386095.

Bus Éireann operate between Cork City Bus Station and Castletownbere. www.buseireann.ie A private bus service also operates between Cork City and Castletownbere contact Harrington’s Bus Service on 027 74003 / 087 2678388.

Birthday Celebrations Planned for Bere Island Parkrun!

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Birthday Invitation

The Bere Island parkrun reaches a major milestone on August 29th when its weekly parkrun reaches its first birthday

It’s a chance to reflect on a very successful year for the parkrun’s founders who are delighted to see it become part of the fabric of island life.

“So many people have supported us to make this work,” says John Walsh of the Bere Islands Projects Group, “from the ferry operators who make sure our runners get here on time and run a bus service to get people across from the island’s west end, to the volunteers who help with the marshalling and the practicalities of recording each runner’s time.”

“The islands minister Joe McHugh, and Noel Harrington TD, have given us great support too, and we couldn’t have got the project off the ground without fantastic help from the Cork Sports Partnership, the HSE (Healthy Ireland) and Matt Shields, the parkrun Ireland manager.”

The free weekly timed 5k event has attracted some formidable runners over the last 12 months including Irish Olympians Sonia O’Sullivan and John Treacy – CEO of the Irish Sports Council – and parkrun founder Paul Sinton-Hewitt. Running groups from Dublin and London have travelled to West Cork to take part, and the parkrun has provided a welcome boost to the island’s tourism industry as regular runners from across the world look to add unusual destinations to the list of places where they’ve completed their weekly run.

The Bere Island parkrun – one of three in Cork alongside events in Clonakilty and Macroom – recently broke the 100-runner barrier in style, with 140 participants, including tourists and islanders, taking part on the last Saturday of July. The numbers reflect a growing interest in running, evident in the numbers of people who took part in West Cork Island Run Series events on Bere, Cape Clear, Whiddy and Sherkin islands.

“The event is going from strength to strength,” says John, “but we wouldn’t be making that progress without the help we get each week from our volunteers.”

“The beauty of the parkrun is that everyone can take part”, says Carol Murphy who organises the event’s volunteer rota each week. “It brings islanders and non-islanders, young and old, runners and walkers together. There’s always a great atmosphere, particularly after the event when everyone rewards themselves with tea and scones at the Bere Island Bakehouse!”

“We’re hoping to have a great crowd on the 29th August to help us celebrate our first birthday in style.”

To take part, register at http://www.parkrun.ie/bereisland/. Once you have registered, bring your barcode to the parkrun event on Bere Island, or to any of the parkrun events on offer worldwide. See the West Cork Islands events calendar at https://westcorkislands.com/calendar for details.

Whiddy Island Run

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Runners will head to Whiddy Island this Saturday for the first Whiddy Island Run

The 5k event is part of the West Cork Islands Run Series which will conclude with the Do Run Run on Sherkin Island in August.

The run series reflects a growing interest in activity tourism along the Wild Atlantic Way.

The entry fee for the Whiddy Island Run is €10, with prizes going to runners in first, second adn third place.

The ferry leaves Bantry at 1 o’clock run and the run will start at 2pm.

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