This is the fifth of our 5 half weblog on the Wild Atlantic Way Road Trip with a Caravan (WAW), the longest outlined coastal touring route on the earth. It stretches for over 2,500km so it’s finest to divide it into areas and take your time to discover and see the wonder that Ireland has to supply. However, you don’t should comply with these routes and might cross over into different areas. The neatest thing is to be versatile and take your time to discover this nice nation.
There’s journey and pleasure round each nook of the Wild Atlantic Way.
In this weblog, we discover your potential street journey with a caravan in Cork – Ireland’s largest county with over 1,000km of shoreline. Cork is so massive it stretches from the Wild Atlantic Way into Ireland’s Ancient East. Spend just a few days, every week or longer – there’s a enormous quantity to see and do and locations to discover within the Rebel County –Cork. In this weblog, we are going to discover Cork alongside the Wild Atlantic Way. There is a big choice of caravan & tenting websites in Cork with nice areas on the seaside, in rural areas, on working farms, all top of the range accredited websites.
Discover the Beara Peninsula– 30 mile-long piece of land jutting out into the Atlantic from Glengarriff to Dursey Island bordering the counties of Cork and Kerry. The Beara peninsula is densely studded with Bronze Age stays: wedge tombs, stone circles and standing stones. Glengarriff Caravan & Camping is ideally situated simply 300m from the Harbour and has an onsite bar & restaurant. Glengarriff is a superb place to base your self and go to the numerous websites within the space.
Glengarriff Bamboo Park – right here you can find 30 totally different species of bamboo surrounded by palms and different tropical vegetation with breathtaking views of the bay.Also situated within the bamboo park are 13 mysterious stone pillars, believed to be historic.
The Ewe Experience and Sculpture Garden– a novel mixture of historical past, creativity and humour with 4 themed gardens of water, time, the atmosphere and historic earth. Enjoy the tranquillity of this particular place.Have enjoyable with the interactive sculpture gardens and see the spectacular waterfall flowing down into the gardens.
Take a ship journey to Garnish Island – the ferry leaves recurrently from Glengarriff harbour and brings you to Garnish Island. The very sheltered ferry journey features a go to to seal island the place you’ll go to the very tame seal colony. The gardens are specified by lovely walks and it has some beautiful specimen vegetation that are uncommon on this local weather. The Island additionally boasts a Martello tower on its southern shores. In 2021 entrance to the Island is free (boat cost nonetheless applies)
Walking & Cycling routes – The Beara Way is 184km however the route will be damaged into 18 sections and every part is rated average to simple with just one onerous part from Adrigole to Castletownbere. Why not make Adrigole your base and pitch up your caravan at Hungry Hill Lodge & Campsite. This small web site additionally welcomes visitors to their lodge. Don’t neglect to visitthe Copper Mine Museum in Allihies. The Museum preserves the wealthy mining heritage of the area with shows of artefacts, pictures, illustrations, authentic drawings, diagrams, maps and huge scale fashions.
Island hopping– Bere Island is simply 2km offshore from Castletownbere and is considered one of 7 inhabited Islands in West Cork. Whales, basking sharks, and bottle-nose and customary dolphins can all be sighted round Bere Island. There are 3 looped routes on the Island to discover. Bere Island is served by two automotive ferry companies, appropriate for travellers on foot, bike or automotive and each sail year-round from Castletownbere and the Pontoon. Dursey Island is probably the most westerly of West Cork’s inhabited islands and might solely be accessed by boarding the one cable automotive in Irelandwhich runs about 250m above the ocean and takes six folks. The journey takes about ten minutes.
Bantry House & Gardens – the ancestral house of the Earls of Bantry additionally, you will discover a fabulous tea room right here. The home has an necessary assortment of artwork treasures. The backyard is specified by the Italian type over seven terraces, with the home sitting on the third terrace. Don’t neglect to climb the well-known Hundred Steps, a monumental staircase constructed of native stone, set amidst azaleas and rhododendron. The view is breathtaking.
Just exterior Bantry in Ballylickey, you can find Eagle Point Camping. The web site is located on a peninsula with a protected and sheltered shoreline and pebbled seashores appropriate for watersports.
Mizen Peninsula – Ireland’s most south-westerly level and once more boasts some magnificent surroundings and fabulous driving routes. A go to to Mizen Head Irish Lights Signal Station is a should. Discover how the Mizen Head Signal Station was constructed to avoid wasting lives off the treacherous rocks at Ireland’s most south-westerly level. Drop by the customer centre at Mizen Head and study in regards to the navigational aids simulator, the geology of the Mizen Head space and the Fastnet Rescue Tide Clock. Take a stroll over the footbridge. Why not spend just a few days on the Mizen Peninsula. Barley Cove Holiday Parkis situated in Crookhaven. Barley Cove seaside is considered one of Cork’s prime blue flag seashores. It is kind of a distant space and there’s a floating bridge in place to handle entry and scale back the impression on the pure environment. It has been designated as a Special Area of Conservation beneath the European Habitats Directive. The fairly villages of Goleen and Schull are best locations to cease off for lunch or icecream.
In Schull, you can find Schull Planetarium, Ireland’s solely Planetarium. Sitting beneath the hemispherical dome in a darkened auditorium, you’ll be able to see an amazingly reasonable and correct copy of the star-studded night time sky. On the Planetarium’s eight-metre dome, the Carl Zeiss single sphere sky projector reveals an correct illustration of the night time sky from wherever within the northern hemisphere. Shows are held recurrently however should not appropriate for kids beneath 7. Centre open on sure days solely so please test upfront.
Skibbereen & environs – This is a superb place to discover the delights of West Cork together with the cities & villages of Baltimore, Glandore and Courtmacsherry. Pitch up for just a few nights at The Hideaway, Skibbereen situated simply 1km from the city centre or the small household run web site The Meadowin Glandore. There is a lot to see and do within the space:-
Spend a day on an Island – Sherkin Island and Cape Clear Island are inhabited Islands off the West Cork coast. Sherkin Island is a hub for artists the place locals create artwork, work, books and distinctive craftwork impressed by the island’s tranquil environment. Cape Clear is a Gaeltacht Island. Don’t neglect to attempt the goat’s milk icecream made on the Island. You will see Fastnet Rock on the West of the Island. Ferries to each Islands depart from Baltimore all yr spherical.
Lough Hyne – the one seawater lake in Europe, Lough Hyne and is probably the most tranquil and peaceable place to spend just a few hours. Why not take a kayak on the lake. You can take a daybreak or night time tour by kayak, which is spectacular. There can be an elevated nature path which supplies some nice elevated views over the lake.
Clonakilty – an award-winning city in West Cork, voted finest city in Europe in 2017. The city is stuffed with attraction with lovely vibrant store fronts and an important place to base your self for just a few days. It was additionally voted Ireland’s first autistic pleasant city in 2918.Desert House Caravan & Camping Parkis inside strolling distance of the city and is situated on a dairy farm. Sexton’s Caravan & Camping Park is 5 minutes from the city within the rural village of Timoleague. Another possibility is Top of the rock Pod Páirc & Walking Centre in Drimoleague is a glamping web site that gives tenting & motorhome areas.
West Cork Model Railway Village – Ireland’s solely mannequin village is situated in Clonakilty and is a full-scaled handmade mannequin of the West Cork Railway line with totally working miniature trains. You will see handcrafted mannequin buildings and collectible figurines exhibiting how folks lived and labored in years passed by. It additionally has a vibrant play space and an onsite cafe.
Clonakilty Black Pudding Visitor Centre – who hasn’t had Clonakilty Black Pudding for his or her breakfast? The secret recipe dates again to the late 1800s and the self-guided customer centre in Clonakilty provides you an important perception into the historical past of the fabulous pudding and from the viewing gallery you’ll be able to see how the pudding is made. The better part is that you just additionally get to pattern some within the cafe.
Sample a few of West Cork’s fabulous seashores – 90% of the area’s seashores are inside 20km of Clonakilty! Take a picnic to Red Strand with views of Galley Head Lighthouse, log on in Inchydoney, take a dip within the ocean in Owenahincha.
Take a whale watch tour – There is not any higher place to see whales and dolphins than in West Cork. With boats leaving every day from Courtmacsherry, Baltimore and Union Hall you could have a very good variety of choices out there. Get up shut and private with whales, dolphins, sharks and lots of extra.
Kinsale – considered one of Ireland’s prettiest cities is situated simply 40 minutes drive from Cork City and is named the Gourmet Capital of Ireland due to its enormous choice of nice eating places and locations to eat. From Kinsale Harbour take the stroll alongside the coast to Summercove and on to Charles Fort. Charles Fort is a novel star-shaped army fortress that has stood guard over Kinsale for over 300 years. You may also have magnificent views of Kinsale and the harbour from this location.
Old Head of Kinsale– you’ll have probably the most breathtaking view from this viewing level. Whilst you can’t stroll to the lighthouse there’s a shuttle bus that can carry you out. The Old Head Signal Tower in Kinsale is probably the most southerly level of the beautiful Wild Atlantic Way. The tower is house to the Lusitania Museum, exhibiting an enchanting choice of memorabilia, storyboards and artefacts recovered from the wreck.
This is only a small pattern of issues to do in West Cork alongside the Wild Atlantic Way. There are masses extra issues to see and do, discover your individual route, uncover your individual seaside the principle factor is to provide your self loads of time to discover in Cork. Don’t neglect to journey inland to the numerous different nice spots to go to in Cork. Take a visit to Blarney Castle, situated 8km north of Cork City or journey east and go to Fota Wildlife Park and the Queenstown Story in Cobh. For the adults, a visit to the Jameson Centre in Midleton to pattern the whiskey would an important deal with or for the youngsters a visit to the Perks Amusement Centre in Youghal, the listing is infinite. Make your individual plans and draw up your individual routes. Cork is ready to be explored by everybody.
Click beneath for different blogs on the Wild Atlantic Way:
Part 1 Wild Atlantic Way – Donegal & Sligo
Part 2 Wild Atlantic Way – Galway & Mayo
Part 3 Wild Atlantic Way – Limerick & Clare
Part 4a Wild Atlantic Way – Kerry
Caravan & Camping in Ireland
Cork is house to the biggest variety of high quality accredited caravan & tenting websites in Ireland. Some are situated alongside the coast others in rural areas however all are top of the range. Check out Camping Irelandfor particulars on websites in Kerry and throughout Ireland.
There is not any higher approach to see the nation with all your individual house comforts. Click Camping Ireland to search out data on all the nice caravan & tenting websites all through Ireland earlier than you journey. It is at all times sensible to e book forward so that you received’t be upset or have a wasted journey. Download the Camping Ireland App which you need to use to browse and seek for accredited websites with ease while you’re travelling round. For extra data on the app click on right here
There are over 100 high quality accredited caravan & tenting parks all through Ireland. Sites provide top-class amenities with many onsite facilities. There is a wide range of websites round Ireland. Maybe you’re in search of a quiet web site the place you’ll be able to pitch up and use the positioning as a base for travelling round. Maybe you desire a web site the place there’s a playground in your children and even websites the place there are a number of onsite actions for all of the household to take pleasure in. Whatever you need Camping Ireland has one thing for everybody.
Don’t neglect to order your Camping Key Europe Card which gives nice reductions and financial savings at campsites, customer sights and lots of extra shops. The card is accepted in over 2,800 websites in Ireland and Europe. It additionally consists of free third-party insurance coverage. You can order the cardboard right here