Cost : €495 per person sharing

7 Day Tour Tour Dates MARCH to OCTOBER

Tour Grade 2 Easy to Moderate Accommodation Guesthouse or B&B

Tour Highlights Picturesque towns and villages Panoramic views Wonderful accommodation Traditional music and great food Stone Circles and Standing Stones Beara Island Wonderful people What's included in your tour 6 nights B&B All accommodation is pre-booked in approved family-run guesthouses with all rooms en-suite Maps and all route notes Details on restaurants and places of interest to visit along the way Luggage transfers daily while you walk All information on trains or buses needed to get to your first accommodation, during the tour and back at the end of the tour Full back up service should you require it while on our tour

BEARA WAY

The Beara Way in full is 196 km/122.5 miles trail that is shared between county Cork and Kerry, on the most south westerly tip of Ireland, the Beara Peninsula. A rugged peninsula that reaches out into the wild Atlantic Ocean and Bantry Bay is breathtakingly beautiful, picturesque and mystical.
The trail takes you along small country roads, passing numerous monuments and sights of great archaeological interest, through small towns and villages. Warmed by the Gulf Stream, the climate is pleasant throughout the year supporting a unique combination of highly colourful flora and fauna. You will also visit the enchanted islands of Beara and Dursey.

Day 1 Travel to Castletown
Arrive at Cork Airport and take public transport to Castletown; it may be also possible to arrive in Shannon or Kerry but this will depend on time of arrival. Check with Footfalls before you book your flights.

Day 2 Adrigole to Castletown
The first day of your tour you will be transported to Adrigole and walk back to Castletown. The whole trail offers you sweeping views across Bantry Bay to Beara Island on one side and Hungry Hill and the Slieve Miskish Mountains on the other.  Travelling along a trail that flanks the southern slopes of Hungry Hill, highest mountain on the peninsula, Past Park Lough, through Comnagapple Glen back to Castletown.
Distance: 20 km/12.5 miles, Ascent: 550 m/1650 ft

Day 3 Beara Island (Ferry to and from the island)
A charming island that offers a haven of peace and tranquillity on a walk that winds you along old abandoned roads and grassy tracks, through a rocky wilderness to a picturesque lighthouse and a ruined signal tower. From here you will have magnificent panoramic views of Bantry Bay, Bear Haven Harbour and back over your previous days walk.
Distance: 12 km/7.5 miles, Ascent: 420 m/1260 ft

Day 4 Castletown to the village of Eyeries
The trail takes you out of Castletown following quiet country roads, passing Derrenataggart Stone Circle, one of the finest megalithic monuments on the peninsula. A steady ascent takes you to a saddle between Knockoura and Miskish where you have the option to shorten your day down to 13 km/8 miles by crossing the centre of the Peninsula to Aughbrack and rejoin the trail at Aughabrack. Or continue on the trail through the charming village of Allihies and over the spine of the peninsula to Eyeries.
Distance: 23 km/14.4 miles, Ascent: 350 m/1050 ft

Day 5 Eyeries to Lauragh
After leaving Eyeries the trail takes you down to Eyeries Point to follow a beautiful coastal path by Coulagh Bay to reach Ballycrovane Harbour, near which is the site of a magnificent 4.7 m/14 ft prehistoric standing stone, an inscription in ancient Ogham writing. From here the trail turns inland to pass a charming lake called Lough Fadda (Long Lake) and on to follow a small ridge that offers a new panorama of the Kenmare River. The trail takes you through the quaint village of Ardgroom, walking parallel to the Ring of Beara road to cross the border in county Kerry and the village of Lauragh.
Distance: 24 km/15 miles, Ascent: 290 m/870 ft

Day 6 Lauragh to Kenmare
The trail takes you out of Lauragh on a small country road to ascent steadily passing Knockatee and Drombohilly Mountains and the picturesque and lonesome Gowlaun Lough.
Skirting around the base of Knockagarrane Mountain to join a small track and country road that leads you to your final ascent onto the saddle of Derrysallagh. From here you start your descent into the charming and colourful town of Kenmare. 
Distance: 19 km/11.8 miles, Ascent: 275 m/825 ft

You could extend your walking tour by another day and walk the old Kenmare Road into the town of Killarney, through part of the Killarney’s National Park and visit Muckross House and Gardens.

Day 7 Depart for home

Please note: we also offer a 9-day tour of the Beara Way that takes in the Dursey Spur and Dursey Island, assessable by Ireland’s only cable car. If you are interested, please send an email to info@walkinghikingireland.com or ring us at +353 (0)404 45152.

If you would like more information or a detailed itinerary, please e-mail us at: info@walkinghikingireland.com

Other self-guided tours
• Aran Islands & Western Way • Beara Way • Wales & Wicklow •
• Dingle Way 8 day • Dingle Way 10 day • Glens of Antrim • Wales• Kerry Way •
• Wicklow Way 6 day • Wicklow Way 8 day • Wicklow Way 10 day •
• West Highland Way 6 day • West Highland Way 7 day • West Highland Way 10 day •