Touring West Cork
At The Eccles Hotel
Our stunning location in Glengarriff on the beautiful Beara Peninsula in West Cork makes Eccles Hotel & Spa the perfect retreat for those looking to relax and unwind in fabulous natural surroundings and is the perfect base for a magical journey around West Cork’s Wild Atlantic Way.
West Cork sets itself apart in the beautiful South West corner of Ireland – stretching from Kinsale close to Cork City to the 3 wild Westerly peninsulas on the Wild Atlantic Way: Mizen Head, Sheep’s Head and the Beara Peninsula and inland to the Lee Valley. With so many things to do in West Cork, make Eccles Hotel & Spa your base and experience this stunning location.
Wild Atlantic Way
Our stunning landscape on the Wild Atlantic Way varies around every turn, from the crashing Atlantic Ocean on the Beara, Sheeps Head and Mizen Peninsulas to the quiet clear lakes and peaceful valleys.
The town of Glengarriff and its surrounding area has all sorts of things to do. There’s activities, adventures and loads of free attractions so you will never be left wondering what to do. In fact some of Ireland’s top visitor attractions and sightseeing beauty spots are located here. Ireland is renowned for its pubs and restaurants and this area has its fair share of both. For more detail on Glengarriff attractions on the Wild Atlantic Way see their website.
Beara Peninsula
Glengarriff is the perfect base and starting point from which to explore the rugged beauty of the Beara Peninsula shared between counties Cork and Kerry. Setting out on The Beara Way is a great way to experience it with its waymarked trails offering a stunning combination of mountain and coastal scenery.
The sign posted walk is 196 kilometres long and starts and ends in Glengarriff. From Glengarriff you can go north towards Kenmare or west towards Castletownbere.
The marked circuit includes some spectacular scenery and takes in Glengarriff, Kenmare and Castletownbere. On the western end of Beara lie the villages of Eyries and Allihies and Ireland’s only cable car which services Dursey Island.
Northwards you walk along the N71 until two miles up you see the old coach track across the Esk mountain. The views are fantastic towards Glengarriff Bay and then on the other side to Kenmare Bay.
If you want to do a shorter part of the Beara Way on a day trip, then we recommend heading West and making your way to Adrigole. Starting from Glengarriff, the Beara Way follows roads and old tracks crossing a rugged gap between Gowlbeg Mountain and Sugarloaf Mountain. An old coach road, runs down to the little village of Adrigole, A prominent standing stone and an old church can be seen on the way. Once finished, you can enjoy a hot drink before heading back to Glengarriff.
To find out more about the route or for more information check out these links: