The Best Walks In and Around County Cork
No matter how long you’ve been in Cork, whether it’s been years or a few hours, you’ve
probably heard or seen the phrase “welcome to the real capital”. Corkonians are proud people.
The only thing we love more than our county is showing it off to new people. Below you’ll find a
list of the most scenic and peaceful nature spots to explore for your next adventure in The Rebel
County.
If you like woodlands and forests…
Curragh Woods, East Cork:
This wooded walk is almost all incline at the beginning, but once you get to the top, the views of
the surrounding countryside are worth the effort. This is also a great spot if mountain biking is
your thing, there are great trails through the forest and you don’t need to worry about it being
too busy.
Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve, West Cork:
300 hectares of woodland and several routes to choose from. You’ve got the Waterfall Walk, the
Esknamucky Walk, the Big Meadow Walk, the Lady Bantry Lookout Walk, and the River Walk.
After, you can treat yourself to a cooling swim in the freshwater lake of Pooleen Wood.
Gougane Barra:
Gougane Barra is located in West Cork, about an hour and ten minutes from Cork City. Small
wooden bridges will guide you over the water below (the source of the River Lee) and there is a
trail through the Shehy mountains if you’re up for it! Gougane Barra is most famous for being
the location of St. Finbarr’s Oratory, which sits on its own little island on the lake
Marlogue Wood, Cobh:
This is a special one that not many people know about. This peaceful forest is situated on the
island of Cobh, but far away from the hustle and bustle of the town. You can venture into the
trees but if you follow the main path downward, you’ll find yourself on a secluded, stoney beach
where you can sit and watch boats come and go. Best of both worlds!
If you like coasts and beaches…
Knockadoon Cliff Walk:
You’ve probably heard of the Ballycotton Cliff Walk already. It appears on almost every list of
great walks in Cork. However, there’s another one not far from Ballycotton which is just as
beautiful but much quieter as most tourists don’t know about it. Knockadoon Cliff Walk has over
7 km of coastal trail to enjoy and at the pier, you can enjoy a meal of fish and chips right next to
the sea.
Garryvoe Beach:
Another one in East Cork, Garryvoe isn’t too far from Ballycotton (on clear days, you can see
Ballycotton Island). This is ideal for walkers as, depending on how far you want to go, your walk
could be over 8 km long. It’s not usually too crowded (except for on really sunny days in the
middle of summer). Park your car for free in front of the beach, buy yourself a coffee and enjoy
the sea air. This is also a great beach for surfers and dog walkers.
Old Head of Kinsale Loop:
You can’t visit Cork without going to Kinsale at least once. Often voted the most beautiful town
in Ireland, Kinsale is one of the first ports of call along the Wild Atlantic Way. The Loop itself isn’t
a long walk, unless you decide to walk rather than drive from the town, but it is one of the most
scenic. You can take a dip in the sea at Garrylucas Beach and grab a bite to eat in Kinsale town
afterwards.
If you like a challenge…
Sheep’s Head:
This option also falls into the coastal category, but it’s definitely a more strenuous route thanks
to the rugged landscape. This walk begins in Bantry Bay, West Cork and is about 93km long in
total. It’s a hike you’ll need to do over several days if you want to do the full thing, or you can
just do one or two portions and still get the stunning views that the peninsula provides.
The Claragh Loop:
Head to North Cork for this one and maybe bring a change of shoes as it can get quite muddy!
This 10 km walk will take you through woodlands and hillsides, looping around Claragh
Mountain for stunning views of the North Cork countryside
The Galtee Mountains:
I’ve cheated a little on this last one as the Galtee Mountains aren’t technically just in Cork. The
range is on the Tipperary-Cork-Limerick border, stretching from the Glen of Aherlow in Tipperary
to Mitchelstown in Cork. This is Ireland’s highest inland mountain range and is best suited to
active and fit hikers. However, you don’t have to climb the peaks themselves. Instead, you could
choose from one of the many trails through woodlands and lakes if you’re after a more relaxing
day out.
The post is from one of our techers who is an avid hiker, if you go on any of these walks and take some pics feel free to tag us as usual @corkenglishcollege or use the Hashtag #CorkEnglishCollege and we will reshare on our socials. Enjoy the Cork summer and get out walking!