Beara Coast House - Self Catering Accommodation along the Wild Atlantic Way

The Beara Coast

"One thing I kept asking myself was: what makes Beara, Beara? Sure it is wondrously beautiful: ragged, mountainous and in places wooded. But so are other parts of Ireland. More than anything, Beara seems happy to be itself. There are no big tour buses, no pony-and-trap tours, no souvenir shops. Its villages are colourful and friendly but never fake. Everyone is welcoming but there is no affected céad míle fáilte. Not fully part of Cork or Kerry, Beara feels a place of its own...Beara doesn’t need to chase you down, it just waits for you to come." The Irish Times

Walking the Beara Way

"...hiking along livestock paths, rocky seacoasts and narrow local roads on the Beara Peninsula in April, I often felt as if I'd come to the edge of the world. On mountaintop ridges, I'd be surrounded only by sheep. The wind would whip up and nearly flatten me, and I'd wonder if anyone would notice if I blew off the trail into the Atlantic... Ambling along little dirt roads flanked by neat but seemingly deserted cottages, I'd hear nothing but the lowing of cattle and the excited barking of sheepdogs." The New York Times

The Beara Peninsula is a sight to behold and the walking trails offer something for everyone, from the novice walker to the experienced hiker. The trails around Ardgroom and the Beara Coast House are clearly marked out, but make sure to chat to the locals if you're looking to some lesser-known trails. The Beara Peninsula has over 100 miles of walking trails - with panoramic views of the Atlantic coastline, beautiful leafy tree-lined trails, mountain treks to enjoy.

Cycling Beara

The Beara Way national cycling route is signposted clearly and runs for over 80 miles around the Peninsula. It follows the entire Beara Peninsula, along the Wild Atlantic Way and runs along fairly quiet roads, with varied terrain.

Droumard Cove & Sandy Beach

A beautiful and safe swimming spot, a favourite with locals, Droumard Cove is only a mile from Ardgroom Village and the Beara Coast House - so you can easily walk or cycle to it. The cover is sheltered and the water is clear as a bell. The beach is stoney.

Glenbeg Lake

Glenbeg Lake is a beautiful, pristine, glacial lake formed during the Ice Age, just a short walk from the Beara Coast House.

Derreen Gardens

Derreen Gardens is full of stunning flowers, leady woodland paths with great views over the various mountain ranges in County Cork and County Kerry. Dereen Gardens are located on an estate, a short drive from the Beara Coast House. It covers over 60 acres of land.

The Healy Pass

Healy Pass is a mountain pass at an elevation of 334 metres (1,095 ft) above the sea level located in the Beara peninsula, in the Caha mountain range. It’s featured along one of the Ireland's greatest drives and is very popular with cyclists and walkers alike. There is little traffic on the scenic serpentine road and the mountain landscape is breathtaking.

Dursey Island

Dursey Island (Island of the Bull) is one of the few inhabited islands that lie off the southwest coast of Ireland and it's situated at the western tip of the Beara Peninsula. The island is separated from the mainland by a narrow stretch of water called the Dursey Sound and it's connected to the mainland by Ireland's only cable car. The reef of rocks between island and mainland are submerged at high tide.

Dolphins and whales are regular visitors to the rich waters that surround Dursey, in addition to a wide range of different types of seabirds and butterflies.

Dursey has no shops, pubs or restaurants - it is such a peaceful place, with a beautiful walking trail around the island, that it makes for a perfect day trip from the Beara Coast House.

Ardgroom Stone Circle

"A mile or so before we arrived at Ardgroom, further west along Beara’s northern edge, we found another spot with a majestic view: the Ardgroom stone circle. Beara is dotted with an exceptional concentration of more than 600 archaeological sites – from standing stones to megalithic tombs and ring forts – and Ardgroom’s 3,000-year-old ceremonial stone circle is one of the country’s finest, its nine surviving pillars, plus one outside of the circle, still standing tall." The Guardian

Two miles from Beara Coast House, is the Ardgroom Stone Circle. All around rural Ireland is an abundance of historical, mysterious sites - ring forts, wedge tombs, cairns - and the Ardgroom Stone Circle is well worth the short walk through bogland.

Allihies Copper Mines

"The isolated village of Allihies (Na hAilichí), whose colourfully painted houses grace many a postcard and guidebook cover, has dramatic vistas, plenty of walks and a fascinating history of copper mining" The Lonely Planet

Make sure to visit the Allihies Copper Mine Museum when you visit Beara. It came about from the hard work of the local community and all income is used in its day-to-day operation and to further develop the museum as a social and cultural hub for the community.

The museum preserves the local copper mining heritage of Allihies which commenced in 1812 at Dooneen Mine.

Kenmare & The Ring of Kerry

"Like Killarney, its bigger and more commercial cousin to the north, Kenmare is one of those picture-perfect Irish towns that seems to have more brightly painted shops and pubs than parking spaces. It is just off the Ring of Kerry, the road around a southwestern peninsula that attracts innumerable tourist buses for its jaw-dropping scenery." New York Times

Kenmare is a lively, picturesque town, only 35km away. It is known throughout Ireland as a great town for good food and atmosphere. It is an ideal point from where to tour The Ring of Kerry - a 179-km-long circular tourist route in County Kerry. From Kenmare, the road follows around the Iveragh Peninsula passing through the lovely villages of Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen, and Glenbeigh through to the famous tourist town of Killarney.

Popular points include Muckross House, Derrynane House, home of Daniel O'Connell, Ross Castle, beautiful lake views within Killarney National Park. Major attractions along the Ring of Kerry include Gap of Dunloe, Kerry Woollen Mills, Rossbeigh Beach, Staigue Fort, Moll's Gap, Ladies View, Torc Waterfall and The Blue Pool and much, much more.