WEST Cork has long been a destination for Ireland’s walkers, hikers and tourists and this June Bank Holiday Weekend the town of Bantry, located just 20 minutes from us in Skibbereen along the N71, is inviting people to sample the delights of our local West Cork walking routes during a dedicated walking festival.
Our hotel in West Cork is ideal base for walkers, hikers and tourists alike to explore the rugged beauty of West Cork and to sample the many things to do in West Cork, including this new walking festival in the bustling market town of Bantry, which is already home to a successful literary and music festival.
Taking place on 1st and 2nd June, the new walking festival will enable walkers to make the most of some of the most exciting and unspoilt hiking trails the country has to offer including the Sheep’s Head Way, a ‘European Destination of Excellence’, the Beara Way, and a host of other walking routes.
During the festival, the walks on offer will provide spectacular views over Bantry Bay and across the three peninsulas for which Bantry provides the local hub, and walkers will get unparalleled opportunities to see the best of the Sheep’s Head, Beara and Mizen peninsulas on routes mapped out by local guides.
Festival-goers will also have the opportunity to take a tour of the historic sites on Whiddy Island, one of West Cork’s many island gems. Its sites of historical interest include English gun batteries, as well as an abandoned seaplane base, and your guide will share the island’s stories with you while you explore its walking routes.
All walks will be led by expert local hikers, and each of them will share stories and local knowledge with you throughout the festival. Bantry’s famous bay is rich in history, as well as beauty, and biodiversity, and the Bantry Walking Festival offers visitors a great chance to try out the area’s many walking routes during an exhilarating and convivial weekend. Activities for the whole family will include a treasure trail, and family walks, and a pub crawl is also rumoured to be taking place for the older participants!
Walking is free, enjoyable and fun! Not suprisingly West Cork has 2 of the top 5 walking routes in the country and a recent West Cork Walking Study outlined that the area’s existing walking trails and support services have the potential to encourage more walking enthusiasts to the area year-on-year, through agreed access, maintenance, developed trails and walking guides.