Ring of Beara

Ring of Beara Review

Glengarriff is the gateway to the Ring of Beara, a 137-km (85-mi) scenic drive that circles the Beara Peninsula on R572. The least famous of the Southwest's three peninsulas is also the least frequented—and, some would say, the most ruggedly beautiful. One of the main attractions is the Beara Way, a 196-km (120-mi) marked walking route that takes in many prehistoric archaeological sites. Dursey Island, at the peninsula's tip, is a bird-watcher's paradise that you reach by cable car. From Dursey Island, head for tiny Allihies, the former site of a huge copper mine, (commemorated by a small museum), now the home of several leading Irish artists, some of whom invite studio visits—watch for signs. This is also great hiking country—known for some of the most scenic stretches of the Beara Way. Continue along a breathtaking coastal road to Eyeries—a village overlooking Coulagh Bay—and then up the south side of the Kenmare River to Kenmare.