The Beara & Sheep’s Head Peninsulas

ADRIAN HENDROFF is a member of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild, Mountain Training Association and Mountaineering Ireland. His articles and photographs have featured in The Irish Times and magazines such as Mountain World Ireland, Walking World Ireland, TGO, Irish Mountain Log, Trek and Mountain and Walking Wales Magazine. He has also explored the mountain ranges of Scotland, Wales, England, Romania, Iceland, the European Alps and the Dolomites, but he thinks of the Irish mountains as home. For more information, visit Adrian’s website and online gallery at www.adrianhendroff.com

The maps in this guidebook are approximate representations of the routes only. For all routes in this guidebook, the use of detailed maps is imperative. All maps listed below are Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) Discovery Series 1:50,000 unless otherwise stated. Laminated versions are recommended for durability in wind and rain. Note that 1:50,000 OSi maps do not show cliffs, crags, boulder-fields or areas of scree. Also, forestry, tracks and waymarked trails may also change from time to time, so it is useful to get the latest edition. As of 2014, this is the 4th Edition for 1:50,000 maps.

Grid references (e.g. V 760₉₃ 497₃₉) provided in this book should help you plan a route and upload it to your GPS or to use your GPS to check a grid reference on the mountain. Set your GPS to use the Irish Grid (IG). Note that GPS units are precise to 5 digits, whereas a 3-digit precision will usually suffice using map and compass, and hence these are outlined in bold.

Walking times in this book are calculated based on individual speeds of 3 to 4 km per hour. One minute has also been added for every 10m of ascent, so for example, if a height gain of 300m is the case, then 30 minutes would be added to the total walking time. A 6km route with a total of 300m ascent will take 2 to 2½ hours. In some routes, I have added time for the difficulty of terrain. These are: Route 8 (Hungry Hill from the East), Route 9 (Hungry Hill from Park Lough via the South-west Ridge), Route 10 (Cummeengeera Horseshoe), Route 13 (Glantrasna Horseshoe), Route 14 (Glaninchiquin Circuit), Route 16 (Barley Lake and Glenlough Mountain) and Route 17 (Sugarloaf Mountain from the East).

Note that the ‘Time’ stated in the routes of this book does not include the additional time required for stops, lunch, water intake and photography.

Metric and imperial units are given for road approaches (as some vehicles may be still using miles), total distance, total ascent and mountain heights. However, walking distances are given in metric to conform to OSi maps.

Walks in this book are graded 1 to 5 based on level of difficulty, with 1 being the easiest and 5 the hardest.

None of the routes involves any technical mountaineering or rock climbing. However, note that in winter under snow and ice conditions, all Grade 4 and 5 routes become a serious mountaineering venture requiring the use of winter mountaineering skills, crampons and ice axes. All routes with the exception of Grade 1 walks require three- to four-season hillwalking boots.

All land in the Republic of Ireland is owned privately or by the State, with no legal right of entry to the land. When you hear the term ‘commonage’ it implies that the private property is held in common by a number of joint owners.

Access to upland and mountain areas has traditionally been granted out of the goodwill, permission and discretion of the landowners. It is normally good practice to strike up a friendly conversation with a farmer or landowner, and if there is any doubt about access, do ask them. If you are asked to leave, please do so politely and without argument or aggravating the situation.

Note also the provisions of the Occupiers Liability Act 1995 contain a definition that reduces the landowner’s duty of care to hillwalkers. This act contains a category of ‘recreational users’ who, when they enter farmland, are responsible for their own safety. This has significantly reduced the possibility of successful legal claims against landowners by hillwalkers.

Always use gates and stiles where available. If a gate is closed, close it after entering. If it is open, leave it open. If you cannot open a closed gate to enter, go over at its hinge with care. Take care not to damage any gates, stiles or fences.

When parking, be considerate not to block any gates, farm access lanes or forest entrances as local residents, farm machinery and emergency services may need access at any time.

Note that landowners generally do not approve of dogs being brought on their property, and this includes their land on the open hillside.

1. Get a detailed weather forecast. Useful sources of information are www.met.ie, www.mountain-forecast.com and www.yr.no.

2. There is a temperature drop of 2 to 3 ºC for every 300m of ascent. If it is a pleasant morning at sea level it could be cold on the summit of Hungry Hill. The wind is around 25 per cent stronger at 500m than it is at sea level. Wind velocities at a col are higher and wind effects could be strong on an exposed ridge.

3. In case of emergency call 999/112 and ask for ‘Mountain Rescue’. Before dialling, it helps to be ready to give a grid location of your position.

4. Keep well away from cliff edges. Be cautious of wet or slippery rock and holes in the ground on vegetated slopes. Take your time traversing a boulder-field, descending a scree slope and during scrambling.

5. Rivers, marked as ‘thick’ blue lines on OSi maps, can sometimes be little streams. Similarly, some streams, marked as ‘thin’ blue lines, can be wide rivers in reality! Remember also that rivers or streams in flood are dangerous and water levels can rise very quickly after or during wet days. Always cross rivers with boots on – remove your socks to keep them dry, use a plastic liner inside your boots to cross, use a towel to dry your feet and boots after, and then put your dry socks back on! Avoid river crossings early in the day. If you cannot cross a river in spate, head upstream to increase your chances in crossing. Do not cross rivers at a bend, rather cross on a straight.

6. Ensure that you and your clothing and equipment are up to the task, and know the limitations of both. Winter conditions require specialised gear.

7. Be aware of the daylight hours over the time of year. Most accidents happen during descent or near the end of the day. Carry enough emergency equipment (e.g. a head torch, survival shelter and spare batteries) should an injury occur and you need to stop moving.

8. It is recommended not to walk alone, except in areas where there are other people around. Leave word with someone responsible.

9. Do not leave any valuables in cars. Keep all things in the boot and out of sight to avoid unwanted attention.

10. Carry a fully charged mobile phone, but keep it well away from the compass as its needle is affected by metal.

11. Do not solely rely on the use of GPS. Map and compass skills are imperative.

12. Landowners, especially farmers, move their livestock such as cattle from field to field, and up to higher ground, especially in summer. Be wary of bulls in fields and cows that are protecting newborn calves: avoid crossing such fields and go another way. If you find yourself in a field of suddenly wary cattle, do not panic and move away calmly without making any sudden noises. The cows may leave you alone if they think you pose no threat.

13. Keep in mind the deer-rutting season from mid September to end October. Stay well away from stags and deer during this time.

TIP: I recommend the use of a plastic tube about 50cm long, slit into half along its length. This helps crossing barbed-wire fences and also prevents damage to them.

Emergencies Dial 999 or 112 for emergency services, including mountain rescue and coastguard.

Weather LoCall 1550 123850 for a detailed 5-day Munster forecast using the Met Éireann Weatherdial service.

Maps All walking maps for Beara and the Sheep’s Head Peninsulas may be purchased from www.osi.ie

Access and Training Mountaineering Ireland, the representative body for walkers and climbers in Ireland, works to secure continued access and to provide walkers and climbers the opportunity to improve their skills. Tel: +353 (0)1 6251115; www.mountaineering.ie

Hillwalking Resource www.mountainviews.ie is a great hillwalking resource and provides mountain lists, comments and information.

Tourist Information For tourist information and information on the long-distance walking trail of the Beara Way, contact the Beara Tourism and Development Association. Tel: +353 (0)27 70054; www.bearatourism.com Detailed information on the Beara Way and other National Waymarked Loops may also be found on www.irishtrails.ie Useful websites for the Sheep’s Head Peninsula include livingthesheepsheadway.com and www.thesheepsheadway.ie

Transport For intercity train services contact Irish Rail on LoCall 1850 366 222 (or +353 (0)1 8366222 from outside Rep. of Ireland); www.irishrail.ie For intercity bus services contact Bus Éireann on Tel: +353 (0) 21 4508188 (Cork), +353 (0)64 66 30011 (Killarney), +353 (0)66 7164700 (Tralee), +353 (0)61 474311 (Shannon Airport); www.buseireann.ie

This is an easy, memorable circuit around an island on the western tip of the Beara Peninsula with a strong, powerful atmosphere.

Start/finish: From Castletownbere, follow road signs for Dursey Island (R572). There are parking spaces below the cable-car station at the culde-sac. Opened in 1969, the cable car is the only one in Ireland and the 250m journey across Dursey Sound takes around 10 minutes. A ticket for the cable car cost €8 per adult (return) and €4 per child (return) in 2014. Timetable, see www.durseyisland.ie Note that Dursey Island has no shops or restaurants.

Situated on the western tip of the Beara Peninsula, Dursey Island (Oileán Baoi, ‘yellow island’) is named after the goddess Baoi, also known as the Cailleach Bhéara or ‘Hag of Beara’ in folklore. The island was once used as a Viking slave depot, from AD 800 to AD 1150. Viking marauders called it Thjorsey meaning ‘Bull Island’. At the start of the 20th century, the population exceeded 200, its families living harsh lives but filled with song, dance and storytelling. Today, it is largely uninhabited, with only a handful of seasonal island residents. Depopulation has marginalised agriculture on the island, although fishing activity still persists. A tidal rip through Dursey Sound sets it apart from the mainland and a cable car crosses its fierce currents, giving access to the island for both people and animals. Dursey Island is a sanctuary – popular with bird, dolphin and whale watchers. This memorable route traces a pleasant road south of the island toward its very tip at Dursey Head, returning via a scenic low-lying ridge along its spine, with majestic views towards the sea and mainland.

Heading toward Dursey Head, with The Calf (left), The Cow and The Bull (right) out to sea.

From the cable-car landing area on Dursey Island, walk along the narrow, surfaced road with the sea on the left. Pass the site of an old church and the islet of Illanebeg (Oileán Beag, ‘little island’) on the left. A fortress once stood here in the 16th century, stronghold of Diarmuid O’Sullivan, uncle of the chieftain Donal Cam O’Sullivan Beare. A drawbridge once connected Illanebeg to Dursey Island, leading to a Franciscan monastic chapel built nearby by a Spanish bishop named Bonaventure. The chapel is now in ruins, with the descendants of the O’Sullivan Beare chieftains buried at its west end.

The Catholic History of Ireland and the Pacata Hibernia, an English military record, both 17th-century accounts, recall the tragic massacre here in 1602–1603. Illanebeg was the last stronghold of the Irish chieftains resisting the English forces. In June 1602, General Carew’s soldiers, aided by an O’Sullivan kinsman whose wife was held captive, besieged the fortress by land and sea. The soldiers butchered over 300 people, mainly old men, women and children, and torched the church and houses on the island.

The road leads to a picnic table with a ‘Sit Down & Take It Easy’ sign, and steadily rises toward Ballynacallagh, shaped by some houses to let and ruined buildings. Take a left when the road forks and soon pass a house with an empty telephone box outside. Continue along the road toward Kilmichael where it starts to go uphill after a green zinc-roofed house. Ancient field boundaries can be found on the rugged slopes above Ballynacallagh and Kilmichael, with each field having its own name and tradition.

Take a left at a fork and pass above sea cliffs and a sea cove at Foilaclevaun. Choughs, with their curved red bill, red legs and black plumage, commonly grace the air here with their acrobatic antics and sharp chaow calls, and nest on crevices in the cliff face. The road has Yellow Man signposts pointing the way forward, along with Dublin Bus and 100km/h signs!

The road winds its way above the cove of Foilburren before reaching its end at Tilickafinna, the most westerly townland on Beara, made up of some ruined buildings and a farmhouse. Tarmac soon changes to a broad, grassy track and signs for Dursey Head appear. Follow the signs as it leads up point 154m and then descends into a large grassy area.

Cross a line of rocks and standing stones there, followed by another rise to point 97m – a grassy area populated with clumps of pink sea thrift in the late spring and summer. Here, purists could opt to descend south-westward until reaching the tip of the island at Dursey Head. A trio of small rocky islands can be seen from point 97m westward to sea. These are The Calf (to the left) and the neighbouring Cow and Bull (to the right) respectively.

The Bull measures roughly 229m (750ft) by 165m (540ft) and its sides are steep and rugged, with the summit being 93m (305ft) above sea level. It is a sea arch with a lighthouse built in 1889 to replace the one destroyed by a storm on The Calf, which is still visible as a stump, in 1881.

The krok calls of gannets can often be heard. These black-and-white birds with yellow heads can be seen diving from a height into the sea in pursuit of fish. Keep a lookout also on the coastal waters below for basking sharks, Common and Bottlenose dolphins, and Baleen whales – particularly over the next stretch of the route which takes in the spine of the island.

From point 97m, retrace steps back toward point 154m and from there continue along the ridge. The ground is laced with short grass and heather. The ruins of a signal tower, trig pillar and a signpost will eventually be reached at point 252m. Views from here include the humpbacked islands of Deenish and Scariff, Hogs Head and the Iveragh highlands to the north, and the Skelligs to the north-west.

Follow Beara Way signposts in the direction of the cable car. The ridge undulates and then dips into a saddle beyond point 193m. Keep to the left of a stone wall and fence to reach a ladder stile at V 486₇₄ 412₄₁. From the col, you can either follow Beara Way signposts back to the cable car or opt to continue along the ridge over point 152m and Knockaree respectively. The reward for topping out on Knockaree is the spectacular view down to Dursey Sound, the coastline and across to the Beara mainland, with the cable car in plain sight. From Knockaree, simply descend to rejoin the Beara Way to the south-east.

If you choose to omit the ridge, then simply follow the Beara Way as it contours to the right of point 152m and Knockaree. At a T-junction just after passing point 152m at V 494₃₅ 413₁₈, follow a signpost to the left labelled ‘Beara Way Dursey Loop via Mountain Route to Cable Car’ (ignore the ‘Link to Low Road 300m’ signpost to the right).

The path meanders gradually uphill to meet a ladder stile at the fence. Thereafter, simply follow the signposts back to the cable-car landing area.

Grade 1:	Suited for beginners or families with children, these routes are on well-graded or constructed paths with good and firm underfoot conditions. There are little to no navigational difficulties as the routes are generally easy or signposted throughout. Grade 1 routes involve minimal amount of total vertical ascent.
Grade 2:	Suited for beginners with some hillwalking experience, these routes are generally on formal paths or well-graded, constructed paths with good underfoot conditions. However, there may be some sections of open countryside or slightly rougher ground. The routes are generally signposted, but there may be sections with no signs and require basic navigational skills. Grade 2 routes involve up to 500m of total vertical ascent.
Grade 2/3:	Grade 2 routes with over 15km of total distance fall into this category.
Grade 3:	Previous hillwalking experience is required. There may be some formal and signposted paths but generally these routes involve informal paths and rougher ground of open mountainside. There may be some sections of rocky and uneven ground, and small sections of cliffs and moderately steep ground. As they are generally not signed, good navigational skills in all weather conditions are required. Grade 3 routes involve from 500m to 700m of total vertical ascent.
Grade 4:	Suited for those with solid hillwalking experience. Paths are generally informal and underfoot conditions are rough. There may be prolonged sections of rocky and uneven ground. Solid mountain navigation skills are required to cope with all weather conditions. The ability to deal with hazards such as cliffs, small sections of scree and steep ground is required. Grade 4 routes involve from 700m to 1,050m of total vertical ascent.
Grade 5:	Suited for those with solid hillwalking experience. Paths are generally informal and underfoot conditions are rough. There may be prolonged sections of rocky and uneven ground. Solid mountain navigation skills are required to cope with all weather conditions. The ability to deal with hazards such as cliffs, small sections of scree and steep ground is required. There are sections of considerable exposure and where basic scrambling skills are required. Grade 5 routes are strenuous and involve over 1,050m of total vertical ascent.

Grade:	2
Distance:	13.5km (8½ miles)
Ascent:	380m (1,247ft)
Time:	4–5 hours, Knockaree option add 20–30 minutes
Map:	OSi 1:50,000 Sheet 84