The Beara Way Walking Holiday — 6 Days (Moderate)

The Beara Way begins tomorrow.

Arrive in Glengarriff, gateway to Beara. The village sits in a sheltered harbour ringed by native oak woodland and the Caha Mountains. Collect your route notes and waterproof maps from your B&B. A walk to the Blue Pool or the Bamboo Park makes for a pleasant first evening — Glengarriff is subtropical by Irish standards, sheltered and lush.

A long combined day covering the best of the southern Beara coast — from the oak woods of Glengarriff Nature Reserve all the way to the fishing port of Castletownbere. Up onto the Caha mountain flank with Bantry Bay below, under Hungry Hill (685m) and past the Mare's Tail waterfall on its north face. Down through Adrigole, then west along the coast past the ruins of Dunboy Castle and the harbour views to Bere Island. Dinner at MacCarthy's Bar.

Distance: 21km. Ascent: ~500m.

A short morning ferry from Castletownbere crosses to Bere Island — a quiet, car-free island in the mouth of Berehaven harbour with a remarkable military history. The loop walk takes in Martello towers from the Napoleonic era, First World War gun batteries (when this was a Royal Navy base), and Second World War observation posts that watched the Atlantic convoys. All now silent in the grass, with views across to the Beara mainland.

Lunch at the island pub; evening ferry back to Castletownbere.

Distance: 12km. Ascent: ~150m.

West from Castletownbere on the copper-mine heritage trail over Miskish Mountain. Engine-house ruins, old tramway cuttings and drystone walls from the 19th-century mining settlements appear as you climb. The descent into Allihies is dramatic — the village appears below you between Ballydonegan Beach's red sand and the green hillside. Visit the Copper Mine Museum; walk to the beach at dusk.

Distance: 18km. Ascent: ~250m.

The most beautiful stage of the Beara Way — the northern coastal path above the Atlantic. The trail climbs out of Allihies with Cod's Head panoramas opening wide: ocean to the west, the Skellig Islands on the horizon to the north, old copper workings and long-abandoned stone farmsteads below. The descent into Eyeries follows the famous row of pastel-painted houses — pink, blue, mustard, green — strung along the northern shore.

Home to Milleens Cheese and Caureen's Bar. A short day that deserves a long evening.

Distance: 19km. Ascent: ~300m.

Last Beara breakfast, then your scheduled transfer back to Glengarriff (around 90 minutes by road via Castletownbere) or direct to Cork for onward travel. Most walkers are already thinking about the 7-day version, which continues from Eyeries to Ardgroom and the Bronze Age stone circles. We will keep a bed for you.