The Beara Way Walking Holiday — 8 Days (Moderate)

The Beara Way begins tomorrow.

Arrive in Glengarriff, gateway to Beara. Sheltered harbour, native oak woodland and the Caha Mountains. Collect your route notes and waterproof maps from your B&B. The Bamboo Park, the Blue Pool and the harbour walk are all within reach. Early night before the first big day.

Through the ancient oak woodland of Glengarriff Nature Reserve, up onto the Caha mountain flank, under Hungry Hill (685m) — Beara's highest peak — past the Mare's Tail waterfall on its north face, and along the southern coast via Dunboy Castle ruins to the fishing port of Castletownbere. A combined day of 21km covering the best of the southern Beara coast. Dinner at MacCarthy's Bar.

Distance: 21km. Ascent: ~500m.

Morning ferry from Castletownbere to Bere Island. The island loop takes in Martello towers, First World War gun batteries (when Berehaven was a major Royal Navy base) and Second World War observation posts — all now quiet in the grass with wide views across the harbour. Island pub for lunch; evening ferry back.

Distance: 12km. Ascent: ~150m.

West from Castletownbere on the copper-mine heritage trail over Miskish Mountain. Engine-house ruins, tramway cuttings and drystone walls from the 19th-century mines appear on the hillside. The descent into Allihies reveals the village between Ballydonegan Beach's red sand and the green hillside. Copper Mine Museum visit; beach walk at dusk.

Distance: 18km. Ascent: ~250m.

Walk west from Allihies to the Dursey Sound cable car — Ireland's only cable car, a small box strung on a wire above the churning sound between Dursey Island and the mainland. Cross to Dursey Island for a short loop walk — Atlantic silence, seabirds and a view west that goes all the way to the horizon. Back by cable car, then east along clifftop and coastal paths to the painted village of Eyeries and Caureen's Bar.

Distance: 21km. Ascent: ~300m.

East along Beara's northern shore — clifftop paths and hill tracks with the Atlantic below. The day ends at Ardgroom and the Ardgroom Stone Circle: fifteen standing stones on open hillside, erected around 1500 BC, with no fence and no sign. One of the finest prehistoric sites in Munster. Harrington's pub for the evening.

Distance: 19km. Ascent: ~280m.

The final walking day follows the Healy Pass foothills east along the northern shore of the peninsula. The path passes through the woodlands of Derreen Gardens — a Victorian-era estate garden of tree ferns, magnolias and exotic planting on the shore of Kenmare Bay, one of the great hidden gardens of Ireland. Into Lauragh, a small Kerry village on the bay, for the last Beara evening.

Distance: 19km. Ascent: ~250m.

Last Beara breakfast in Lauragh, then your scheduled transfer to Kenmare (20 minutes) for onward connections — bus to Cork or Killarney, or the drive to Kerry airport. Cork airport is around 2hrs. Kenmare itself is worth a stop: excellent food, a Druid's Circle, good bookshops.