Cahergal Loop Walk
The Cahergal Loop Walk on the Sheep’s Head peninsula introduces you to the beauty and peace of an area recognised as a European Destination of Excellence
From the car park at the Black Gate and Alice West Centre past the village of Kilcrohane, follow the purple loop walk arrows for the Cahergal Loop Walk in a northeasterly direction along the public road for a short distance.
At way marker no. 3 (Peakeen, Cahergal and Caher), turn left off the public road. Continue up the track and onto the hill going through 4 stiles en-route until you reach way marker no. 15 (Peakeen and Cahir) and turn left.
Continue on, crossing the peninsula to the Bantry Bay side, until you reach the car park at Cahergal. Keep left after going over the timber stile and cross the road where you will go over another timber stile, passing way marker no. 206.
Continue straight on for the cove, passing the the ruins of a famine hamlet known locally as the “Crimea” and the abandoned copper mines, en route. At way marker no. 238, keep left and walk a short distance along the pubic road. Turn right at the finger post sign for “The Poet’s Way” and go off-road over a timber stile, at way marker no. 65 Poet’s Way/Cahergal. Follow the way markers to traverse the peninsula to the south side until you meet way marker no. 348.
Turn left here and continue straight on until way marker no. 354 and turn right. Continue on down to the public road and back to the Black Gate / Alice West Centre.
| Download GPX file for GPS: | Download Cahergal Loop Walk GPX file |
| Download file for 3D View on Google Earth: | Download Cahergal Loop Walk KMZ file |
| Start/Finish: | Black Gate Trailhead |
| Grade: | Hard |
| Distance: | 8.4 km (approx) |
| Estimated Time: | 3 hrs (based on average walking speed of 3 km per hour) |
| Arrows: | Purple |
| Metres Climbed/ Ascent: | 371 metres |
| Maximum Height: | 184 metres |
| Dogs Allowed? | No |
| Minimum Gear: | Walking boots, rain gear, fluid, and a mobile phone. |
Caher Loop Walk | Sheep’s Head Way
The Caher Loop Walk leads you up to the ridge of the Sheep’s Head peninsula, with fine views over Bantry Bay and Dunmanus Bay!
From the car park at the Black Gate / Alice West Centre just outside Kilcrohane village, follow the green loop walk arrows in a northeasterly direction along the public road for a short distance.
At way marker no. 3 (Peakeen, Cahergal and Cahir) turn left off the public road. Continue up the track and onto the hill going through 4 stiles en route until you reach way marker no. 17 marked Peakeen/Cahir.
Turn right down the hill beyond Cahir lake on an old road, when this road meets the public road turn left. Walk along the public road for a short distance then turning right downhill again onto “the stony roadeen” passing by a private garden.
Next veer right onto the public road again for a considerable distance. At way marker no. 368, veer right again walking in a southwesterly direction on the public road passing “The Cill” at Caher, a famine graveyard en route. The loop enters farmland at way marker no. 366 and descends towards the sea.
At Trá Rúaim strand, veer right uphill on the public by-road and right again when this road meets the main public road to return to The Black Gate.
| Download GPX file for GPS: | Download Caher Loop Walk GPX file |
| Download File for 3D View on Google Earth: | Download Caher Loop Walk KMZ file |
| Start/Finish: | Black Gate Trailhead |
| Grade: | Hard |
| Distance: | 5.6 km (approx) |
| Estimated Time: | 2 hrs (based on average walking speed of 3 km per hour) |
| Arrows: | Green Arrows |
| Metres Climbed/ Ascent: | 210 metres |
| Maximum Height: | 189 metres |
| Dogs Allowed? | No |
| Minimum Gear: | Walking boots, rain gear, fluid, and a mobile phone. |
Peakeen Ridge Linear Walk | Sheep’s Head Way
The Peakeen Ridge Linear Walk on West Cork’s Sheep’s Head Way offers fantastic views over Bantry Bay and Dunmanus Bay from the ridge of the Sheep’s Head peninsula
As this is a linear walk, you can walk it in either direction!
Goat’s Path to Black Gate Route
From the car park and trailhead at The Goat’s Path, follow the red walk arrows (Way marker no. 60) in a southwesterly direction passing behind the Pietà statue as you set out.
You will ascend gradually along the ridge passing a megalithic tomb en route. Further on you will descend the hill and, almost straight away, you will ascend another hill. Continue straight on for Peakeen.
When you reach the top, take in the views and begin your descent. At way marker no. 17 marked Peakeen/Caher, continue straight on taking The Black Gate, Peakeen and Cahergal Loops and Peakeen Ridge linear walk option.
At way marker no. 15 take The Black Gate option again. Continue on along the track and you will go through 4 styles en route, the last style being way marker no. 5. Continue down the track and at way marker no. 3 (Peakeen, Cahergal and Caher) turn right onto the public road and back to the car park and Black Gate trailhead on the Sheep’s Head Way at the Alice West Centre.
Goat’s Path to Black Gate Route
From the car park and trailhead at the Black Gate / The Alice West Centre follow the cream walk arrows in a northeasterly direction along the public road for a short distance. At way marker no. 3 (Peakeen, Cahergal and Caher) turn left off the public road. Continue up the track and onto the hill going through 4 no. stiles en-route until you reach way marker no. 17 marked Peakeen/Caher.
Continue straight on uphill for Peakeen. Further on you will descend down the hill and almost straight away you will ascend up another hill. Continue on along the ridge passing a megalithic tomb enroute. You will descend gradually, eventually you will arrive at way marker no. 60 (Peakeen) and pass behind the Pieta statue near the car park and trailhead at the top of the Goat’s Path.
| Download GPX File for GPS | Download Peakeen Ridge Linear Walk GPX file |
| Download File for 3D View on Google Earth: | Download Peakeen Ridge Linear Walk KMZ file |
| Start: (Reversible Route) | Goat's Path Car Park |
| Finish: | Black Gate trailhead at the Alice West Centre, Kilcrohane. |
| Grade: | Hard |
| Distance: | 5.5 km (approx) |
| Estimated Time: | 2 hrs (based on average walking speed of 3 km per hour) |
| Arrows: | Cream and Red |
| Metres Climbed/ Ascent: | 188 metres |
| Maximum Height: | 338 metres |
| Dogs Allowed? | No |
| Minimum Gear: | Walking boots, rain gear, fluid, and a mobile phone. |
