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. |
