Living the Sheep's Head Way

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Coomkeen Loop Walk | Sheep’s Head Way

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Coomkeen Sheep's Head Loop Walk West Cork

From the ridge of the Sheep’s Head peninsula, the Coomkeen Loop Walk offers wonderful views

Look out over Whiddy Island, Bantry Bay, and the Beara peninsula. And take in views along the peninsula before heading down to walk quiet country lanes in the fertile valley where Durrus Cheese is made.

Coomkeen Loop Walk Sheeps Head peninsula West Cork

Coomkeen Loop Walk Route

To begin the Coomkeen Loop Walk, drive from Durrus village taking the main road for Kilcrohane and after St. James’s Church of Ireland take the first right, continue on until you reach a crossroads and take the option for Coomkeen (straight on). This road will take you all the way to the car park at Boolteenagh.

From the car park at Boolteenagh, way marker no. 31 set out off road in a southwesterly direction along the ridge before you reach way marker no. 49 you will see “Lough Na Fuilla” (Lake of the Blood) straight ahead of you. Turn left here after crossing over a timber stile, way marker 20 CM.

Follow a track (The old lake road) in a southerly direction which will eventually lead onto a tarred road. Go straight on here at way marker no. 16 CM, past the junction for Fahane and Gerahies until you reach a finger post sign for “Coomkeen”. Take a left here and continue along the road again until you reach two more sets of finger post signs, take the “Coomkeen Loop option at each. Continue back to the car park at Boolteenagh along the road, passing the turn off for “Durrus Cheese” enroute.

Note : Be aware of weather conditions and cut away peat bogs along the loop walk. Please do not exit marked trails only on marked routes. No dogs are allowed on The Sheep’s Head Way.

The Coomkeen Loop Walk is one of 20 colour-coded Sheep’s Head Way loop walks.

Download GPX File:Coomkeen Loop GPX File
View the route in 3D on Google Earth:Download Coomkeen Loop Walk KMZ file
Start/Finish:Durrus Trailhead and drive to the Boolteenagh car park.
Grade:Easy
Arrow Colour:Follow the orange arrows & yellow 'walking man' markers
Distance:6.8 km (approx)
Estimated time:2 hours 30 mins (based on average walking speed of 3 km per hour)
Metres Climbed/ Ascent:433 metres
Maximum Height:222 metres
Dogs Allowed?No
Minimum Gear:Walking boots, rain gear, fluid, and a mobile phone.

Mount Corrin Loop Walk | Sheep’s Head Way

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Mount Corrin Loop Walk c PeterClarke

The Mount Corrin Loop Walk is a six-hour hike on the Sheep’s Head Way that rewards you with gorgeous views over West Cork’s hills and Dunmanus Bay

It’s dotted with sights of historic interest too, from cairns to megalithic tombs. Well worth the effort!

“The views from the cairn are stupendous, taking in the West Cork peninsulas and the hinterland across to the Kerry mountains.” (Roaringwater Journal)

Mount Corrin Loop Walk Sheep's Head Way near Durrus

Mount Corrin Loop Walk Route

To begin the Mount Corrin Loop Walk on West Cork’s Sheep’s Head peninsula, set out from Durrus village along the old creamery road passing Wiseman’s hardware store on your way.

The well-signposted walk is part of the Sheep’s Head Way hiking route on Ireland’s southwest coastline.

Continue on along the road for a good while until you reach way marker no. 570 on a telephone pole, take a right here and go up another road. At way marker no. 572 you will go off road and through farm land and tracks until you will arrive at a timber stile, way marker no. 600 and a gate with an information sign on it. Go right after going over the timber stile and continue along the road until you reach another timber stile, way marker no. 603. Go left over the timber stile and onto the land, continue on up until you reach way marker no. 619 and take the Mount Corrin option which is straight on ahead and over a timber stile.

Continue on up along. Further on down, you will reach an information sign beside the road and take the Mount Corrin/Dunbeacon option. Across the road you will see way marker no. 397 and from here you will set out for Mount Corrin. On reaching the summit you will descend down onto the Mine Road via a timber stile way marker no. 975. (There is an information sign here also at this point, so you can opt for going back to Durrus village or the car park at Dunbeacon Church).

Take a right here along the road and continue on until way marker no. 976 on a telephone pole, if you want to go to the car park at Dunbeacon Church turn left here and the road will lead you there.

Continue down the Mines Road. (To the left is a marked path to the Dunbeacon Stone Circle if you wish to visit it, adding about 1km to the route. A short distance further on, to the left, is a short path to the Coolcoulaghta Stone Row).

Just before the Mines Road meets the R591 road to Durrus, look out for a stile on the left. This will take you across fields and a boreen to another small road where you turn right. Follow this road to the T-junction where you turn left and then left again at the next junction before turning right onto the R591 road which will lead you back to Durrus village from where you started.

Note : Be aware of weather conditions and cut away peat bogs along the loop walk. Be aware of any livestock on the land, especially any bulls. Please do not exit marked trails. Stay on marked routes, and remember that no dogs are allowed on the Sheep’s Head Way.

The Mount Corrin Loop Walk is one of 20 colour-coded Sheep’s Head Way loop walks.

Plan your visit here at https://livingthesheepsheadway.com

Download GPX FileDownload Mount Corrin Loop Walk GPX file
View Route in 3D on Google Earth:Download Mount Corrin Loop Walk KMZ file
Start/Finish:Durrus Trailhead or Dunbeacon Church car park.
Grade:Hard
Arrows:Follow the purple arrows & yellow 'walking man' markers
Distance:17.1 km (approx)
Estimated time:6 hours (based on average walking speed of 3 km per hour)
Metres Climbed/ Ascent:585 metres
Maximum Height:301 metres
Dogs Allowed?No
Minimum Gear:Walking boots, rain gear, fluid, and a mobile phone.

Barnageehy Loop Walk | Sheep’s Head Way

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Barnageehy Loop Walk on the Sheep’s Head Way is a peaceful walk through gorgeous Irish countryside

You’ll enjoy the wonderful views over patchwork fields and moorlands as you walk you walk the quiet roads around Durrus and explore country tracks with views over Bantry and the West Cork hills.

Barnageehy Loop Walk Details

To begin the Barnageehy Loop Walk, drive from Durrus village to the Car Park at Barnageehy.

Take the old creamery road from Durrus, passing Wiseman’s Hardware Store, and continue on along this road until you reach the N71 and take a right here.

The N71 will take you all the way uphill until you reach the car park at Barnageehy. At the Sheep’s Head Way finger post sign, turn right into the car park. There is a sign for Glanlough there also.

To reach Barnageehy from Bantry, drive from Bantry taking the N71 passing The Westlodge Hotel and the turn off for The Sheep’s Head peninsula en route. Turn right at the junction for Skibbereen and Ballydehob and the N71 will take you all the way uphill until you reach the car park at Barnageehy. At the Sheep’s Head Way finger post sign turn in to your right to the car park, there is a sign for Glanlough there also.

From the car park at Barnageehy set out along the road in a westerly direction following the yellow walking man way markers. At way marker no. 634 turn left off road and continue on up a track in a southerly direction at first before heading in a southwesterly direction with forestry on your left as you ascend. When you reach way marker no. 619, turn right here to descend down to the public road going over a timber stile, way marker no. 603. Turn right here and follow the road back to the car park at Barnageehy passing by a timber stile, way marker no. 600 and a gate with an information sign on it enroute.

Note : Be aware of weather conditions and cut away peat bogs along the loop walk. Be aware of any livestock on the land, especially any Bulls. Please do not exit marked trails only on marked routes. No dogs are allowed on the Sheep’s Head Way.

The Barnageehy Loop Walk is one of 20 colour-coded Sheep’s Head Way loop walks.

Download GPX File for GPS:Barnageehy Loop Walk file
View in 3D on Google Earth:Download Barnageehy Loop Walk file
Start/Finish:Durrus Trailhead and drive to the Barnageehy car park.
Grade:Moderate
Arrow Colour:Follow the green arrows & yellow 'walking man' markers
Distance:7.7 km (approx)
Estimated time:2 hours 45 mins (based on average walking speed of 3 km per hour)
Metres Climbed/ Ascent:546 metres
Maximum Height:301 metres
Dogs Allowed?No
Minimum Gear:Walking boots, rain gear, fluid, and a mobile phone.

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This project has been supported by Cork County Council & the LEADER programme under the Rural Development Programmes 2007-13 and 2017-2021.