St. Finbarr's Way, Cork (Ireland)

[NualaOC]

Have any forum members walked this trail recently? It looks like a very beautiful 2-day walk, but since it's a linear one, I'm not quite sure how to manage the logistics of transport and accommodation. I'll be walking with a couple of friends in June and we want to do it independently, rather than on one of the organised walks.

I've found some information online and downloaded the GPS tracks, so no doubt we'll figure it out. However, I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has walked this trail, or who knows the area well. No point in reinventing the wheel if someone else has a a solution!

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[danielc]

Have any forum members walked this trail recently? It looks like a very beautiful 2-day walk, but since it's a linear one, I'm not quite sure how to manage the logistics of transport and accommodation. I'll be walking with a couple of friends in June and we want to do it independently, rather than on one of the organised walks.

I've found some information online and downloaded the GPS tracks, so no doubt we'll figure it out. However, I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has walked this trail, or who knows the area well. No point in reinventing the wheel if someone else has a a solution!

Thanks in anticipation.

Nearby Cork City has a lot of transport infrastructure and facilities – I would suggest you fly into Cork Airport and hire a car – spend one night in Cork – have a look around. I have not done this walk, but it has a wonderful reputation. It starts in the north of county Cork, and travels south over some tough ground to GOUGANE BARRA – this is perhaps the best hidden gem in Ireland – highly
Recommend

 

[NualaOC]

Nearby Cork City has a lot of transport infrastructure and facilities – I would suggest you fly into Cork Airport and hire a car – spend one night in Cork – have a look around. I have not done this walk, but it has a wonderful reputation. It starts in the north of county Cork, and travels south over some tough ground to GOUGANE BARRA – this is perhaps the best hidden gem in Ireland – highly Recommend

Thanks @danielc, I appreciate you taking the time to reply. We'll be traveling by car and stopping in Co. Cork the night before we start walking. I agree, it looks like a very beautiful walk with a few difficult bits, especially on day 2. Probably best done in nice weather, but we've no control over that bit!

It looks as though the logical stages are Drimoleague to Kealkill on day 1, Kealkill to Gougane Barra on day 2. I'm curious to know if anyone has done this walk in those (or different) stages and has useful observations to share. It's probably unlikely that any forum members have done it, but no harm in asking!

I'll do a follow-up post here after we've walked - it may be of interest to others in the future.

 

[Former member 49149]

Nuala, I just googled walkers clubs co cork and got a long list of options... you could be lucky, there are phone numbers and names or real people on the mountaineering ireland.ie site. All the best...

 

[eil]

Hi Nuala, I have walked the St Finbarr's path on two occasions and consider it the nicest of the Irish pilgrims paths. It is a stunning walk with magnificient views on a clear day. The walk down into Gougane Baŕra is particularly beautiful. It is well marked from the start point at the Top of the Rock. I was with a walking group on the first occasion. We stayed in Glengarriff and were taken to the start and collected at the finish each day. The second time I did the walk with some friends and we needed to use two cars - at the start and finish. I believe that a taxi can be organised from Kealkil, day one and from Gougane Barra on day two. We stayed in Ballingeary but anywhere between Drimoleague, Bantry and Gougane Barra would be OK to stay once you have sorted transport. Enjoy the walk.

 

[NualaOC]

Nuala, I just googled walkers clubs co cork and got a long list of options... you could be lucky, there are phone numbers and names or real people on the mountaineering ireland.ie site. All the best...

That’s a great idea @kirkie, thank you!

 

[NualaOC]

Hi Nuala, I have walked the St Finbarr's path on two occasions and consider it the nicest of the Irish pilgrims paths. It is a stunning walk with magnificient views on a clear day. The walk down into Gougane Baŕra is particularly beautiful. It is well marked from the start point at the Top of the Rock. I was with a walking group on the first occasion. We stayed in Glengarriff and were taken to the start and collected at the finish each day. The second time I did the walk with some friends and we needed to use two cars - at the start and finish. I believe that a taxi can be organised from Kealkil, day one and from Gougane Barra on day two. We stayed in Ballingeary but anywhere between Drimoleague, Bantry and Gougane Barra would be OK to stay once you have sorted transport. Enjoy the walk.

Thank you for your response @eil; that’s very reassuring. Good to know that the trail is well marked and that others have followed a similar plan to our half-baked one. It certainly looks like a very beautiful walk.

We’ll probably stay somewhere near Kealkill - there are a few Airbnbs in that area. The broad plan is to leave one car in Kealkill, the other in Gougane Barra and to take a taxi from Kealkill to the start of the route when we arrive.