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ACTIVITIES IN CORK

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An Gleann Garbh : The Rugged Glen

Location
West Cork, at the easterly end of Bantry Bay, about midway between Bantry town and Kenmare.

Glengarriff is sheltered from the Atlantic winds by rocks and mountains — hemmed in on all sides by lofty hills such as Knockboy and Akinkeen of the Caha range.

If ever a town nestled, this is the one. The location, and the town’s southerly latitude, gives the area a mild climate in these islands — only here does the arbutus, the Mediterranean strawberry tree, grow.

A luxuriant growth of fuchsia, holly and myrtle stretches verdantly down to the water’s edge.

Why you should go there
In a word, scenery. Here you’ll find views for the indolent and the energetic alike. Forests, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and mountains, all with impossibly poetic names like Nambrackderg Lough, Foilastookeen Mountain or Glashanaglaragh Stream.

There are coastal walks, mountain walks — or you can just amble through the town.

You can stroll up to the Holy Trinity church with its curious windows and historic old graveyard, or wander to the outskirts of town to see the Blue Pool, situated among a setting of wooded crags.

Boat excursions are also available — a recommended trip is one which sails past Rabbit and Park islands and on to Garinish Island with its Italian garden and Martello tower.

It was here that George Bernard Shaw wrote St. Joan. En-route you’ll see seals — with a spot of luck dolphins as well — plus dozens of species of sea birds.

For a longer walk try Coomhola Bridge to Snave Bridge. This hike starts about three miles from the village at a place known as Crois na Bothar. A rough track leads you to Glasslough fishing lake, well worth a glimpse on the way.

Follow the main road for a further mile and a quarter and you emerge at a cross-roads.

From here roads lead to The Priest’s Leap, Borlin Valley, Ballylickey, Pearson’s Bridge and on to Snave. For a short diversion visit the old Coomhola Church.

This is about a 12-mile-long walk, but it can be considerably shortened by using the scheduled bus service to drop-off or pick up point. Highly recommended.

Recommended Bars
Johnny Barry’s is probably the most famous, but the Blueloo, the Maple Leaf and Harrington’s are worth checking out for music worth hearing.

Recommended Hotels
Good hotels and B&Bs are scattered throughout the area. The most famous is the Glengarriff Eccles Hotel, facing Garinish Island in Bantry Bay.

On a historical note — this hotel was one of the first established in Ireland.

Phone: 00 353 027 63003.

Not to be confused with
This Glengarriff shouldn’t be confused with Glengarriff, Co. Antrim; or indeed with a Glengarry, a type of Scottish hat, or for that matter with Glengarry Glen Ross, a Hollywood film.

What people have said about the place
“Were such a bay lying upon English shores it would be a world’s wonder.

“Perhaps if it were on the Mediterranean or Baltic, English travellers would flock to it in their hundreds.” William Thackeray.