Beara Peninsula

Peninsula · Munster Province, 🇮🇪 Ireland

Area 522 km²

Time zone Europe/Dublin

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Featured Lists

mozzercork / CC BY 2.0

Beara Essentials

The Beara Peninsula spans counties Cork and Kerry, featuring Bronze Age monuments like the Uragh and Ardgroom stone circles. This selection highlights the region's industrial heritage at the Allihies Copper Mine Museum and its maritime isolation via the Dursey Cable Car, Ireland's only aerial tramway. Natural highlights include the subtropical Derreen Gardens, the 140-meter waterfall at Gleninchaquin Park, and the ruins of Dunboy Castle, a 15th-century O'Sullivan Bere stronghold. Glengarriff offers sheltered coastal walks at the Blue Pool and panoramic views from Lady Bantry's Lookout.

10 places

Beara Peaks and Viewpoints

The Beara Peninsula's landscape is defined by the Caha and Slieve Miskish mountain ranges. This collection features prominent summits like Sugarloaf and Adrigole Mountain, alongside coastal vantage points overlooking Bantry Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Highlights include the Mare’s Tail Waterfall, one of Ireland's highest falls, and Lady Bantry’s Lookout, which provides views of Glengarriff’s ancient oak forests and the surrounding rugged terrain.

12 places

Beara Lakes & Waterfalls

The Beara Peninsula's rugged Caha Mountains hide a network of glacial lakes and dramatic waterfalls. This collection includes the 140-meter Gleninchaquin Waterfall and the Mare's Tail at Adrigole, Ireland's highest cascade. The landscape features the interconnected Cloonee Loughs, part of a Natura 2000 site that borders the ancient oak trees of Uragh Wood. These inland waters provide essential habitats for rare flora and fauna within the sandstone peaks of the Cork-Kerry border.

10 places

El Gringo / CC BY 2.5

Beara Archaeological Sites

The Beara Peninsula contains a high concentration of prehistoric and historic monuments spanning 4,000 years. This collection features Bronze Age axial stone circles like Uragh and Ardgroom, early medieval ringforts, and the ruins of Dunboy Castle, a 15th-century O'Sullivan Beare stronghold. Industrial heritage is represented by the 19th-century Allihies copper mines and Napoleonic signal towers. These sites offer insight into ancient burial customs, defensive architecture, and the region's mining history.

20 places

Beara Peninsula Beaches

The Beara Peninsula features a diverse coastline ranging from the man-made quartz sands of Ballydonegan to the sheltered white strands near Garnish. Many of these locations, such as Pallas Strand and Trawnablaha, offer secluded swimming spots tucked between the Caha and Miskish Mountains. The area is characterized by unique geological formations, including beaches composed of crushed rock tailings from 19th-century copper mining and dramatic cliff viewpoints like Droppa, providing clear views of Dursey Island and the Kenmare River.

8 places