Glengarriff Tourist Attractions
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Glengarriff (Gleann Garbh, "Rugged Glen") lies in the far southwest of Ireland at the mouth of a 6mile/10km long valley where the River Glengarriff flows into Bantry Bay.In the favored climate of the region, to which the Gulf Stream brings moist warmth, a mantle of vegetation of almost tropical luxuriance - fuchsias, yews, hollies and arbutus - covers the rocky slopes of the hills reaching down to the sea.Glengarriff is a small village, wholly given up to the holiday and tourist trade, with a large amount of accommodation for visitors in private houses.
Garinish Island
Of the many little islands in the Glengarriff Bay the one most worth visiting is Garinish Island, which lies offshore to the east of the R572. There is a regular service by small boats to the island from Glengarriff. On the 15-minute trip visitors may sometimes see seals sunning themselves.The gardens, with their magnolias, rhododendrons, camellias etc., are particularly beautiful. There is a good view from a Martello tower, dating from the Napoleonic era, of all the buildings on the island which suit the scenery admirably.Among the best known personalities to visit Garinish Island was George Bernard Shaw, who spent several months in a house on the island, and here he wrote the major part of "Saint Joan."Boat operators charge a separate fee for the journey to and from the island.
Ilnacullin
This rocky garden has been transformed into a beautiful Italianate garden. It holds wonderful lookouts onto the water and an Italian pavilion. The only access to the Island is by small ferry boats and licensed water buses which impose a separate charges.
Ring of Beara
Less well-known than the Ring of Kerry, the 84mi/135km drive around the Beara Peninsula offers no less spectacular scenery. The interior of the peninsula is crossed by the range of the Cab and Slieve Miskish Mountains which reach heights of between 1,313ft/400m and 2,297ft/700m.
Castletown Bere
The R572 winds its way between the Caha Mountains and the sea along the shores of Bantry Bay and around Adrigole Harbor to Castletown Bere.Castletown Bere is popular for canoeing, hiking, biking and hill walks. The large natural harbor is ideal for watersports.
Bere Island
Offshore from the Ring of Beara can be seen the striking silhouette of Bere Island, on which there is a sailing school.Off the tip of the peninsula, separated from it by Dursey Sound, lies Dursey Island, which can be reached by cableway.
Eyeries
North of Casteltown Bere the R571 crosses a saddle in the Slieve Miskish Mountains to Eyeries, a trim little village, in the neighborhood of which there is a huge ogham stone 17ft/5.2m high (National Monument), looking like a work of modern sculpture.The pillar stone is the tallest in Ireland, standing 15ft/5m high.
Lauragh - Derreen House
The road runs northeast from Eyeries over into Kerry county to Lauragh, with the beautiful gardens of Derreen House open to visitors in summer. From here it is possible to return to Glengarriff by way of the Healy Pass (1,066ft/325m) and Adrigole.
