Looking for easy day or half-day trips from Cork city centre, preferably by bus or train.
Already done: Ballycotton, Kinsale, Cobh (incl. Spike Island), Blarney, Fota, Fountainstown.
Would love suggestions for quiet scenic spots, coastal walks, forts, or lesser-known places like Camden Fort or Nohoval Cove.
Any recommendations appreciated!
Personally enjoy Old head of Kinsale, and the coastal drive to Courtmacsherry via Timoleague. Some nice views and beaches along the way, and a cliff walk in Courtmac
Another vote for this
Added Courtmacsherry to my list. Thank You 🙏
Go in May and walk alongside the shoreline through the bluebell woods. Pints and food in the Lifeboat Inn afterwards.
Thanks for the suggestion 👍
Killarney is a short hop anyway now. Dungarvan too.
Thanks for the suggestion, I see there’s a direct bus to Killarney National Park now.
There's so much to down there. Definitley worth the trip
Do you know which bus that is?
KY03 from Killarney Bus Station
the Mizen Peninsula is a beauty. Also try to get a bus to Baltimore or Schull and head out to the Cape on the boat and include the Fastnet Lighthouse tour with it
Second baltimore and that whole area. In Baltimore village the beacon is close by and has amazing views. Cape clear might be a bit rough to get out to in the winter. It's beautiful in the summer.
Lough Hyne is also amazing. Can go kayaking there and also has a nice walk in the forest there
Would also recommend glengarrif and Garnish island
sorry should have mentioned these for late spring/summer journey
Thank You, Noted 🙏
Thanks, added to the list 🙏
Get the 216 bus from South Mall to Garryduff Spots Centre. There is a really, really nice public woods behind the sports centre (the entrance is at the junction of Clarke's Hill and Coach Hill). There are some really stunning trees in there
Yes, Garryduff Woods seems like a nice option for a half day trip.
If u have a car U could go to Baltimore & do a trip to sherkin or cape clear island? Cape is gorgeous but 45 min ferry trip, sherkin is closer under 10 mins or u could go to heir island home to the olympic rowers paul & Fintan out in lisheen, it’s beautiful there! Could also do mount Gabriel in schull, u can drive all the way up there & views are pretty impressive!
Bus to Baltimore, ferry to Sherkin, bus back. Overnight stay in Baltimore and enjoy all the pizza and drinks. Fastnet cruise or whalewatching also an option.
You can also do a loop - Baltimore to Cape Clear, day in Cape, different ferry to Schull, different bus home. Would be fab.
Not much happening with whale-watching now sadly. The guy who used to it in Union Hall is gone due to the overfish of sprat! The fastnet tour is good i’ve done it a few times
Not having a car is a big miss here! Hope I'll visit these places in the future.
U can get to baltimore via bus from skibbereen but u need 2/3 days really to do the islands then & commute back. Both sherkin & cape do have camp/glamping sites!
Cool, I'll look into them.
Take the Train to Midleton
I have a bike, but I’m worried about how safe it is to ride in those areas. I had a bad experience in Dublin.
There is a Greenway ( shared path - biccyles and pedestrians only ) starting at Midelton train station going all the way to the beach in Youghal... relaxing and flat route
Okay, that's cool. Thanks.
Super safe. It’s a greenway hence no cars. The entrance to the greenway is by the station, so all traffic free.
Thanks 🙏
Inchadoney is one if the best beaches in Europe. Left, Right beaches, Sand dunes and down side to Ring. It be a Walk from Clonakilty but theres a few cool walkways
Thanks, added them to my list..
Baltimore and out to the islands (preferably cape clear) for a day is a great trip.
Bus stop is right beside where the ferry's go from.
Boat to cape is about 45mins and then you can walk around the island in a few hours, visit the shop, have a chat with the locals etc. It would be a whole day trip tho and would be better later in the year when the days are longer and the weather is better.
Great pizza to be had in the jolly breeze when you get back to baltimore then
Great. Adding them to my list 🙏
Killarney, definitely, rent a bike and visit national Park/Gap of Dunloe.
Thanks, it's on my list 🙏
The Moon
That's more of a night trip.
Was just about to say Camden Fort! Courtmacsherry cliffwalk. The greenways are all lovely, the one out to Crosshaven is worth doing. Barryscourt Castle is nice as well. If you have time to go west, loads of lovely walks around Clonakilty.
Clonality is surely on my list now.
You can put your bike in the luggage area of the West Cork Connect bus, too.
Thanks for the info 🙏