West Cork
From World travel guide
West Cork is an area of County Cork in the Republic of Ireland.
This is one of the most scenic parts of the country with a reputation as a quirky and relaxing area. West Cork extends along the coast through a variety of small towns and villages to the wild and rugged Beara peninsula, finally terminating in a barely inhabited island reached by a cable-car. There are many opportunites for pursuing of watersports, hill-walking and general relaxation. It is an area of small towns, a long and varied coastline, with drowned river valleys, long peninsulas, and offshore islands and an area renowned for its mild climate and exotic and luxuriant vegetation. As you travel west from Cork City the landscape gradually becomes more dramatic.
It has become a popular area for holiday and retirement homes and amongst people seeking to live alternative lifestyles but this has been a slow development and the resulting houses are scattered and very individual.
Cities
- Bantry
- Clonakilty
- Kinsale a historic town associated with sailing and good food.
- Skibbereen
Districts
- Beara: a wild peninsula to the north of Bantry Bay. The only town here is Castletownbere (or Castletown Berehaven) which is one of Ireland's leading fishing ports but has a population of less than 2000.
- Cape Clear (or Clear Island): an Irish-speaking island 45 minutes by boat from Baltimore. The island (which is approximately 5.5 km long at its longest point and approximately 1.5 km at its widest) can make for a very pleasant visit in the summer if the weather allows.
