Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), drawn by Global Adventurer.
The walk
From the Cliffs Walk car park at the edge of Ballycotton, take the path west along the cliff top, with fields on one side and the sea on the other and the lighthouse island behind you. The foot-worn path rises and falls over the headlands, crosses many stiles and passes side paths down to rocky beaches before it drops to the beach at Ballyandreen, where you turn round and walk back the same way.
It is 7.3 km there and back with 89 m of ascent; allow about 2 hours. The grade is Easy: a long but gentle cliff path, with many stiles.
The path is narrow and runs along the cliff top: keep well back from the edge, above all in wind, and take care on wet ground, which makes it slippery. The descents to the beaches need care in wet or windy weather. The stiles make it unsuitable for buggies and bikes.
The Cliffs Walk car park is on the edge of the village and is tagged free in OpenStreetMap. The nearest railway station, Midleton, is about 16 km away.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- The cliff walk runs west from Ballycotton along the East Cork coast to the beaches at Ballytrasna and Ballyandreen, with the sea on one side and farmland on the other.
- The path is a foot-worn track along the cliff top with many stiles, so it is not suitable for buggies or bikes; benches and side paths down to rocky beaches line the way.
- Ballycotton Lighthouse stands on an island about 2 km from the village and was commissioned in 1851; it was automated in 1992.
- Peregrine falcons and oystercatchers are often seen along the cliffs, and dolphins and whales are sometimes spotted offshore, mainly in winter.
Getting there
Start: Cliffs Walk car park, Ballycotton · Free parking. 51.82494, -8.00836
Directions to the start
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Cliffs Walk car park: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line is drawn along OpenStreetMap paths and the figures are worked out from it; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.