Untitled Document

Cork Multisport

2004 Dates TBA

Price: $1950 for 8 days/7 nights.
Includes 6 dinners, 2 picnics, all breakfasts, and use of bicycle.
Terrain: Moderate to hilly rides and walks, introductory kayaking.
Arrive: Cork Airport
Depart: Cork Airport

You'll rarely lose sight of the sea as we bike, hike, kayak, and taste our way through County Cork! Fuchsia and foxglove cling to wild headlands overlooking crashing Atlantic waves. Sheltered bays, secluded harbors, and sandy beach coves reveal stunning places to linger. Bustling market towns and tiny fishing villages are chock-full of character.

We'll explore Cork's treasures by land and sea as we follow the coast from Bantry Bay to Kinsale. On Gaelic-speaking Cape Clear Island, a resident historian will share tales of the island's past and present on a walking tour of ancient sites and natural landmarks. A ferry through Carbery's Hundred Isles takes us on to colorful Schull, our base for biking the Mizen Peninsula. Another day's bike route follows the coast past forested glades and luxuriant gardens to Sheep's Head. At Castlehaven Bay, we'll trade pedals for paddles and a sea-kayaking lesson. You'll glide among the bay's resident porpoises, seals, herons, and tropical fish; with luck, you might even sight a visiting minke or humpback!

Throughout our trip, we'll travel through landscapes that are laced with history. Medieval pirates, Spanish traders, Irish rebels, and those fleeing the Famine all etched their stories on Cork's shores. Drombeg's mysterious stone circle and Clear Island's pagan Marriage Stone hint at the ancient Druids, but refuse to divulge their secrets. In Skibbereen, the Famine Commemoration Center offers a poignant recounting. We'll trace Kinsale's history on a guided walk from medieval Desmond Castle to the heights of Charles Fort.

West Cork has gained a well-deserved reputation as Ireland's culinary capital, and we'll feast at several of the region's most creative dining spots. A free day in Kinsale will allow time to wander its historic cobbled lanes, now lined with artisans' studios and fashionable cafes. We'll conclude with a farewell celebration at Crackpots restaurant, where the owner crafts the recipes as well as the ceramicware!

Itinerary
Day 1: Mid-day transfer from Cork Airport to the fishing village of Baltimore for a two-night stay at Casey's Hotel, overlooking the harbor. A warm-up hike visits Lough Hyne Marine Reserve, a rare inland lake fed by the sea. (2-4 mi. walk)

Day 2: Bike or hike to "The Beacon" for panoramic bay views, then ferry to Gaelic-speaking Cape Clear Island. Guided walk through prehistoric sites and the ruins of O'Driscoll's pirate castle with a local storyteller and historian. Dinner with a view in Baltimore, followed by an optional moonlight kayak to view Lough Hyne's phosphorescent plankton! (5-8 mi. walk)

Day 3: Ferry through the isles of Roaringwater Bay to Schull. Sightsee in town or pedal a spectacular loop of the Mizen Peninsula with stops for beaches, a Bronze Age tomb, and the Mizen Light, bridged to the mainland by a spectacular suspension bridge. (16, 34, or 44 mi. biking)

Day 4: Visit an award-winning cheesemaker on his farm, then continue by bike along the Sheep's Head Peninsula and Dunmanus Bay. Options along the way include a hike to the headlands or a visit to Cois Cuain's terraced gardens-by-the-sea. Overnight in Bantry Town.
(10, 32, or 49 mi. biking)

Day 5: Learn about the famine in Skibbereen, then shuttle to pretty Union Hall for easy sea kayaking in Castlehaven Bay. A short walk along Glandore Harbor visits the fishing village of Glandore. We'll enjoy a lively music seisiun after dinner.

Day 6: Admire sacred stonework at 2500-year-old Drombeg Stone Circle and 13th-century Timoleague Abbey. Hike through the old estate grounds of Castlefreake Woods to the cliffs and dunes of Rosscarbery Bay. Van or bike to Kinsale for a two-night stay at a stylish guesthouse. (4-8 mi. hike, optional 19 mi. biking)

Day 7: Free day in Kinsale for sightseeing, shopping, or an optional biking loop. A guided tour of the Old Town continues along a coastal walking trail to Charles Fort and its Heritage Center. A local storyteller spins tales of the old ways before our farewell feast at Crackpots. (4-8 mi. walks, 10 or 25 mi. biking)

Day 8: Mid-morning van transfer to Cork Airport.

Highlights:

		Bike the Sheep's Head and Mizen Head Peninsulas.
		Sea kayak (lessons included) in Castlehaven Bay.
		Guided walking tour of Cape Clear Island.
		Hike cliffs and dunes of Rosscarbery Beach.
		Visit Lough Hyne, Ireland's only marine nature reserve.
		Tour and taste with an artisanal cheesemaker.
		Free day to tour and shop in Kinsale.
		Visit Drombeg Stone Circle, Timoleague Abbey, and O'Driscoll castle.

Bike Tours | European Bike Tours | Walking Tours