Ballycotton Cliff Walk

The walk runs about five kilometres from Ballycotton village along the top of low clay and rock cliffs to Ballyandreen, mostly on grass, with almost no climbing - which makes it one of the more accessible coastal walks in Cork and a common family outing. Offshore sits Ballycotton Island with its lighthouse, unusual for being painted black; the story is that it was darkened to stand out against the pale cliffs behind. Boat trips run out to it in summer and it can be climbed. The Ballycotton lifeboat has a long and well-documented history, including the 1936 Daunt Rock rescue for which the whole crew was decorated. The cliffs here are soft and actively eroding, and sections of the path have been closed and rerouted after slips; keeping back from the edge is not a formality. The village has pubs, a beach and a working fishing harbour.

What you actually see

• The clifftop path - about five kilometres of easy grass walking.
• The black lighthouse - on the island offshore, painted dark for contrast.
• The fishing harbour - a working port with a noted lifeboat history.
• The eroding cliffs - soft clay faces, actively slipping in places.

When to go

April to October. The path is muddy after rain and exposed to wind. Boat trips to the island run in summer and depend on sea conditions.

Honest expectations

The cliffs are soft and erode - sections close after slips and the edge is genuinely undercut in places. No facilities between the two ends. Parking in the village is limited on summer weekends.

Nearby

Shanagarry and Garryvoe are close; Midleton and the Jameson distillery are inland.