Ballydehob Linear Walk

This 6.5km linear walk to Ballydehob takes you south by the Catholic Church built in 1905 to Roaringwater Pier before directing you back 150m to head west.

A Feature of the Ballydehob Linear Walk are the options southward to visit some old piers built during the famine. However, the first option, left at the cross after Kilcoe’s 18^th century Catholic Church, is to a medieval Church and Graveyard that allows spectacular views of Kilcoe Castle now owned by Jeremy Irons. Poul Gorm is well worth the visit as is Skeaghnore East Pier beyond the Skeaghnore Duck farm. Proceed to Ballydehob via the 12-Arch bridge. Note: the extra options, if all taken, will lengthen the walk by 1 ¼ hrs.

Take Note
🥾This walk is graded as Easy
🐕‍🦺Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times.

This walk is the first leg of the Fastnet Trail heading west and is usually walked in one direction but it is of course easy enough to retrace one’s steps and return to Kilcoe on foot. There are three detours which each lead down to an interesting feature and viewpoint and these are well worthwhile.

Starting at the trailhead in Kilcoe (1) follow the side-road south past the front of the church and the school. Level at first, the road soon descends alongside a gurgling stream and past a boat yard. Soon you reach a road junction (2) with a large house to your right and a bridge ahead.

To stay on the main route, you take a sharp turn RIGHT and head uphill round the back of the house. If you have time, you can head straight for a short detour downstream to explore the beautiful Roaringwater Quay built to enable copper ore to be exported from the nearby mine workings.

If you’ve taken the detour, come back and head uphill around the back of the large house. The road soon levels off a bit then bears right and climbs again past a few ruins to reach an 18th century Catholic church ruin, burial ground and grotto on your left which is well worth exploring for a few minutes.

Just past the old church there is a cross roads (3). The main route is straight on but to the left is the first optional detour of about 4km there and back. At the end is an old burial ground (3b) and church ruin with fabulous views out over Roaringwater Bay and the restored Kilcoe Castle.

From the cross roads at (3) continue west steadily downhill until you reach the picturesque Bealaclare Bridge where you might see kingfishers if you are quiet and patient. Just after the bridge is a road junction (4), a good road to the right and a grassy track to the left. The grassy track is the second detour, a short one this time (500m return), down to a very quiet small pier where the Leamawaddra river enters the bay.

From the cross roads continue up the hill between houses, one of which was recently re-thatched. The road rises and falls gently for about one kilometre, passing various entrances to houses and farms which you can ignore until you reach a cross roads (5) by a small forestry plantation. To the left is the final detour option (about 2km there and back) which brings you down past Skeaghanore Duck Farm to the peaceful Skeaghanore Pier (5b) where you can easily observe a wide range of waders on the shore.

From the cross roads continue STRAIGHT ON in a NW direction and after a short rise the road levels and descends slowly until it reaches a junction (6) with the N71.

Follow the N71 west for less than a kilometre, taking care as it’s a busy road. After you pass the 50kph speed sign you will see a major junction ahead. The N71 goes right to Bantry and you should go LEFT into a small road leading into a car park. At the far end there is a small path alongside the water which winds its way under the famous “twelve arched bridge”. You can follow the path on an elevated section over the water to the road on the far side where you turn RIGHT towards the village, again passing under the old tramway bridge. As you approach the Community Centre you will see the Trailhead on your left. I

It’s up to you where you go from here!