Day Trip

What To Do at Mizen Head: 3 Castles, Star Wars & Hidden Coves

Darragh Doran

26 Dec 2024 — 4 min read

Mizen Head Photo by Lukasz Szramuk

Today you're exploring the Mizen Head Peninsula to see lighthouses, islands, Ireland's answer to a Thai beach, and quite possibly the narrowest two way road in Ireland (or the galaxy, since Star Wars was filmed here).

Bantry To Mizen Head

We're using Bantry as our Hub for West Cork and the first two things on your agenda today are best done early, so we're going to drive to the furthermost part and work our way back. It's only a 45 minute drive though, so just enough time to let the Irish Breakfast settle before you do some walking

Mizen Head Bridge

Mizen Head is known to every Irish person because we grew up hearing it on the shipping forecast. Those wise old pipe smoking forecasters have been replaced by stupid tech, so these days though, it's more famous for its bridge.

Get to the Mizen Head Bridge early for the best experience. This is Ireland, so 'early' means 10am when it opens. It's privately owned, so no sneaking in before then. Walking alone across the bridge is spectacular, less so with a dozen others getting selfies (and 11 photobombers in the background).

There's the usual visitor centre (skippable for me) but don't miss the viewing point. The water crashes beneath you, the wind howls around you, maybe there's a slight drizzle, with a teasing glimpse of the sun. Perfect weather for a forecasting station.

It's a small platform, three's a crowd, so you'll feel like Jack on the Titanic, looking out over the wild Atlantic. Stand a while and savor the views. And mentally prepare yourself for the walk back up the steps!

Video credit: Corno Van Den Berg on YouTube

Brow Head

Brow Head has equally dramatic cliffs to Mizen Head but with no entrance fee, and it's usually empty except for grazing sheep. Local fishermen use it to check weather conditions.

Brow Head is so named (in my head) because you'll be sweating from your brow as you drive up an impossibly narrowest two way road. If you meet another car, one of you is reversing back down the hill. I drove it once and swore never again! I'm just sorry I didn't get a video of it.

Barleycove Beach

Calm your nerves with a stroll back at sea level on Barleycove Beach. If this beach was in St Maarten, billionaires would have minimalistic glass mansions overlooking it. Instead, it's in grey and damp Ireland, so sheep get the million euro views. But on a summer's day, the water is Caribbean crystal clear blue. One of the nicest beaches in Cork. Plan more time here if the weather is nice.

Three Castle Head

For such a scenic spot, Three Castle Head is under visited. Maybe because you have to walk 30 minutes to get to it? I'm very happy to walk if it means seeing these dramatic ruins of Dunlough Castle (1207). The ruins sit on a promontory overlooking the Atlantic. The 100m high cliffs on one side and lakes on the other were the Ring cameras of the 13th century, allowing you to see who was outside before opening the door (or drawbridge?).

They did over promotion even back then it seems, there's only one castle, but with three towers.

Local legend talks about a White Lady who haunts the castle - she supposedly jumped from one of the towers. I've never seen her, but then again, I've never stayed past sunset. Not that I'm scared or anything...

I'm happy there isn't a car park right at the entrance because less crowds means a better experience. The walk can be a little steep and muddy but it's very doable. It is on private land, so park at the farmhouse, put on some walking boots, and pay a small donation, it's appreciated to help with the upkeep.

Video credit: @tomvaughan1979 on YouTube

Canty's Cove. Ireland's Thai Beach

You've had it too easy, here's your challenge: Find Canty's Cove. It's the closest thing Ireland has to those Thai beaches you see on Instagram.

You won't see this one on the tourist trail, and I'm not going to give exact directions (that's part of the adventure), but when you find that rugged path down, you'll understand why it's worth seeking out. Just watch the tide times and bring good shoes for the scramble down.

Your hint is that it's near Dunkeely. Wait for that perfect Summer day. If you see 20 somethings Paul Mescal lookalikes with mullets and a slab of cans, you're on the right track.

Schull

Back to Skool now, because Schull is Cool, that how it's pronounced! We're switching over the southern side of the Mizen Head Peninsula now. As you drive there, stop in tiny Goleen for a pint at the Wild West Bar. Don't worry, locals are friendlier than the name suggests. No swinging saloon doors here.

Schull. You could look at Schull as Kinsale's little cousin. Upmarket, foodie spots, sailing and unfortunately had an infamous murder (along with the mandatory true crime podcast about it).

It's very pleasant to wander around, Wednesday is market day. Pick your packed lunch and head for one of the local beaches.You can take the ferry to Cape Clear Island and Fastnet Rock from here, or from Baltimore.

Ballydehob

As you head back to Bantry, you could stop in Ballydehob. This village has a population of less than 500, but it has a Michelin rated dining spot, Restaurant Chestnut. If you are there on a Friday, there's a trad music session in one of the pubs, and I think this perfectly captures the spirit of small Irish villages, they rotate the session between the different pubs. So ask where it's on tonight.

They have a trad music festival in April and a country music festival in June. Country music is huge in rural Ireland. The country singers get Taylor Swift level adoration in rural Ireland, although the stetsons are replaced with wellies here though.

Take a walk before dinner to see the Twelve Arch Bridge, built in just 14 months in 1886, these days it would take that long to get to the Facebook petition against it drawn up.

It's just a 20 minute drive back home to Bantry.

9 More Cork Day Trips

There's 5 day trips in our central Cork guide. And we have 5 more Cork day trips in our West Cork guide. You'll be speaking like a Cork native if you do all ten!