Deeper into West Cork on day two: 72 km out onto the Mizen Peninsula, through Ballydehob and Schull to a timber cabin above Goleen Harbour.
Distance
72 km
Elevation
946 m
Ride time
4–5 hr
Difficulty
Moderate
Created in partnership with Tourism Ireland. All routes, opinions, and recommendations are our own.
The route
About this day
This is the stretch where West Cork empties out. The towns get smaller, the sea gets closer, and the day ends at a cabin near the last of the land.
The natural midpoint is Schull, a lively little harbour town tucked under Mount Gabriel and one of the most-loved spots in West Cork. Its single main street runs down to a pier busy with yachts and fishing boats, and it packs an outsized number of good cafés, shops and galleries into a small footprint, plus the only planetarium in the Republic. It is the obvious place to stop and eat before the run out to the end of the peninsula. We grabbed lunch at Amar's, a friendly café near the top of the street, then pointed the bikes back into the hills.
West of Schull the land thins out and the traffic falls away. The road rolls on through Toormore toward Goleen, a tiny working village near the tip of the Mizen with a harbour, a couple of pubs and not much else, which is exactly the appeal. Mizen Head itself, the dramatic signal station at Ireland's southwestern corner, sits just a few kilometres further on for anyone who wants to ride out to the very end. We stopped short at Goleen Harbour, an eco farm on the water where a timber cabin with a hot tub and sauna was waiting above the bay. A good place to rest the legs, because tomorrow the peninsula gets serious.
Stops along the way
6 of 6 showing
~15 km · Ballydehob
The first village out of Skibbereen, and worth a slow roll through. Ballydehob is a colourful little arts hub climbing a hillside, and at the bottom sits its landmark twelve-arch stone viaduct, once part of the narrow-gauge Schull & Skibbereen tramway. A pretty spot for a photo before the road climbs on toward Schull.
Open in Maps →~28 km · Main St, Schull
Where we stopped for lunch, roughly the halfway point. Amar's is a friendly little café near the top of Schull's main street that opens earlier than most, with excellent coffee, homemade scones and treats, and toasties later in the day. Schull is a proper food town, so there are plenty of good options along the street, but this one looked after us well before the run out to Goleen.
Open in Maps →~28 km · Schull
Give yourself a few minutes at the pier. Schull sits under Mount Gabriel with its harbour open to Roaring Water Bay and its scatter of islands, and boats come and go all day. There are craft shops, galleries and the Republic's only planetarium if you have time to linger. The last real hub of services before the far end of the peninsula, so top up here.
Open in Maps →~66 km · Goleen
The route passes right through Goleen village on its first approach. This is your decision point: peel off here for the shorter day and settle into the cabin, or carry on with the route for the extra loop toward the coast before doubling back. We took the short option this time and were glad of the early finish at the hot tub. Either way you end up at Goleen Harbour, just outside the village on the water.
Open in Maps →~68 km · Main St, Goleen
Our evening spot in Goleen, and a good one. The Wild West Bar pours a proper pint and does honest food in a friendly room, with live music some nights and a flower-filled, partly covered beer garden out back. In a village this small it is a lovely place to land after a long day on the peninsula.
Open in Maps →0–72 km · Skibbereen to Goleen
This is rolling peninsula riding, not flat, so settle in and enjoy the up-and-down. The day mostly follows EuroVelo 1, the Atlantic Coast Route, so keep an eye out for the signposts along the way. Past Schull, services thin out toward Goleen, so eat and fill bottles in Ballydehob or Schull. And if you have legs to spare, Mizen Head at the very tip is a stunning out-and-back beyond the village.
Open in Maps →Where we stayed
An award-winning eco farm on the water just outside Goleen, and the highlight of the day. Our timber cabin sat on its own above the bay with a wall of glass to the view, a hot tub and sauna to soak the legs, and hiking trails down to the shore. The wider site runs on green-building and sustainable-living principles, with cliff-top geodomes and wood-fired pizza nights in the Barrel Top building. A genuinely special place to break the ride before the Mizen.
From the day
