Over the Mizen hills and out onto Sheep's Head, the smallest and quietest of West Cork's peninsulas: 72 km of empty roads, big descents and open sea, finishing above the bay in Bantry.
Distance
72 km
Elevation
820 m
Ride time
4–5 hr
Difficulty
Moderate
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The route
About this day
Some of the best days on a bike are the ones you find by accident, on a road nobody thought to tell you about.
That emptiness is the whole point of Sheep's Head. It is the smallest and narrowest of the region's peninsulas, a long ridge of land between Bantry Bay and Dunmanus Bay that most visitors skip in favour of the busier Ring of Beara or Ring of Kerry to the north. Their loss. The reward for turning down it is constant ocean on both sides, single-track lanes threading between stone walls and open moor, and a stillness that is genuinely hard to find on a road bike anywhere. It was one of our favourite days of the whole trip. Halfway along, a hand-painted sign pointed us up a side road to the Heron Gallery in Ahakista, a garden café and art gallery where we took a chance it would be open, and it was: excellent pastries eaten among the flowerbeds, exactly the kind of place you hope to stumble on.
From there the peninsula gives back everything the climbs earned, long sweeping descents with the water spread out below and nothing to think about but the road. The line curls back east along the shore of Bantry Bay and rolls into Bantry itself, a proper harbour town at the head of the bay, big enough for a good feed and a choice of pubs after a long day in the open. We found a table, called it a night, and left the far end of the peninsula for another trip.
Stops along the way
6 of 6 showing
0–15 km · Goleen to Durrus
The day starts with a proper climb out of Goleen, the road lifting you up into the Mizen hills with the sea dropping away behind. It is worth knowing there are long, service-free stretches ahead, so we topped up food and bottles before we rolled out. Take the climb steady and enjoy the views opening up as you gain height.
Open in Maps →~28 km · Durrus
Durrus is a small village at the head of Dunmanus Bay, sitting right where the Mizen and Sheep's Head peninsulas part ways. It is the last handy spot for supplies before the run out onto Sheep's Head, so we stocked up on snacks here. It is also the home of the famous Durrus farmhouse cheese, made in the valley above the village since 1979 if you fancy a wheel for later.
Open in Maps →~45 km · Ahakista
A sign on the roadside pointed us up to this one, and it turned out to be the highlight of the day. The Heron Gallery is artist Annabel Langrish's garden café and gallery, with excellent pastries and simple food served among informal flower and vegetable gardens that supply the kitchen. A perfect place to recharge halfway along Sheep's Head. Note it runs seasonally, roughly Easter to the end of August, so check ahead out of season.
Open in Maps →~30–58 km · Sheep's Head
This is the reason to ride the day. Sheep's Head is the smallest and quietest of West Cork's peninsulas, a narrow ridge of land with Bantry Bay on one side and Dunmanus Bay on the other. The lanes narrow to single track in places and the traffic all but disappears, so you get near-constant sea views and a real sense of having the place to yourself. Rolling rather than mountainous, but the descents back toward Bantry are the best of the trip.
Open in Maps →~72 km · Wolfe Tone Sq, Bantry
Where we landed for dinner in Bantry, on the square by the harbour. The Quays pours a proper pint and does honest bar food, with a reputation locally for its fish and chips and live music some nights. Bantry has plenty of options for an evening meal, but this one looked after us well after a long day on the peninsula.
Open in Maps →0–72 km · Goleen to Bantry
The big thing to plan for is the gaps between services. We refuelled properly before leaving Goleen and grabbed snacks in Durrus, and were glad of both out on Sheep's Head, where cafés and shops are few and far between. There is a good climb around the 50 km mark, so keep something in the tank. The payoff is the run home: long descents and open water all the way into Bantry.
Open in Maps →Where we stayed
A friendly, well-kept B&B in a harbour-front townhouse right in the heart of Bantry, an easy walk from the square, the pubs and the water. Rooms are simple and comfortable with private bathrooms, some with sea views, and a good breakfast to send you off. Host Kevin is generous with local history and tips, and it is a well-priced, cyclist-welcoming place to land at the end of the day.
From the day
