Adventure Collective
Hiking the Beara Way with Hilltoptreks in Ireland - Cork

Hiking the Beara Way with Hilltoptreks in Ireland

Glengarriffmoderate

Difficulty

moderate

Duration

2–4 days

Fitness Level

Moderate physical fitness is recommended; comfortable walking experience helps enjoy the trail fully.

Overview

Discover the wild beauty of Ireland’s Beara Peninsula on a flexible, self-guided trek with Hilltoptreks. Enjoy stunning coastlines, historic sites, and hassle-free bag transfers as you set your own pace along this iconic 48-mile trail.

Walking Tour
Glengarriff, County Cork

The Beara Way • Ireland

Self Guided Walk on The Beara Way!

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Adventure Photos

The Beara Way • Ireland photo 1

About This Adventure

Embark on a breathtaking self-guided adventure along the Beara Way, a stunning 48-mile trail in Ireland's wild and remote Beara Peninsula. Experience diverse landscapes, daily bag transfers for hassle-free hiking, and the freedom to explore at your own pace. This unforgettable journey combines natural beauty with the thrill of discovery.

Self Guided Walk on The Beara Way!

Rates

4 Day: €466pps (Single supplement: + €180) 5 Day: €569pps (Single supplement: + €240) 6 Day: €655pps (Single supplement: + €300) 7 Day: €765pps (Single supplement: + €360) 8 Day: €875pps (Single supplement: + €420) 9 Day: €985pps (Single supplement: + €480) 10 Day: €1095pps (Single supplement: + €540) 11 Day: €1195pps (Single supplement: + €600) 12 Day: €1295pps (Single supplement: + €660)

Duration

Varies by selection

About

The Beara Peninsula, sits at the south west of Ireland and juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. It sits in both the counties of Cork and Kerry and is approx 48miles of hiking trail from Glengariff to Dursey sounds. It is probably one of the most remote of the peninsulas that sit in this part of Ireland and some might say the most beautiful and wild. A premier location to walk in Ireland. A location like no other for a walking holiday in Ireland, the Beara way has everything a hiking tour should.

We will organize every aspect of your adventure travel, we even move your bags each day to your next accommodation. This is backpacking without the backache.

4 Days Self Guided on the Beara Way

Day 1 Arrive Glengarriff. Day 2: Glengarriff – Adrigole – 16Km, Ascent 685m, Descent 679m. Day 3: Adrigole - Castletownbere - 21.7Km, Ascent 781m, Descent 792m. Day 4: Depart Castletownbere.

5 Days Self Guided on the Beara Way

Day 1 Arrive Glengarriff. Day 2: Glengarriff – Adrigole – 16Km, Ascent 685m, Descent 679m. Day 3: Adrigole - Castletownbere - 21.7Km, Ascent 781m, Descent 792m. Day 4: Castletownbere - Allihies - 13.6Km, Ascent 517m, Descent 552m. Day 5: Depart Allihies

6 Days on the Beara Way

Day 1 Arrive Glengarriff. Day 2: Glengarriff – Adrigole – 16Km, Ascent 685m, Descent 679m. Day 3: Adrigole - Castletownbere - 21.7Km, Ascent 781m, Descent 792m. Day 4: Castletownbere - Allihies - 13.6Km, Ascent 517m, Descent 552m. Day 5: Allihies - Eyeries - 11.2Km, Ascent 393m, Descent 378m Day 6: Depart Eyeries.

7 Days on the Beara Way

Day 1 Arrive Glengarriff. Day 2: Glengarriff – Adrigole – 16Km, Ascent 685m, Descent 679m. Day 3: Adrigole - Castletownbere - 21.7Km, Ascent 781m, Descent 792m. Day 4: Castletownbere - Allihies - 13.6Km, Ascent 517m, Descent 552m. Day 5: Allihies - Eyeries - 11.2Km, Ascent 393m, Descent 378m Day 6: Eyeries – Lauragh - 25.4Km, Ascent 628m, Descent 709m Day 7: Depart Lauragh.

8 Days on the Beara Way

(Notice longer walking days between Eyeries and Kenmare) Day 1 Arrive Glengarriff. Day 2: Glengarriff – Adrigole – 16Km, Ascent 685m, Descent 679m. Day 3: Adrigole - Castletownbere - 21.7Km, Ascent 781m, Descent 792m. Day 4: Castletownbere - Allihies - 13.6Km, Ascent 517m, Descent 552m. Day 5: Allihies - Eyeries - 11.2Km, Ascent 393m, Descent 378m Day 6: Eyeries – Lauragh - 25.4Km, Ascent 628m, Descent 709m Day 7: Lauragh – Kenmare – 23.4Km, Ascent 831m, Descent 837m Day 8: Depart Kenmare.

9 Days Self Guided on the Beara Way

Day 1 Arrive Glengarriff. Day 2: Glengarriff – Adrigole – 16Km, Ascent 685m, Descent 679m. Day 3: Adrigole - Castletownbere - 21.7Km, Ascent 781m, Descent 792m. Day 4: Castletownbere - Allihies - 13.6Km, Ascent 517m, Descent 552m. Day 5: Allihies - Eyeries - 11.2Km, Ascent 393m, Descent 378m Day 6 Eyeries - Ardgroom - 14.5Km, Ascent 232m, Descent 227m Day 7: Ardgroom - Tuosist / Lauragh -16.4Km, Ascent 396m, Descent 482m Day 8: Tuosist / Lauragh - Kenmare – 18.5Km, Ascent 736m, Descent 633m Day 9: Depart Kenmare.

10 Day Self Guided on the Beara Way

Day 1 Arrive Glengarriff. Day 2: Glengarriff – Adrigole – 16Km, Ascent 685m, Descent 679m. Day 3: Adrigole - Castletownbere - 21.7Km, Ascent 781m, Descent 792m. Day 4: Castletownbere - Allihies - 13.6Km, Ascent 517m, Descent 552m. Day 5: Allihies - Eyeries - 11.2Km, Ascent 393m, Descent 378m Day 6 Eyeries - Ardgroom - 14.5Km, Ascent 232m, Descent 227m Day 7: Ardgroom - Tuosist / Lauragh -16.4Km, Ascent 396m, Descent 482m Day 8: Tuosist / Lauragh - Kenmare – 18.5Km, Ascent 736m, Descent 633m Day 9: Kenmare – Glengarriff – 23Km – Ascent 576m, Descent 572m. Day 10: Depart Glengarriff.

10 Days Self-Guided on the Beara Way with Dursey Sound

(Notice longer walking days between Eyeries and Kenmare) Day 1: Arrive Glengarriff. Day 2: Glengarriff – Adrigole – 16Km, Ascent 732m, Descent 735m Day 3: Adrigole - Castletownbere – 20.5Km, Ascent 781m, Descent 792m Day 4: Castletownbere - Allihies - 13.2Km, Ascent 552m, Descent 517m Day 5: Allihies to Dursey Sound – 11.3Km, Ascent 388m, Descent 426m Day 6: Transfer to Allihies - Eyeries - 11.78Km, Ascent 379m, Descent 393m Day 7: Eyeries – Lauragh - 25.4Km, Ascent 628m, Descent 709m Day 8: Lauragh – Kenmare – 23.4Km, Ascent 831m, Descent 837m Day 9: Kenmare – Glengarriff – 23Km – Ascent 576m, Descent 572m. Day 10: Depart Glengarriff.

11 Days Self-Guided on the Beara Way with Dursey Sound

Day 1: Arrive Glengarriff. Day 2: Glengarriff – Adrigole – 16Km, Ascent 732m, Descent 735m Day 3: Adrigole - Castletownbere – 20.5Km, Ascent 781m, Descent 792m Day 4: Castletownbere - Allihies - 13.2Km, Ascent 552m, Descent 517m Day 5: Allihies to Dursey Sound – 11.3Km, Ascent 388m, Descent 426m Day 6: Transfer to Allihies - Eyeries - 11.2Km, Ascent 393m, Descent 378m Day 7 Eyeries - Ardgroom - 14.5Km, Ascent 232m, Descent 227m Day 8: Ardgroom - Tuosist / Lauragh -16.4Km, Ascent 396m, Descent 482m Day 9: Tuosist / Lauragh - Kenmare – 18.5Km, Ascent 736m, Descent 633m Day 10: Kenmare – Glengarriff – 23Km – Ascent 576m, Descent 572m. Day 11: Depart Glengarriff.

11 Days Self-Guided on the Beara Way with Dursey Island

(Notice longer walking days between Eyeries and Kenmare) Day 1: Arrive Glengarriff. Day 2: Glengarriff – Adrigole – 16Km, Ascent 732m, Descent 735m Day 3: Adrigole - Castletownbere – 20.5Km, Ascent 781m, Descent 792m Day 4: Castletownbere - Allihies - 13.2Km, Ascent 552m, Descent 517m Day 5: Allihies to Dursey Sound – 11.3Km, Ascent 388m, Descent 426m Day 6: Visit Dursey Island – Varied Walks on Dursey Island. Day 7: Transfer to Allihies - Eyeries - 11.78Km, Ascent 379m, Descent 393m Day 8: Eyeries – Lauragh - 25.4Km, Ascent 628m, Descent 709m Day 9: Lauragh – Kenmare – 23.4Km, Ascent 831m, Descent 837m Day 10: Kenmare – Glengarriff – 23Km – Ascent 576m, Descent 572m. Day 11: Depart Glengarriff.

12 Day Self-Guided on the Beara Way with Dursey Island

Day 1: Arrive Glengarriff. Day 2: Glengarriff – Adrigole – 16Km, Ascent 732m, Descent 735m Day 3: Adrigole - Castletownbere – 20.5Km, Ascent 781m, Descent 792m Day 4: Castletownbere - Allihies - 13.2Km, Ascent 552m, Descent 517m Day 5: Allihies to Dursey Sound – 11.3Km, Ascent 388m, Descent 426m Day 6: Visit Dursey Island – Varied Walks on Dursey Island. Day 7: Transfer to Allihies - Eyeries - 11.78Km, Ascent 379m, Descent 393m Day 8 Eyeries - Ardgroom - 14.5Km, Ascent 232m, Descent 227m Day 9: Ardgroom - Tuosist / Lauragh -16.4Km, Ascent 396m, Descent 482m Day 10: Tuosist / Lauragh - Kenmare – 18.5Km, Ascent 736m, Descent 633m Day 11: Kenmare – Glengarriff – 23Km – Ascent 576m, Descent 572m. Day 12: Depart Glengarriff.

Payments: A deposit of 10% is required to secure your booking and your balance is due 6 weeks prior to Tour / Walk Start date. Your Deposit will be returned to you if we are unsuccessful in securing your trip or accommodation.

Cancellation Policy:

  • Loss of deposit applies for cancellations made 6 weeks or more in advance.
  • Cancellation fee of 40% applies for cancellations made less than 41 days in advance.
  • Cancellation fee of 80% applies for cancellations made less than 4 weeks in advance.
  • Cancellation fee of 100% applies for cancellations made less than 2 weeks in advance, or in case of no-show.

Balance is due 6 weeks in advance. The balance of the cost of your tour / walk (including any applicable surcharge) is due not less than 6 weeks prior to scheduled departure. If we do not receive this balance in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you in which case we shall retain your deposit.

Adventure Tips

Pack layers for variable weather

Weather can change quickly on the coast, so bring clothing suitable for rain, wind, and sunshine.

Start early in the day

Beginning your hike early allows you to make the most of daylight and avoid potential afternoon weather shifts.

Carry a local map or GPS

Even with well-marked trails, having navigation tools helps you stay confident on less-traveled sections.

Respect local wildlife and flora

Keep a safe distance from animals and avoid disturbing native plants to help preserve the area's natural beauty.

Local Insights

Wildlife

  • Bald eagles
  • Puffins along the coast

History

The Beara Peninsula has been inhabited for thousands of years, with evidence of ancient settlements and stone forts dotting the landscape.

Conservation

Hilltoptreks emphasizes sustainable practices, encouraging hikers to minimize their environmental impact and support local communities.

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Adventure Hotspots in Cork

Frequently Asked Questions

Recommended Gear

Waterproof jacket

Essential

A waterproof shell keeps you dry during sudden rain showers common in Ireland.

spring|summer|fall|winter specific

Walking boots

Essential

Sturdy, supportive boots are vital for uneven terrain along the trail.

Meal supplies

Pack snacks and meals for days with limited dining options on the route.

Sun protection

Sunscreen and hat help shield you from the Irish sun during summer hikes.

summer specific