Choose Your Hike

We offer different tour grading levels depending on the balance of physical challenge and comfort level that you require

Gentle Hikes

Our Gentle Hiking Tours are designed with the part-time hiker in mind.

People for whom taking photos, meeting the locals and enjoying a long lunch are as important as the hike itself.

Although this tour is graded as 'Gentle' there are some days that are more challenging, due to rugged and boggy underfoot conditions. Where possible, we have tried to make these sections easier by shortening them or offering route alternatives.

Average Hiking Distance: 13-16km (8-10 miles) per day Average Hiking Time: 4-6 hours per day

See Tours: 5 Tage 6 Tage 7 Tage 8 Tage 9 Tage 10 Tage
5-Tage / 4-Nächte Leicht Castletownbere - Dursey Sound from 499 € per person View Itinerary
6-Tage / 5-Nächte Leicht Bere Island - Dursey Island from 609 € per person View Itinerary
7-Tage / 6-Nächte Leicht Bere Island - Eyeries from 739 € per person View Itinerary
8-Tage / 7-Nächte Leicht Bere Island - Kenmare from 889 € per person View Itinerary
9-Tage / 8-Nächte Leicht Castletownbere - Glengarriff from 999 € per person View Itinerary
10-Tage / 9-Nächte Leicht Bere Island - Glengarriff from 1079 € per person View Itinerary

Moderate Hikes

Our Moderate Hiking Tours will suit people who are used to regular exercise.

Hikers will appreciate the chance to cover plenty of ground each day without going beyond their limits.

Although this tour is graded as 'Moderate' there are some days that are more challenging, due to rugged and boggy underfoot conditions. Where possible, we have tried to make these sections easier by shortening them or offering route alternatives.

Average Hiking Distance: 19-21km (12-13.5 miles) per day Average Hiking Time: 5-7 hours per day

See Tours: 5 Tage 6 Tage 7 Tage 8 Tage 9 Tage 10 Tage 11 Tage
5-Tage / 4-Nächte Moderat Bere Island - Dursey Island from 499 € per person View Itinerary
6-Tage / 5-Nächte Moderat Glengarriff - Dursey Sound from 609 € per person View Itinerary
7-Tage / 6-Nächte Moderat Glengarriff - Dursey Island from 739 € per person View Itinerary
8-Tage / 7-Nächte Moderat Glengarriff - Dursey Island from 889 € per person View Itinerary
9-Tage / 8-Nächte Moderat Glengarriff - Eyeries from 999 € per person View Itinerary
10-Tage / 9-Nächte Moderat Glengarriff - Kenmare from 1079 € per person View Itinerary
11-Tage / 10-Nächte Moderat Glengarriff - Kenmare from 1199 € per person View Itinerary

Challenging Hikes

Are you the type of hiker who sets off in the morning and doesn’t stop until they reach their destination?

If yes, then our Challenging Hiking Tours will be just right for you.

Look out for the 🥾 symbol: this itinerary covers the entire Beara Way trail.

Average Hiking Distance: 22-26km (14-16 miles) per day Average Hiking Time: 5-8 hours per day

See Tours: 7 Tage 8 Tage 9 Tage 10 Tage 11 Tage
7-Tage / 6-Nächte Anspruchsvoll Bere Island - Glengarriff from 739 € per person View Itinerary
8-Tage / 7-Nächte Anspruchsvoll Castletownbere - Glengarriff from 889 € per person View Itinerary
9-Tage / 8-Nächte Anspruchsvoll Bere Island - Glengarriff from 999 € per person View Itinerary
10-Tage / 9-Nächte Anspruchsvoll Glengarriff - Glengarriff from 1079 € per person View Itinerary
11-Tage / 10-Nächte Anspruchsvoll 🥾 Glengarriff - Glengarriff from 1199 € per person View Itinerary

Trail Info

The Route

The Beara Way is traditionally walked in a clockwise direction, starting out from Glengarriff and then heading southwest towards Adrigole and Castletownbere on forest trails and mountain paths. From Castletownbere, a ferry is taken out to Bere Island, which has a lovely coastal trail around the tiny island.

The trail continues on from Castletownbere to the colourful village of Allihies, where it then splits – the trail heading west leads to Dursey Sound. From there, a cable car goes out to Dursey Island where there is a scenic mountainous walk. From Allihies, the trail heading northeast takes you to Eyeries and then Ardgroom, which are two more colourful and picturesque villages.

From Ardgroom, the trail heads through Lauragh and on to Kenmare, along a mixture of mountain paths and deserted minor roads. Kenmare is a popular, bustling tourist town, which links the Beara Way to the south, with the Kerry Way to the north. From Kenmare, the trail turns south on two route options to loop back to Glengarriff, via Bunane.

 

Terrain Overview

The walking route follows forest trails, miners’ tracks, mountain paths, bog roads, cliff and woodland paths, open moorland and quiet tarmac roads. Parts of the trail can be muddy after periods of rain and some of the mountain sections can be quite rugged and remote.

The total aggregate ascent is approximately 5,000m over the entire route and includes a number of steep but short climbs. The only long climb is the mountain section between Glengariff and Adrigole where the trail also reaches its highest elevation of 560m.

Elevation Profile (excluding Bere and Dursey Island)

Elevation Profile Beara Way

Terrain by Stages

Glengarriff – Adrigole: Quiet forest road into a mountain valley, then steep climb on boggy and, especially after rain, in places very wet track and path. Moderately steep descent into Adrigole on the last few kilometres.

Adrigole – Castletownbere: Rugged and sometimes boggy mountain terrain along deserted mountain paths and tracks. Slippery in places if wet.

Bere Island: Coastal tracks and remote paths on the western side towards the lighthouse. Quiet island roads on the eastern side.

Castletownbere – Allihies: Road walk out of Castletownbere, then a quiet mountain path over the hills.

Allihies – Dursey Sound: Coastal path overlooking the Atlantic Ocean as far as Dursey Sound.

Dursey Island: Exposed mountain terrain on the hike to the western end. Return along a scarcely used island road.

Allihies – Eyeries: Mountain track uphill out of Allihies then a boggy path across the side of the hill before descending into Eyeries.

Eyeries – Lauragh: Flat coastal path initially, then a long road walk before a trek across rugged, occasionally boggy terrain.

Lauragh – Kenmare: A road walk followed by more mountainous off-road terrain. Two steeper climbs.

Kenmare – Glengarriff: Road walking from Kenmare to Bunane. Mountain track from Bunane to Glengarriff with stunning views over Bantry Bay.

Prices / What's Included

Length of Tour Price Per Person (€ ) Single Supplement (€ ) :¹
5 days / 4 nights 499 260 BOOK NOW
6 days / 5 nights 609 280 BOOK NOW
7 days / 6 nights 739 320 BOOK NOW
8 days / 7 nights 889 360 BOOK NOW
9 days / 8 nights 999 400 BOOK NOW
10 days / 9 nights 1079 440 BOOK NOW
11 days / 10 nights 1199 490 BOOK NOW
¹A single supplement is an additional charge for walkers booking single accommodation (a room for one person). The total tour price per person requesting a single room is the price per person plus the single supplement.

What’s Included in the Price?

  • Stay in our friendly, family-run guesthouses
  • Relax in comfortable en-suite bedrooms*
  • Big breakfasts will keep you going all day long
  • Luggage? Don’t worry, we’ll move it for you!
  • Detailed maps, route notes and GPS tracks mean you’ll never get lost
  • Walking directions written and updated by the Hillwalk Tours team
  • Local alternative/supplementary route options based on local knowledge
  • Our waterproof map-case keeps your maps and documents dry
  • If you need to contact us, we’re here 24/7 to help
  • Insider tips on the best places to eat and drink**
  • Explore the local history and culture in our fascinating guides
  • Discover the most interesting attractions on the trail
  • Need info on transport? We’re happy to help

* Unless already booked out in which case we’ll try to secure a private bathroom

** You will have the opportunity to purchase picnic lunches and evening meals each day. If you are staying in a remote location, the B&B owner will prepare a tasty surprise for you upon request.

Please Note:

We occasionally charge additional supplements on the Beara Way for tours starting during the high season. This is due to higher costs involved in booking our upgrade option or in cases where our normal accommodation suppliers do not have availability, and an alternative, more expensive, supplier is sourced with your approval.

Extra Days/Activities

Take the time to relax and recharge your batteries – you’ll soon discover there’s more to the Beara Way than hiking!

Glengarriff/Castletownbere/Kenmare: It’s never too hard to find a pub in Ireland and impromptu traditional Irish music sessions can spark up at the drop of a hat.

Allihies: With brightly coloured houses, a sandy beach and a scenic view around every corner, this welcoming and picturesque village at the end of the Beara Peninsula is the perfect spot to recharge your batteries.

Kenmare: Straddling both the Beara Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry, Kenmare is a bustling little town with award-winning hotels, restaurants and gallery’s selling local crafts and artwork.

Booking Extra Days

  1. Choose WHERE you wish to stay.
  2. Decide HOW MANY NIGHTS you need.
  3. Go to the BOOKING FORM and fill in the ‘Extra Nights Required/Other Requests’ section.

The costs of extra nights during your Beara Way hiking tour start from €75 per person per night and from €100 for single hikers who will have their own private room. 

You can also add extra nights in some other popular locations in Ireland: Dublin (Dún Laoghaire), Galway, etc. Please enquire when booking. The costs of these extra nights vary by location and date booked.

Please note that if you book any extra nights in a location not included in your tour itinerary, you will have to make your own arrangements to transfer your bags to this location.

Accommodation

Staying at the very best accommodation during your time in Ireland can transform a “good” hiking tour into a “great” hiking tour.

That’s why, at Hillwalk Tours, we take the quality of our accommodation partners seriously. So much so that you will find we strive to only work with high-quality and well-reviewed accommodation. Additionally, most of our accommodation partners have been personally checked by a member of the Hillwalk Tours team to ensure your comfort.

As keen hikers ourselves we know you’ll want somewhere relaxing to put your feet up in the evening. A place where a warm smile from your hosts makes you feel welcome as soon as you step through the door. If your hiking gear gets wet, it’s nice to know that you can dry it or, if you ask, it may even be taken from you and returned nice and dry the next morning.

Comfy beds, en-suite bathrooms (where available), tasty breakfast menus, and a friendly & cosy atmosphere – these are all the things that we like so you can rest assured that we’ll do our best to find them for you as well.

To find out more about the types of accommodation you can expect to find on a Hillwalk Tours walking holiday, read here: Accommodation on your Walking Tour

In addition, if you’d like to stay an extra night at any location during your hiking tour, just let us know.

Please Note:

Due to limited accommodation options in some locations on your tour, we may need to book you into accommodation which will require transfers to/from your hike start/end point or where you will have private bathroom facilities instead of an ensuite. We may also need to book you into the same accommodation for more than one night to cover multiple locations. The cost of this is covered in your basic tour price and will not affect your tour itinerary.

In general, we try to book accommodation which is as close to the local amenities as possible. If you are staying in a remote location (where access to local pubs/restaurants is not feasible), the hosts of the accommodation that you are staying at will ensure that you are well fed.

Travel Info

Getting to and from your Beara Way hiking tour is easy… when you know how!

In your hiking pack, you will receive all the necessary public transport information you need to make your journey as convenient as possible.

In the meantime, if you’d like to do some advance planning yourself, here are our tips:

Most Convenient Airports

Sustainable Travel (from Europe)

Public Transport

How to Get to the Start-point of your Hiking Tour within Ireland:

Departing from the Beara Peninsula:

Take the public bus to Cork City. From Cork, use train or public bus services.

Travelling by car?

If you would like to leave your car at the first or last accommodation on your tour, for the duration of the tour, then you can directly contact the accommodation owners before the start of your tour to check that this is possible. We will provide contact details for the accommodation provider.

FAQ

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