'Ring of Beara' and
'Mizen/Sheep's Head'

Thank you for your enquiry about Irish PRoFS. As requested, I enclose route details for two 200km circuits, viz ‘Ring of Beara’ and ‘Mizen/Sheep’s Head’, which are both based on Bantry, but may be started from any point en route.

Ring of Beara [201km]:
Bantry - N71/T65 to Glengarriff - R572/L61 thro’ Adrigole and Castletownbere to Garnish, cont. ($ ‘Cable Car’) to control (eg ‘Windy Point House’ cafe) [76];
retrace - L@T on R575/L61a to Eyeries - L $ ‘Ring of Beara’ to Gortgarriff [32];
cont. to Ardgroom - L@T on R571/L62 thro’ Lauragh (or L on longer but flatter R573 coast road thro’ Bunaw to Ardea) to Kenmare - main road thro' town, R@T, L@T R569/l62 (or minor road south of river) to Kilgarvan [59] [62 via R573];
R on minor road opp. garage $ Bantry, over pass to Coomhola Bridge - L@T on N71/T65 to Bantry [34].

Mizen/Sheep’s Head [207km]:
Bantry - N71/T65 (or minor road past hospital to Cullomane X-rds where) - L on R586/T65 to Aghaville - R on R594/L60 to Derreeny Bridge - R on R593/L59 thro’ Skibbereen - L on R596/L60 to Castletownshend [36]; minor rds along coast thro’ Bawnlahan - L@T on R595/L59 to Baltimore [22];
retrace & cont. on R595/L59 towards Skibbereen - keep L on minor road by estuary to New Bridge - L to cross bridge - L@T on N71/L42 - L on R592/L57 to Ballydehob - (recommended route: L on minor roads thro' Rossbrin & Derrennatra - L@T to rejoin R592/L57) thro’ Skull to Toormore - L@T on R591/L56 to Crookhaven [43];
retrace to L on minor roads around Barley Cove to Mizen Head [11];
retrace then L to follow minor rds along north coast of peninsula thro’ Dunmanus - L@T on R591/L56 to Durrus - L on minor rd thro' Ahakista (Japanese Dinner House!) to Kilcrohane - L to Sheep’s Head [60];
retrace to Kilcrohane - L along south coast of Bantry Bay thro’ Gerahies - L@T on N71/T65 to Bantry [35].

NB: Control stamps should be obtained at (or as near as possible) to places in bold type; bars may be your best bet and often double as the general store, but improvise if necessary by noting local information (a relaxed approach should be adopted in keeping with the pace of life in this part of the world!). Distances in kilometres between controls are noted [in square brackets]; road signs may show distances in miles or kilometres or both and road classification is in the (long and relaxed) process of being changed from T(runk) and L(ink) to N(ational) and R(egional) so both designations are indicated as per Michelin sheet 405; for more detail obtain the recently updated OS quarter-inch ‘South’ regional sheet, or the old half-inch sheets 20 (Kerry) & 24 (West Cork). The ‘Irish Cycling Guide’ by Brendan Walsh (published by Gill & Macmillan) describes routes and gives useful local information.

David Lewis
12 Ethel Street, Canton, Cardiff, CF5 1EJ (tel: 029 20384806)