Scenic Daytrip from Cork city?

Hi,
Am travelling with two teens from Canada. We are staying in Cork city and have plans to do the Cliffs of Moher tour, to visit Blarney Castle, to visit Cobh, and to visit Cork city. For one day we would like to do something peaceful and not so touristy. Specifically we are looking for a scenic daytrip to a quiet and scenic beach we can do on our own via public transit. We just want to go for a hike, enjoy the natural scenery, and take lots of pictures. I had looked up Ballycotton, but am concerned about the infrequency of public transit (i.e., we could get stranded). Is Ballycotton worth the visit? Is there something closer or more easily accessible? Any suggestions?

Hi Kathleen, 

Your trip so far sounds wonderful already! A peaceful visit to the beach is a great way to relax and take in the scenery.
There are many lovely beaches in the area to choose from that can easily be reached by public transport, and I have collected a few suggestions for you below: 

• Fountainstown Beach - This beach is the closest to Cork city, with some great views. Hop on the 220X bus, to Fountainstown. Myrtleville Beach is about a 10 minutes walk down the hill from Crosshaven Rugby Club, and from there you can walk along the coast to Fountainstown Beach. 
• The Warren - A little bit further from the city, but definitely worth the trip! Take the 237 bus, and then it is a 20 minutes walk from Rosscarbery.
• Garrettstown Beach - This suggestion depends on when you are planning on visiting us, since the 226 bus service only runs in the summer. The beach is just a short walk from Ballinspittle.

Hi Melin,
Thanks for the info re the beaches. As a bit of background, we will be in Cork for 4 days in July--using it as a home base. We plan to visit Cork city, Blarney Castle (and town), the Cliffs of Moher, and Cobh. We had one day that we thought would be nice if we could go to a scenic beach. Primarily to enjoy the scenery and the ocean air.

From the beaches you listed, it looks like Fountainsview would be the easiest to get to--as we are reliant on public transport. It appears that we'd need to take a taxi from the airport in Cork to get to Garrettstown beach (the 226 only goes as far as the airport). So, that might get too pricey. The Warren sounds really great, but it would be a 2 hour bus ride, so I'm not so sure on that one.

We're looking for a beautiful hike or something off the beaten track that's worth seeing. Would you think Fountainsview would do that? Is there any other place (beach or other natural area) that you might recommend that's not too far from Cork city?

Thanks!
Kathleen
PS Is there a place to look up tide schedules for beaches?

Hi Kathleen,

Thanks for your reply! You've chosen a great time of year for a visit to one of Cork's beaches. :) 

The walk up to Fountainstown Beach has some lovely views along the way, and is a great destination for a relaxing day out. It's also helpful that it's not too far from Cork, so you won't have to worry as much about time. You can find the tide forecast along Cork's coastline for up to 7 days by clicking here.

What I would absolutely recommend if you're trying to go off the beaten track, is Gougane Barra National Forest Park. It's not possible to get close by public transport, but About Cork Taxi Tours organises day tours to this wonderful area. Would this be an option?

Hope this helps! :)

Hello, Kathleen!

I hope you are well. Did you find any peaceful places during your journey to Ireland? I and the other members would love to hear more about your trip. If you've bumped into some hidden spots and you've snapped nice photos, feel free to share them with us. 

Looking forward to hearing about it!

Francesco