Sheep's Head - Cahergal Loop
Grade
Strenuous
Length
8.6 km
Time
3 hours
Format
Loop
Ascent
220 m
Dogs Allowed
No
Waymarking
Purple arrow
Start Point
The Black Gate Trailhead
Finish Point
The Black Gate Trailhead
Nearest Town to Start
Kilcrohane
Grid Ref.
V 782 361
Lat. and Long.
51.56423, -9.75633
This loop traverses the width of the narrow Sheep's Head Peninsula on laneways, tracks and mountain paths, passing through the remains of mine buildings at Crimea and close to cliffs, including a short cliff path with rope handrail. There are fine views towards the neighbouring Beara and Mizen Peninsulas.
Maps and other information
GPX File
Trail Management
The Sheep's Head Way Committee Durrus, Bantry, Co.Cork
+353 27 61052 or +353 86 8778604
OSI Maps
Discovery Series Sheet 88
Tomas from United States
Great trail through very beautiful countryside, one of my favourite parts of the world to walk.
Recommend doing the walk in the direction suggested i.e. anti-clockwise. I did it clockwise, in error, and it made spotting the markers more difficult.
On the downside the trail needs some maintenance, it looks like it has not had much in a couple of years. This was especially true on my walk in Oct 2019 after a very wet night. Parts of the trail were basically a stream. The latter part of the walk (or initial if you do it in the correct direction) involved too much, in my opinion, unnecessary elevation change (up and down) as you are directed around the gullys on the side of the hill. It would have been easier to just go to the top of the hill once and then down.
Recommend doing the walk in the direction suggested i.e. anti-clockwise. I did it clockwise, in error, and it made spotting the markers more difficult.
On the downside the trail needs some maintenance, it looks like it has not had much in a couple of years. This was especially true on my walk in Oct 2019 after a very wet night. Parts of the trail were basically a stream. The latter part of the walk (or initial if you do it in the correct direction) involved too much, in my opinion, unnecessary elevation change (up and down) as you are directed around the gullys on the side of the hill. It would have been easier to just go to the top of the hill once and then down.
CP from Cork