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UPDATE
Open as a Self-Catering Holiday Home from June 29th
Open as a Self-Catering Holiday Home from June 29th
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Cork is often overlooked as one of the top places to see in Ireland, with most tourists opting to stay around Dublin or heading West. While Visiting Cork city is known to be one of the most friendly cities in Ireland, if not the world, I believe the real hidden Ireland is to be found in the Cork countryside. From Fota Wildlife Park to Gougane Barra, there are so many fun things to do outdoors in County Cork Having spent the last 2 months in Cork exploring home territory, below are my top 17 things to do .while Visiting Cork.
If you want to head straight for the English Market or on a food tour of Cork city, go ahead, but the real secrets are to be found in the countryside. One of the top places to visit in Ireland, to trip to the Emerald Isle would be complete without a few days in Cork!
My Top 17 Things To Do in when Visiting Cork
I remember visiting this place as a child and being fascinated with every miniature town and every tiny building, wondering how they made such perfect replicas of Cork’s best known villages and towns. Clonakilty Model Railway Village is a dream come true for a return and every kid to childhood for imaginative adults!
As the name of this places indicates, expect to see lots of model trains doing the rounds around the village as well as an old steam carriage which now acts as a brilliant little cafe. You can also take the Choo Choo Train from the village on a tour of Clonakilty Town.
The story behind the stunning old railway walk from Carrigaline to Crosshaven is what makes this beautiful walk all the more interesting. The walk connects two of Cork’s villages and runs the length of the old railway line that used to connect Crosshaven with Cork City.
The building of the walk, including digging the pathway, the placement of benches at intervals throughout the landscaping and the walk and planting of flowers was not done by the local council but was carried out by two local men, Bill Condon and Eddie Cogan in 1996.
Garnish Island near Glengarriff is by far one of the most unique places to visit in Cork. Situated in a protected part of Bantry Bay, the island has a micro-climate unlike anywhere else in Ireland. Here you will find exotic plant life not normally found in Ireland, plants that flourish due to the sheltered nature of the harbour and the effects of the warm gulf stream which pass by the island.
On the ferry ride to the island you will stop by the famous seal island, home to hundreds of friendly (and very loud!) fur seals! You should also look out for rare birds, such as white-tailed sea eagles, and you might even spot some dolphins.
One of the top 50 unique things to do in Ireland, kayaking in the pitch dark in Lough Hyne is also one of the most unique things to do in Cork. You will set out before nightfall to let your eyes adjust gradually to the darkness, and once the sun has fully set you will paddle your way through the lake, mesmerised by the bioluminescent plankton that glows in the water while listening to interesting tales from your guide and learning all about Lough Hyne’s unique biodiversity as Europe’s only saltwater lake. Contact Atlantic Sea Kayaking for more information.
If you’re looking for cool things to do in Cork but are short on time, I highly recommend checking out a trad session in Sin E if you’re looking for cool things to do in Cork but are short on time. One of Cork’s most loved pubs, Sin E will charm the pants off you. With live traditional music (and not the type you’ll find in Dublin’s touristy Temple bar district!!) many nights a week, an evening in here will be an evening to remember. Full of characters holding up the bar and some very interesting decor including an old barbers chair upstairs, this cosy but tiny pub is one of Cork’s true hidden gems. Located on Coburg Street– check out their FB page for updates and events.
This is another fun thing to do within walking distance of the city. Feeding, or simple observing, the ducks up at The Lough has been an age-old tradition in Cork, especially among locals from the area. Below is fun video documentary about Cork’s famous “talking ducks”!
Blackrock Observatory is one of the best attractions in or near Cork City. If you’re not interested in space or the stars, you can go or a lovely walk near the castle and finish up in the castle cafe which serves up some delicious home-cooked cork treats.
A trip to cork, and Ireland’s, most famous cookery school at Ballymaloe House will send your senses into overdrive. First of all the delicious food you will be served is all sourced locally, with the menu changing daily, and prepared and cooked by students from the cooking school. Should you be lucky and visit when the sun is shining, you can enjoy a walk around the beautiful house and gardens and understand why so many Corkonians choose to host their weddings at this incredible venue. If you’re lucky you might even be introduced to the resident owner, girl boss and celebrity chef Darina Allen! Girl boss and celebrity chef Darina Allen if you’re lucky you might even be introduced to the resident owner!
Voted Ireland’s best beach, Inchydoney Island is one of the most spectacular beaches in Cork. Stretching on for miles on either side of the island (where the award-winning Inchydoney Island Hotel is located) this beach is also a top spot for surfing, especially in winter. Granted you’ll have to wear a horrible wetsuit and the water will of course be absolutely freezing, but nothing will cure your hangover quicker or make you feel more alive than an early morning surf! One of the best beaches on Ireland’s wild Atlantic way, and the finish line of one of the world’s most epic road trips.
If you want to do some good while visiting Cork, adopting a donkey seems a pretty great place to start!! The Donkey Sanctuary at Liscarroll near Mallow is free to visit but you will be given the choice to “Adopt a Donkey” while there which means the money you donate will go towards the upkeep of the sanctuary and taking care of your donkey. Don’t worry, you don’t have to take the donkey home with you, but you can leave with the knowledge that your donation will help the donkey have a happier life!
With the best beer garden in Ireland and one of the most stunning views, a day trip to West Cork should definitely be one of the first things you do while visiting Cork! Be sure to walk up to the famous beacon or hop on the ferry and head over to the beautiful Sherkin Island for the day.
The coastal town of Cobh is famous for being the last port of call for the ill-fated Titanic before it sailed out to sea. These days the picturesque town, famous for its beautiful cathedral and the colourful ‘house of cards’ street, is also a great place to spend an afternoon. Waving them off as they sail out into Cork Harbour, regardless if you know anyone on board or not, is certainly a unique way to spend an afternoon in Cork!
Before local people go wild at me saying “Fota is hardly a hidden gem”, it should be noted that just because us locals love Ireland’s only wildlife park does not necessarily mean that visitors will have a clue what it is or where it is !! First of all, Fota is NOT a zoo. The animals are in wide open spaces and roam around freely, to an extent.
The best part is waking (or taking the train) around the park and observing the giraffes munching on the trees or allowing a cheeky peacock to steal your sandwich at lunch! You can get right up close to the kangaroos which aren’t locked in anywhere and watching the monkeys swinging around their own private island could occupy the entire family for hours.
Last Saturday I spent my morning on a Fab Food Tour of Cork. I couldn’t believe how little I knew about my own city and how clueless I was about where the food I eat every day comes from. It was fascinating to do a food tour in my own city, to discover new foods, new restaurants, and new people along the way. This is a way better alternative to your usual walking tour of a city and I highly recommend signing up to a food tour on your first day in Cork– you’ll be sorted for places to eat for the duration of your stay! Be sure to check out the English Market too– a landmark building and historic marketplace
While Kinsale’s Charles Fort and James Fort have become popular tourists attractions in Cork, most people seem to forget about Camden Fort, close to Crosshaven. While the fort is sadly only open at weekends, it has been beautifully preserved and is well worth the trip down to Crosshaven.
You can take stunning photos across Cork Harbour to Cobh in one direction, Spike island in an another and over to Roches Point lighthouse in yet another direction. During the summer months you will find family fun days and sometimes the rooms are used for local events such as art exhibitions.
By far my absolute FAVOURITE place in Ireland, Gougane Barra always has this special effect on me– pulling me, mesmerising me, reassuring me that Ireland really is as naturally beautiful as we all imagined. While it’s not exactly on, nor is it off, the tourist trail, I always find myself one of the only people there. You can easily go for a walk and suddenly find yourself totally alone surrounded by towering mountains and flat calm lake that almost seems magical.
The church here, St Fin Barres Oratory, is both perfect and tiny at the same time. I will never get sick of seeing it reflected in the lake water, and I could easily return here every weekend and never get bored. If you’re looking for a place to stay nearby, I can recommend the Gougane Barra Hotel– you can’t possibly wake up to a more beautiful view if you’re looking for a place to stay nearby.
While it’s quite the mission to get to and involves a 45 minute ferry ride from Baltimore, once you arrive on Cape Clear Island you will never look back. This very remote and sparsely populated corner of Ireland is also predominantly a Gaelic speaking district, which means inhabitants speak Irish first and English second.
There’s a shop, a pub, an abbey and a school and … not much else! If you walk to the top of the island you will find a sweet old man who sells delicious ice-cream which he hand makes from goats milk.. The fact that he is blind doesn’t stop him at all, and a visit here will be a real highlight of any trip to Cape Clear. Be sure to check out the annual storytelling festival and if you want to stay somewhere truly unique, book into the luxury yurts for a bit glamping!
If you are visiting County Cork then Ballyhoura Luxury Hostel is the ideal accommodation for you, family, traveling international Groups. We are located on the borders of Tipperary, Cork & Limerick so there is lots of opportunities to explore some of Irelands best counties
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