Activities in the Area

Suggested days while staying in Bothar Bui;
If you can tear yourself away from relaxing in Bothar Bui and would like to do more than a wander down the wood and a dip in the sea below, here are a few places you might like to visit:

Go right at the top of the drive and head around Kilcatherine where you will come across some antiquities including Kilcatherine church, "the Hag of Beara" and one of the finest examples of an Ogham stone in the world featuring writing in the ancient Ogham alphabet. You might like to continue on to Eyeries village, a very pretty colourful village where you can eat in the Eyeries Bistro in the middle of the village.

Derreen gardens: This is a wonderful place to visit and quite nice even in wet weather, kids love the jungle feel about it. you can have lunch in Helen's bar a mile further along the road on Kilmakillogue pier. Recommended are mussels and brown bread and delicious fresh salmon sandwiches. The gardens are exceptional for rhododhendrons, azaleas and camelias in April/May/June.

Dursey Island: If you're up early you can head for the cable car, its a 50 minute drive, bring a picnic as there is no café or pub there and walk the island, it's a 4 hour round trip walk.

Climb Knockatee hill: Above Kilmakillogue pier, it's an easy climb with a spectacular view, you could follow your climb with a pint in Kilmakillogue and dinner in Josies restaurant on Glanmore Lake.

Garnish beach: take a picnic and visit Allihies on the way home. Drive via Allihies, follow signs to Dursey cable car and you will see signs for Garnish Strand.

Castletownbere: where you will probably do food shopping, you can have a nice lunch in McCarthy's bar, crab sandwiches recommended, or Breens on the square. Visit Sarah Walker gallery and the Millcove gallery with Sculpture garden. There’s a playground at the top of the town.

The cascades is a waterfall into a swimming pool in the river near Eyeries village. Teenagers love jumping in, it’s a beautiful place, not recommended for young children. To find the Cascades, heading towards Castletownbere, take the right turn shortly after Eyeries signposted for Urhan and Allihies. Immediately on your right you will see a green sty over the ditch into a field next to a gate. Pull in here and you will hear the sound of the waterfalling, climb over the sty and cross two fields, it is down to your left, follow the sound of the water. If you are thirsty afterwards Causkey's bar in Eyeries village has a great view. There is a great playground in Eyeries with a café across the street.

Glen Inchiquinn waterfall: about half an hour drive towards Kenmare, this is a spectacular waterfalll, a good thing to do on a wet day when the waterfall will be at its best..

Kenmare: great for shopping, Cleos, Nest and PFK goldsmith. The Purple Heather is great for lunch, the best pubs are Crowleys or Florry Batts. Packie’s restaurant is wonderful, but only open for dinner. The market in Kenmare is on Wednesday mornings.

There is a lovely coastal walk around the Beara way route from Eyeries village to the coast guard station looping all the way back to the village via Eyeries strand, visit Shea’s bar in the village to catch the evening sun outside.

The walk from the Urhan Inn over the old mine mountain road to Allihies is about 2 hours, there’s a beautiful lake hidden at the top.

If you are prepared for the big boat trip and a drive to the boat (about an hour and 40 mins) organise a day out to the Skelligs, it's a trip of a life time. You need to book up to months in advance and it is weather dependant. John Lar O’Shea 087 6898431