Amenities

Castletownbere Holiday Homes activities at Goldwater Cottages

On Site activities to be enjoyed:

• Tennis Courts
• Walking trips organised, maps provided and information
• Cycling trips organised, maps and information provided
• Jacuzzi in each cottage
• Patio areas and Garden furniture
• Barbeque area
• Safe spacious garden

West Cork Nearby Activities

• WALKING

Beara is renowned for having one of the most spectacular and well laid out set of walking routes nationally. The “Beara Way” offers amazing hill walking, criss-crossing the Beara Peninsula. This route is a couple of hundred meters from Goldwater Holiday Cottages.

Goldwater provides the ideal location for hill walking.  We have four specific walks on quiet mountain sides, ranging from 6 to  12km in length organised for you.  Three of these walks leave from Goldwater, and offer beautiful hill views of Bantry Bay  and Bere-island and over the vast atlantic Ocean.  These routes follow known mapped and marked routes.

Walk 1: (10 km Goldwater to Base of Hungry Hill)

Depart Goldwater and walk east along the hill of Mailin, and Hungry Hill.  We can organise transport for you to be picked up at the end of this walk. Visit the magalitic and wedge graves on the route.

Walk 2 (6km Loop walk Goldwater via Hills returns) 
This loop walk begins and ends at Goldwater.  Beautiful walk via the hills on marked walks all around Castletownbere.  Many architectural features on the way.

Walk 3 (12km Goldwater to Bere-Island return)

This is indeed a unique walk.  Walk 1km to the ferry.  Cross to Bere-island for 20 mins, then walk the loop around Bere-Island.  This is a very historic island.  Being a British naval base until recently.This strategic island played a role in history’s major wards.  There are many artefacts, watch out towers, guns, training camps, military houses, light houses, old signal towers, as well as ancient megalithic and wedge tombs. Return to Goldwater via the ferry.  Delightful walk.

Walk 4: (9km Dursey Island)

Exhilarating experience, walk through time as this enthralling walk takes you to where time began, on the western tip of Dursey Island,  A bus/taxi can be got from Goldwater, then take the cable car for a half km over the sea to the island, and walk the marked loop walk.  Now a national heritage area, and renowned for bird watching, the derelict cottages and huts, are testimony of a different era.  The written word cannot describe adequately this walk. Your map of the walk will also contain the history of the island. A must walk.

• CYCLING

Beara is the ideal location for some cycling during your holiday.  Bicycles can be hired locally.   We can provide you at Goldwater with a special cycling map, giving details of the routes, distance and on route information.  There is no start or finish to the Beara cycling route, which is a 138 km long, and this gives the cyclist the opportunity to pick his or her own routes.  The routes are based mainly on quieter country roads, which take you closer to the scenery.  The routes are sign-posted with a special logo and bicycle symbol. This is a beautiful way to discover the undiscovered, hidden corners of the majestic Beara Penninsula.

• SAILING
  Learn to sail, drive a power boat or improve your nautical skills at West Cork Sailing Centre, in Adrigole.

• SHORE ANGLING 
  There are numerous safe fishing spots which are especially designated for fishing off the Beara coastline.

• DEEP SEA ANGLINGBoats may be hired locally and experienced guides are available by prior arrangement.

• GOLF
  For those who prefer tranquility and sport, there is a nine hole golf course in Castletownbere and Glengarriff.

• HORSE RIDING
  Horse riding is available locally at the famous Dunboy Castle and at Allihies Stables.

• BEACHES
  There is a beautiful shingle beach just a couple hundred meters through the fields from Goldwater Holiday Cottages. There are other beaches, as well as the famous Ballydonegan Beach near Allihies

MISCELLANEOUS THINGS TO DO & SEE

Drive the amazing Healy Pass and the Ring of Beara. Stop off at Dursey sound and take the spectacular trip by cable car to Dursey Island.

For the Archaeologically minded, there are many sites to visit. Ogham stones, stone circles, forts etc.

Place’s of Interest and other pursuits
Trout fishing at Glenbeg near Ardgroom and Derryvegal lakes, visit the highest waterfall in Ireland near Hungry Hill, Adrigole.

Take a trip to Bere Island and see its ancient Military bases.
Visit Dunboy Castle (the home of O’Sullivan Bere).

Beara also boasts two famous gardens, The Italian Gardens on Garnish Island, Glengarriff and Dereen Tropical Gardens in Lauragh.

MEDITATION
Dzogchen Beara is a world famous Tibetan Buddhist retreat centre. Visitors are always welcome to visit the centre. It is located high on the cliff tops and affords spectacular views of the Atlantic….well worth a visit!!!

ART GALLERIES 
Beara is the home of the worlds finest Artists. This is because they find peace and tranquillity of the area inspirational. Many of these Artists welcome visitors into their homes/Galleries.