Beara Peninsula: Ireland’s Quiet Coastal Secret

Ireland’s southwest coast has its famous stars: Kerry, Dingle, and the Cliffs of Moher. Yet, tucked quietly between Bantry Bay and the Kenmare River lies the Beara Peninsula, often overlooked and utterly unforgettable.

It’s a place where mountain ridges tumble toward the sea, brightly painted villages defy grey skies, and old copper mines and stone circles share the land with sheep and wild heather.

Because it attracts fewer tour buses than its neighbors, Beara offers something rare: space to wander without all the crowds.

The roads curve gently; the air tastes of salt; and the views stretch far beyond the horizon. Life here moves at its own rhythm and, when we match its pace, we’re richly rewarded.

The Curves of Healy Pass

The road that cuts through the Caha Mountains between Lauragh and Adrigole is a secret carved into stone. Known as Healy Pass, it twists and turns upon itself, climbing past shimmering lakes and barren ridges.

At the summit, the world opens wide with valleys that tumble into the sea, peaks that dissolve into the horizon, and clouds that glide like theatre curtains.

Driving here is both a challenge and a delight. The lanes are narrow and the bends are sharp, but every turn reveals a new composition of mountain and sky.

Pull into a lay-by, switch off the engine, and listen. You’ll hear wind in the grass, silence in the stones, and the distant cry of a raven. Few roads capture the raw drama of Ireland in quite the same way.

The Villages Painted in Bright Hues

Beara is known for its color. Not only the green of the hills or the grey of the Atlantic skies, but the villages themselves.

Eyeries sits above Coulagh Bay, and its houses are painted in sherbet shades of turquoise, lemon, coral, and violet.

Allihies, once the heart of a copper-mining industry, glows with cheerful facades that brighten the rugged cliffs nearby.

Ardgroom, quieter still, hides megalithic stone circles that are just a short walk from its painted streets.

And these villages aren’t a stage set for visitors. They’re working communities where children run between shopfronts and smoke curls from chimneys in winter.

Whether it’s a pint in the pub, a walk along the lanes, or a chat with a shopkeeper, these simple encounters are the true heart of Beara.

The Islands Beyond

Offshore, Beara stretches into a scatter of islands. Dursey Island is reachable, not by ferry, but by cable car. It’s the only one of its kind in Ireland and the only sea-crossing cable car in Europe.

Suspended above the Atlantic, you’ll sway across the ocean to a landscape of windswept fields and lonely headlands, perfect for a day-long ramble.

Bere Island, which is larger and more settled, is steeped in military history, with old fortifications scattered across its hills.

Garnish Island, closer to Glengarriff, is a different kind of wonder with a sheltered microclimate where subtropical gardens bloom among Italianate terraces and exotic plants.

Each island is its own world, yet all share the quiet, unhurried character of Beara itself.

Walking the Beara Way

If you prefer to move at a slower rhythm, you’ll enjoy the Beara Way. It stretches for 112 miles, circling the peninsula with mountain passes, coastal tracks, and forest trails.

It’s one of Ireland’s great long-distance walks, though you don’t need to tackle the whole thing.

A single day’s section, perhaps from Castletownbere toward Allihies, or over the ridges near Glengarriff, will give you a delicious taste of the landscape.

Even if you remain on the roads, driving the Ring of Beara offers similar rewards. Less famous than the Ring of Kerry, it winds through hamlets, passes ancient stone circles, and delivers sea views that go on forever. 

Whether on foot, by bike, or in your car, Beara is happy to reveal itself, but only at a slow and steady pace.