Hello all,
I am a proper newbie as this is my first post on this site. I am a Kerryman who is currently based in London although I have spent the last 2 months in Northamptonshire staying with a friend in Oundle and walking all over the county - that has been utterly blissful I must say!
I am coming home to see the folks next week. But I must shield from my 84 year old Dad off the plane so I have booked an Air BnB in Skiberreen for 10 days before heading back up to Tralee safe in the knowledge I won't be passing anything on to him. I have 10 days to see the region having very little exprience of it to date - I'd only previously been in Glengariff for a stag - was lovely, we went to Garnish island. So, I have a blank canvass.
I ideally want as much variety as I can get on the trip and to maximise my time there in term of ticking off most of the biggies together with maybe the odd hidden gem or two. I want to try and cover at least 10K of walking a day if possible but I' happy to be flexible if I am following up a really long day with something lighter - like 6,7K with some village time etc. It appears the area has an embarrassment of riches in terms of walks and based on a very cursory glance I put together an initial draft itinerary (see below).
Sunday July 5 - drive to Baltimore, 11AM ferry to Cape Clear - Gleann Barra loop = 4PM ferry back to Baltimore, on to Skibbereen
Monday July 6 - Knockaphucka Loop trail which starts in Goleen - 10K and mizen head walk - circa 4K
Tuesday July 7 - Rooska loop
Wednesday July 8 - Barnageehy loop walk
Thursday July 9 - Seefin loop walk
Friday July 10 - Coomkeen loop walk
Saturday July 11 - Mount Corrin loop walk
Sunday July 12 - Dursey Island loop walk and cable car etc
Monday July 13 - Sherkin island plus hike
Tuesday July 14 - Bere island plus hike
My question is: do I really need 3 island trips? Much of a muchness? I have 5 days in a row on the Sheeps head walking trail - too much? I am not really leaving any time for seeing little villages and pottering about and may be missing out. Plus I may have left some "must dos" off the list. What should I add? And what is more or less "doubling up"?
Also...I am mainly focusing on hiking / walking here - but am I missing some other amazing / unusual outdoor activities which are a key part of visiting this region?
How would you rewrite the above itinerary with the above thoughts in mind?
Cheers,
Brian.