We are thinking of taking a trip to West Cork and a friend recommended Bantry. Only thing is we won't be driving. Is this doable? I didn't see much in the way of affordable lodging in town - most of the B&Bs were outside of town. Any recommendations? Is there a better place to base ourselves out of? We want to stay for a week.
Thanks for your advice!
Hi!
Bantry is a great place to visit but if your not driving you will have limited bus services. Check www.buseireann.ie (the national bus services) and West Cork Rural Transport (they do shorter local services but some routes run only once or twice a week).
Bus eireann have a bus from cork to glengarriff and castletownbere which passes thru bantry. Its impossible to visit mizen head by bus because you need two or three buses and even then you end up in goleen. (check map!)
If you don't want a hotel there is a guest house in town or b and b on glengarriff rd. or Newtown which is a 5 - 10 min walk to town centre. Around 35 -40 eur pp per nite.
Main places to visit near Bantry are
1. Mizen Head and the peninsula inc. schull etc.....
2. Sheeps Head peninsula.. walking ... or driving... buses run 3 days a week...
3. Beara peninsula... inc. Glengarriff... Healy pass...Allihies...
4. I recommend Glengarriff, about 20 mins by bus on same route as Cork (but opposite direction) with Garnish Island... lots nice little shops... Not very central b and b i can think of... good hostels tho...
In Bantry itself... Bantry House is probably most popular...
Tourist offices in bantry and glengarriff and info available in castletownbere...
These are open seasonally.
I hope this helps a bit!!!
Laura, is there any chance at all that you can hire a car?
1. It makes you much more independent.
2. It will save you time.
3. You can get to see places that you will never see using public transport.
4. It will get you to places that no public transport gets to.
The Mariime hotel in Bantry is getting very good reviews and is right in the town. Check it out, you might get a good rate for a week.
Thank you both for your suggestions! Am a bit worried about driving on the left and was hoping to forego the car, but the more I learn about Bantry adn this beautiful area the more it seems that having a car would be best, esp. in the fall when some of the seasonal bus lines may not be running...
OK; changed mind. We're going for it! No car - just buses, cabs and our own two feet. Altho' we also have a cousin who will drive us around and show us the sights. Will post results to this forum upon our return.
It is a sad thing to constantly have to tell visitors to Ireland that the best way to see the country (when you only have limited time) is by car. While our public transport system is good between the cities and large towns it is pretty bad between the more rural and typically the prettiest places. One example of many is the beautiful fishing village of Portmagee and gateway to the Skellig Islands which has one bus service each week - I rest my case !!
However lauranda, in your case you will have your cousin to drive you and that will be great.
Have a great trip and yes please post a trip report.
Thank you, we will! We will be taking the bus from Shannon Airport to Bantry, with an hour stopover in Cork. Will we be anywhere near the English Market? It looks amazing!
That will be a long bus journey.
Shannon to Limerick and change in Limerick
Limerick to Cork and change in Cork
Cork to Bantry.
English Market. You and relatively near it at the bus station. Head across from the Bus Station and along Oliver Plunkett Street(pedestrian Street) and the English market is at the far end.
Yes, I know, combined with our flight over we will be traveling 24 hours straight - am very much looking forward to my first glass of stout once we finally arrive at our destination! Any guess how long a walk it is to the market (timewise)? We only have an hour...
Bus station to english market? give urself about 10-15 mins to find your way!! or just follow your nose...
I just came back from Bantry(August 20-September 8, 2008), we stayed at a private home half way between Glengarriff and Bantry. It's beautiful and the people are very friendly. The Sea View House is a great hotel, the food is amazing as well. In downtown Bantry, Market Day is Friday morning, we purchased fresh homemade cheese, meats and bread, some craft items too.
The SNUG is a pub across the square in Bantry, wonderful food and drink. The Bantry Bay Hotel has famous chowder and it's fantastic. Bus tours to Mizen Head & Gogonbarra should be available.
In Glengarriff, we went to Casey's and the Spinning Wheel for lunch. YUM. Also, the Blue Loo is a great pub.
