All about Schull
Flora & Fauna
The Mizen Peninsula is home to a fascinating and rich profusion of wildlife and plants. There are mountains and bogs, fields and hedgerows, moorlands and wetlands, coastal cliffs and heaths, islands and seashore, each containing a diverse range of species.
Otters thrive in the streams and along the shoreline. Bats, Badgers, Foxes, Stoats, Rabbits and Hares are just some of the mammals you may happen upon after dark. on a boat trip you may spot Dolphins, Whales or Basking Sharks, also Seals, especially around Carthy's rocks, south of the harbour.
Sea birds include Gannets diving from on high, Guillemots, Razorbills, Shearwaters and Terns. on land, a walk anywhere should result in spotting some of the full range of birds in the area. There is a fine bird observatory on Cape Clear Island. A trip to the cliffs of Mizen Head should result in the sighting of Choughs, Ravens and with luck, the Peregrine Falcon.
Stroll along any roads and search out the abundance of wildflowers, tall purple Foxgloves, delicate Montbretia, Primroses, Bluebells and Marguerite Daisies. The fuchsia hedges, imported from South America, are profuse with purple and red flowers. Heather shares the hillsides with the blazing yellow Gorse, Lichens and Mosses spread themselves over stones, while Ferns unfurl new leaves in damp shady spots. Among the trees you will find Oak, Ash, Beech, Sycamore, Pine, Spruce, Cedar and Cypress as well as the more exotic Cordyline Palm.
There are numerous gardens for the enthusiast to visit. Take a trip by boat from Glengarriff to Garnish Island (Illnacullin), 37 acres of many rare and tropical plants. Creagh Gardens, near Baltimore, is a quiet and peaceful place with a lovingly maintained walled garden. LissArd Gardens, near Skibbereen, offeres a water garden, a wild flower meadow and a unique crater construction called Sky Garden. The West Cork Garden Trail, a guide to public and private gardens, lists pertinent information and is available locally.
You can see that whether you travel by boat, a car or a pair of wellies, you should come in contact with some of the natural riche of this peninsula. We hope you will be entranced and delighted by Nature's display.
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