Things to do in & around Schull...
Walking
Make your own walk up and down the lane ways of Schull by following the small roads on the map. Anyway you will hardly get too badly lost with the harbour (south) and Mt. Gabriel (north) as your compass points. The following six walks all include a green road or off road element. Sections are likely to be muddy (especially in wet weather!) & overgrown. The walks are graded with Walk 1 being short and simple up to Walk 6 which is cross country up a mountain. Please remember you will be walking across farm land when you are on a green road: SHUT ALL GATES; DOGS ON LEADS; NO LITTER; NO FIRES. So on with the walking boots, grab that bottle of water and enjoy!
Schull Walking Map
(click map to open full-screen)
Walk 1. Approx 1 mile.
Foreshore walk
A council maintained footpath joins the tennis courts at the east end of the village to the ruined church and graveyard at the west end. You go via the pier, the new sailing centre and several little sheltered rocky coves. The very last one is the "Dog Hole" a favourite swimming spot in summer. There are a couple of stiles to cross at the western end of the path. Return to the village along the Colla Road or continue on walk 3.
Walk 2. Approx. 2 miles.
Meenvane Ring Fort & Cooradarrigan.
At the bottom end of main street take a left turn at the church and go up past the school. Ignore the first two roads which are driveways and take the third on your left which is a small paved road. Follow this road westwards to the very end and proceed on down the track for 100m. The Ring Fort is in the field on the right. Carefully make your way over the fence; the entry to the fort is on the north side, facing Mt. Gabriel. To continue the walk: cross the field and climb over the fence on the east and continue across the next field until you reach the track behind a couple of houses. This short track will bring you back onto the road. Turn left for the "Cooradarrigan Ring" walk and follow map or for the shorter walk take either the road opposite or the next road right and amble down through Cooradarrigan. You will come out on the main Schull-Ballydehob road.
Walk 3. Approx. 4 miles.
Colla Ring (long and short route).
Starting at the ruined church & graveyard on the Colla Rd, continue south for 1.5 miles until you come to a fingerpost directing you to "Toad Hall Kennels". This is the start of the short route and follows the old road to Schull, now a track, which winds steeply uphill through a farmyard. The track improves towards the end which is marked with a gate. Turn right (rejoining the long route) and continue downhill to Schull. Alternatively for the long route, continue on the main Colla Road past Colla Pier and Colla House Hotel. Bear right and continue onto the T- junction. Turn right & follow the road over the hill, bearing left and then turning right to rejoin the Colla Rd. at the old ruined church. Turn left for Schull village or turn right and rejoin the "foreshore walk".
Walk 4. Approx. 9 miles.
Derryconnell - Letter - Barnacleeve Gap.
Starting at the East End car park head East along the main Schull - Ballydehob road for 2.3 miles.(Or get dropped here!) Turn left at sign for Derryconnell House. 350 yards down the road there is a gate and a track on the left just before the first house. Follow the track bearing right around the old farmhouse & keep right through a gate onto the tarred road. Turn left and take the next right (just after the cream coloured cottage) onto the green road which winds its way uphill to the east of Barnancleeve Gap with stunning views. The track eventually emerges onto the main Letter road through a gate and farmyard. Turn left here and continue to the T-junction. Turn left again and follow the road to the top of the gap which is the highest point of the walk. Continue downhill to the Y junction. The right fork brings you straight back to Schull while the left fork takes you past the old workhouse and back down to the Schull-Ballydehob road.
Walk 5. Approx. 6.5 miles.
Old Ballydehob Road- Dereenatra.
The first 2 miles is a green road. Start at the east end of the village and take the right turn at Cadogan's Strand towards the golf club. About half a mile along the road turn left up the track, (just before the old mill house). Behind the house you will see the old track ahead of you. This is the start of the old Schull - Ballydehob road, unused now for many years and remaining today as a footpath, muddy and overgrown, quiet and beautiful. You will have to climb over and under a couple of gates, use stepping stones over a stream and practically crawl through a tunnel of fuschia near the end. But its worth it! Cross one tarmac road & find the track again for a short way. When you come to the second tarmac road turn right (south) towards Dereenatra - a lovely swimming spot. Follow map.
Walk 6. Approx. 5 miles.
Mount Gabriel.
Keep an eye on the weather and especially watch for fog! This walk starts and finishes on small road and track but the middle is all cross country. The radar domes at the top are fenced off and entry is not permitted but the views from around the perimeter fence are spectacular. From the Fastnet and Baltimore to the mountains of Kerry. (There is a tarmac road on the north side of Mount Gabriel but this is a long way on foot!) To start the ascent go to the top of Schull main street and take the turning by the bank to Ardmanagh. Follow Map. The tarmac road ends and turns into a good size track leading to a house. The big track ends at the gate to the house and another smaller track (made from the tracks of a 4 wheeled moped) starts to the right of the house. If the gate is closed on this smaller track be SURE to close it behind you to avoid livestock straying. This smaller track will lead you to the top with a steep climb towards the end. To get back down look for the road which you can clearly see to the south east just below a group of green fields. Head down and near the bottom, a track reveals itself to the right of two white houses. Cross a small river to arrive back on the road by the bridge. Turn right for Schull village.
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