Barleycove is a large beach backed by sand dunes, which were thrown up in the tidal wave which swept Europe after the earthquake in Lisbon in 1755.
Today the dunes have been partially eroded but are protected like much of the coastal area here as European designated Special Areas of Conservation. The car-park access road runs along a narrow causeway bisecting Lissagriffin Lakes. At the north end of this causeway there is narrow bridge, where you can turn left for Mizen Head or right back to Goleen village.
