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Sheep's Head - Seefin Loop
Ahakista, Co. Cork
Hidden gem
Free to visit
Free car parking
Sheep's Head is a peninsula between Bantry Bay and Dunmanus Bay in County Cork. The peninsula has three villages, Durrus, Kilcrohane and Ahakista where this loop starts and finishes.

A-B. With your back to Arundel’s Pub, turn right and follow the blue (and green and purple) arrows along the road for just 100m to the road junction where you turn right and, almost immediately, turn left onto a minor roadway. The green and purple arrows are for the (shorter) Seefin and (longer) Glanlough loops. Continue to follow this roadway to Gorteanish – taking note that you overlap with the long-distance Sheep’s Head Way (yellow arrows and walking man) on the way. At a junction of laneways in Gorteanish the Glanlough Loop continues straight – you turn left and cross a stone stile – following the blue (and green) arrows.

B-C. Now the loop starts the ascent of Ardanenig – easy along an old laneway at first and then a fairly steep climb on a mountain track for 400m to reach a point near Rosskerrig Mountain where the Barán Loop turns left – but you turn right.

C-D. Continue to follow the blue arrows as the loop travels north for 500m and then swings west (left) onto a ridge. Follow the ridge for over 1km to reach a trig stone atop Seefin Mountain (318m).

D-E. Just before the trig stone the loop turns sharp left and descends sharply to the townland of Derrucluvane. Joining a farm roadway turn right, pass through a farmyard, and watch for a stile on your left which takes you into farmland. Descending still the loop follows what was on old ‘mass path’ to eventually reach an old roadway where you turn left and rejoin the Sheeps Head Way.

E-F. Now you follow blue arrows (for this loop) and yellow arrows (for the Sheeps Head Way) along the old roadway for almost 2km. Here the Barán Loop (green arrows) rejoins from the left. Continue straight.

F-A. Joining a surfaced roadway follow the blue, green and yellow arrows for over 1km before the Sheeps Head Way turns left at a memorial to Tom Whitty. Continue straight here and shortly afterwards join the main road for the peninsula. Continue straight at the junction, pass ‘the pub with the tin roof’ on your right and reach the 3-way junction at A above. Turn right here – it’s only 100m back to the trailhead.

Trail details

Type:
Walking Trail
Location:
Sheep's Head Ahakista
Grade:
Strenuous
Format:
Loop
Length:
12.8844633km
Ascent:
345m
Dogs allowed:
No
Time:
4 hours
Nearest town start:
Ahakista
Nearest town finish:
Ahakista
Start point:
Car park at Arundels Bar by Ahakisha pier
Finish point:
car park at Arundels Bar by Ahakisha pier
Waymarking:
Blue arrow
Facilities:
Car park
Tips from locals

You'll find a memorial garden and sundial to the victims of the 1985 Air India Disaster in Ahakista.

Contact details
Reenacappul, Ahakista, Co. Cork, Ireland
Leave no trace
  • Plan ahead and prepare
  • Be considerate of others
  • Respect farm animals and wildlife
  • Travel and camp on durable ground
  • Leave what you find
  • Dispose of waste properly
  • Minimise the effects of fire
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