Wild Atlantic Way, stage 2 of 15: Skibbereen to Bantry via Mizen Head and Sheep's Head
Along this route
About this route
From Skibbereen out to Schull and the Mizen Peninsula, round to Durrus and the Sheep's Head Peninsula, and on to Bantry. Narrow, twisting roads over bare headlands with views across Roaringwater Bay and Dunmanus Bay. Slow going, so give it a full day. This is one of 15 stages along the coastal route known as the Wild Atlantic Way, from Kinsale in County Cork to Muff in County Donegal. The side roads to headlands and viewpoints are left out, so you can add the ones you like. Ireland drives on the left and signs speeds in km/h. Many coast roads are narrow with stone walls right at the edge, so expect to pull in for tractors, coaches and campervans, and watch for sheep and gravel washed onto the road after rain. Best from May to September; book beds ahead in July and August.
Check road conditions and closures before you ride.
Route line: Fáilte Ireland, Wild Atlantic Way Route, published on data.gov.ie, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/): https://data.gov.ie/dataset/wild-atlantic-way-route1. Modified by Motarva: snapped to roads, side roads to headlands and viewpoints left out, split into stages. This is not an official route file and is not endorsed by Fáilte Ireland; Wild Atlantic Way is a name of Fáilte Ireland, used here only to describe the route.
Source Fáilte Ireland, Wild Atlantic Way Route (data.gov.ie) Wild Atlantic Way Route (data.gov.ie, Fáilte Ireland data, 2020), stage 2 of 15. Changes: snapped to roads, side roads to headlands and viewpoints left out, split into stages.
Measured from the route itself, with roundabouts and slip roads left out. Corners are counted, not judged.