The Kinsale - Dingle 2 Week Cruise Route cont'd

Day 6: Glengarriff - Bantry - Bere Island 17 miles
Spend a day in the town of Bantry, before moving on to Adrigole. This is a wonderful bay for a lunch stop or quiet overnight. Take a visitor's mooring and row to the small pier. Sail onto Lawrence Cove, a unique family run marina at the head of Bantry Bay, situated on beautiful Bere Island against the stunning backdrop of the Caha mountains and Hungry Hill waterfall.

Day 7: Bere Island - Sneem 32 miles
Sail around Bere Island past Castletownberehaven and through Dursey Sound under the cable car that joins the mainland to Dursey Island and across the Kenmare River to Sneem.

Day 8: Sneem - Valencia Island via the Skelligs Islands 40 miles
A visit to the Skelligs Islands is recommended, however landing by yacht is prohibited and dangerous. To visit the islands, contact the Skelligs Experience on Valentia. Again, a visit to Valentia is difficult although well worth the effort. The views are spectacular and the island is steeped in its own traditions and customs.

Day 9: Valentia - Blasket Islands - Dingle 25 miles
Sail from Valentia towards the Blasket Islands. On a clear day, you can visit the Great Blasket. There are two mooring buoys to the right of the buoy that the ferry uses on the north side of the island. Travel onwards to the lovely town of Dingle, a harbour which affords a safe entrance. Fungie, the famous Dingle Dolphin, can be seen by most incoming yachts. There is so much to do and see in this lively town, and its surrounding areas that one should hire a bike!

Day 10: Dingle - Derrynane 33 miles
Travel onwards to Derrynane, a delightful anchorage. However the entrance and exit are impossible in bad weather. Caherdaniel is only 2 miles away, well worth the visit.

Day 11: Derrynane - Crookhaven 35 miles
Crookhaven was a very significant harbour in the past. The old tall ships sailed across the Atlantic, rounded the Mizen and anchored off Crookhaven. Agents awaited to tell them where their cargo was to be despatched; Dublin, Belfast, Bristol or Liverpool. Today it is a quiet anchorage.

Day 12: Crookhaven - Cape Clear - Castletownshend 25 miles
Travel on to Cape Clear. The North Harbour is very small and is mainly used by the ferry and fishing boats. Yachts can lie afloat at the seaward end of the dock. The walk out of the harbour is very steep, but very soon you are on heights that give you a spectacular view of Carbery's one hundred islands, Roaring Water Bay and the mountains on the mainland. The south harbour is a beautiful anchorage but is open to a swell and southerly winds. Stop for lunch before setting off through the Gascanane Sound for Castletownshend.

Day 13: Castletownshend - Kinsale 34 miles
Back to the town of Kinsale, after an exciting yet relaxing voyage.