Skibbereen, Kinsale, Cape Clear and Blarney: even if you haven’t been camping in Co Cork (yet), you might at least have heard of these. Especially the Blarney Stone, one of Cork’s top tourist attractions and a hoot to visit if only to see visitors upside down and romancing a rock.
There’s loads to do on land in Ireland’s biggest county, but as Cork is a coastal county we suggest going waterwards first from any Co Cork campsite. Watch for whales and dolphins from the ferries to Cape Clear and Sherkin Island off the south-west coast or go fishing around Cork’s peninsulas or inland for salmon on the River Blackwater: at all time in Cork it’s probably timely to have a fishing rod, binoculars and a charged up camera – and a swimsuit to bathe and bask at the award-winning beaches.
Landwards, also loads to do including snogging the stone: among many other corking activities we’d recommend shopping, sightseeing and pubbing in Cork city, the third biggest in Ireland, or a nosy around Ireland’s first marine reserve Loch Hyne. Cobh Heritage Centre is a first port of call for those researching Co Cork ancestors, and if you want to extend your Irish hol, the 2500km of the Wild Atlantic Way runs ruggedly to Co Donegal from Cork too…
