Wild Cahersiveen.
Harbour, bog, woodland and hill, with waymarked loops starting at the Fair Green in the middle of town.
Walks & wild places near Cahersiveen
Fair Green trailhead
In town. Start of the Bentee, Carhan Letter and Laharn Bog loops and of the Kerry Way to Waterville.
Castlequin (Paddy Casey) loops
Across the river. Short and long waymarked loops, linked to Kimego.
Kimego Wood
About 10 minutes by car. A 3.5 km Coillte forest loop.
Knightstown, Valentia Island
Over the bridge at Portmagee or by the summer ferry. Cullum's Cup and Kilbeg Hill loops from the church car park.
The Kerry Way at Cahersiveen
Mountain Stage to Cahernaman
8 km · Moderate · 3 hours · 120 m of ascent. An old coach road along Drung Hill with views over Rossbeigh, Inch and the Dingle Peninsula and down to the old Gleensk viaduct; the forest track can be waterlogged.
Cahernaman to Coars
10 km · Moderate · 3 hrs 45 mins · 250 m of ascent. Bog and a long straight road to Foilmore below Knocknadobar, then over Coomduff (235 m). Boots essential for the boggy final 3 km.
Foilmore to Cahersiveen (link)
11 km · Easy · 3 hrs 30 mins · 200 m of ascent. Over the River Fertha, across Srugreana bog and the Carhan River, then over the slopes of Bentee into town. Recently rerouted at Chiclog: follow the signs.
Coars to Mastergeehy
8 km · Hard · 3 hrs 30 mins · 250 m of ascent. A steep, rocky climb onto the ridge over Knockavahaun (371 m) and Canuig, through very boggy ground, then across the Inny valley.
Waymarked walks & trails
Bentee Loop
10 km loop · Strenuous · about 4 hours · 330 m of climb · purple arrows · no dogs. From the Fair Green car park.
Beentee Carhan Letter Loop
12 km loop · Strenuous · about 5.5 hours · 350 m of climb · red arrows · no dogs. From the Fair Green car park.
Laharn Bog Loop
15 km loop · Moderate · 4–5 hours · 80 m of climb · blue arrows · no dogs. A low-level loop from the Fair Green car park.
Castlequin (Paddy Casey) Loops
Short and long waymarked loops across the river, with a link path to Kimego.
Kimego Forest Loop
3.5 km Coillte forest loop.
Cullum's Cup Loop, Valentia
8 km loop · Moderate · 2–3 hours · 110 m of climb · red arrows · no dogs. From Knightstown.
Kilbeg Hill Loop, Valentia
7.3 km loop · Moderate · 2–3 hours · 110 m of climb · white arrows · no dogs. From the church car park in Knightstown.
Bray Head Tower Walk, Valentia
4.25 km out and back · Moderate · about 1.5 hours · 140 m of climb · purple arrows · no dogs. Pay-and-display car park at the Bray Head Signature Discovery Point.
Portmagee Knockeenawaddra and Pound Loops
8.5 km (red) and 7.5 km (purple) loops · Moderate · 2.5–3 hours · 174 m of climb · no dogs. From Gortreagh Cross.
Kerry Way Stage 5: Cahersiveen to Waterville
30.5 km · Moderate to demanding · 8–10 hours · 980 m of climb · yellow arrows · no dogs. Along the hilly ridges past Srugreana Abbey, Mastergeehy and Lough Currane.
Head out safely
Hill and bog walks around Cahersiveen cross remote ground, and weather comes in fast off the Atlantic. Check the forecast, tell someone your route, and carry water, a map and a charged phone. In an emergency dial 112 and ask for Mountain Rescue or the Coast Guard.
Call 112What to look out for
Early Autumn
A rotating pick from each part of Cahersiveen's wild cast — birds, mammals, marine life, wildflowers and trees in season right now.
Explore the full field guide →- BirdsEurasian CurlewCrotach
A large brown wader with an unmistakable long, down-curved bill and a haunting bubbling call. Breeding curlew are in catastrophic decline in Ireland; the birds you see at the estuary are mostly winter visitors.
- MammalsEurasian OtterMadra uisce
- MarineBottlenose DolphinDeilf bholgshrónach
Larger and chunkier than common dolphins, and often resident year-round in the bays of west Kerry.
- FloraGorse / FurzeAiteann
Spiny evergreen shrub with coconut-scented golden flowers. The saying goes that "when gorse is out of flower, kissing is out of season" — and it almost always has at least a few flowers.