The market town of Skibbereen boasts colourful shops, restaurants and pubs and along with the fascinating West Cork Arts Centre and Skibbereen Heritage Centre, you will be guaranteed a warm welcome by the town’s inhabitants. Skibbereen prides itself on excellent local produce, including local seafood, local meat and bread from its own bakery, as well as weekly country and farmers’ markets. It is also situated at the heart of some of Ireland’s most beautiful scenery, with sandy beaches, secluded coves, fast-flowing rivers, lakes, hills and forests, as well as Lough Hyne’s nature reserve, all easily accessible for walkers, cyclists and drivers. For the more energetic, there is a superb 18-hole golf course and an indoor sports centre offering a number of activities including tennis, badminton and a fully equipped gymnasium plus sauna. Leap, Union Hall and Rosscarbery are within easy reach, set in picturesque surroundings overlooking the rugged West Cork coastline, and offering many outdoor and water-based activities such as sea kayaking, pedal boating and surfing, as well as adventure golf, not to mention Ballydehob, Baltimore, Glandore, Schull and the beautiful town of Bantry. Further afield but within driving distance is the lively market town of Kinsale – renowned as the “gourmet capital of Ireland” and famous for its food, friendliness and traditional flavour. There are dolphin and whale watching opportunities available in the area and an array of beaches and rugged cliffs, making this a walker’s delight and a sunbather’s paradise, and the ideal location for discovering this unspoilt area of West Cork.
