Edencrest Bed and Breakfast Bantry

Local Attractions

Bantry Town

Overlooking Bantry Bay in the heart of West Cork,  Bantry is a thriving market town situated at the head of Bantry Bay and surrounded by some of Ireland's most stunning country side with drives and walks that will take your breath away. With a fine raised plaza in its main square over-looking the harbour the town has a wide variety of shops, bars, coffee shops and restaurants in addition to a three screen cinema, tourist office, museum and library. The town is also host to the Friday market which sees a wide variety of market stalls selling West Cork’s finest local foods, antiques, art, crafts and livestock.

The majestic Bantry House, home since 1739 to the White family, the former Earl of Bantry, overlooks the harbour with its beautiful gardens reaching down towards the shore where one can enjoy the spectacular views of the Caha Mountains across the bay.

As with many areas on Ireland's south-west coast, Bantry claims an ancient connection to the sixth century saint, Breandán (Naomh Bréanainn) the Navigator. In Irish lore Saint Breandán was the first person to discover America.

The town is an important economic centre to the region. Apart from tourism, fishing is one of the main industries.   Mussels in particular are harvested in the area.

As one of the larger towns in West Cork with a population of about 4000 people and a catchment area of about 12000 people, it is a busy community with plenty going on all year round.

Bantry is also host to the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, Masters of Tradition festival, West Cork Literary festival, Bay Run Half Marathon, and Bantry BBQ festival.

Castletownbere

Castletownbere or Castletownberehaven is located on the coast at the entrance to Bantry Bay. Castletownbere is a noted fishing port in Ireland with over 70 deep-sea trawlers and is home to some smaller fishing vessels. It has a thriving fishing industry with many fish factories.

Glengarriff

The name Glenfarriff translates from Irish as - The Rough Glen - it is a place of exceptional beauty surrounded by majestic mountains. The long valley goes down to the harbour. The region is lucky to have a Mediterranean type climate. 

It is a botanist's paradise as well as a resort of peacefulness and tranquillity which attracted the British Royalty in past years. Garnish Island in the centre of the harbour presents the best example of semi-tropical vegetation in this hemisphere.

The Ewe Sculpture Garden & Gallery

The Ewe Sculpture Garden & Gallery is a unique combination of nature and art, an artist's open home and Ireland's only interactive sculpture garden. The whole family can enjoy challenging games and the creative areas for an experience like no other. 

Visitors begin a voyage of discovery in three inter-linked gardens. The Falling Water Garden, The Timeless Garden and high up the hill The Environmental Garden are open every day in the summer from 10 to 6. Spring and autumn by appointment.

Entrance fee: adults 5 Euro, children 3 Euro, family of four 15 Euro.

The lower of the three gardens can be accessed by walking impaired visitors or wheelchairs and parents with babies in prams. Refreshments are on offer at the riverside cafe.

For a rainy day visitors can make their own unique jewellery and gifts in the exciting 'Ewe Create' bead workshop next to the cafe.

Kenmare Road, Glengarriff, West Cork,
ph 027-63840
art@theewe.com
www.theewe.com
GPS: N 51 46’ 39” & W 9 34’ 07”

Bantry Bay Villages

There are a number of beautiful villages located in the Bantry Bay area. Edencrest B&B is an excellent choice of accommodation for visitors to these villages.

• Allihies, on the North Peninsula (Bere), famous for its copper mines and quartz-white beaches;
• Eyeries, for its ancient monuments and Christian settlements;
• Adrigole, for its towering Hungry Hill mountain and highest waterfall in Ireland;
• Coomhola, for its megalithic monuments;
• Ballylickey, for its top grade hotels;
• Durrus, for its sheltered haven of tranquillity; and
• Kilcrohane, for its ancient Bardic University which was renowned throughout Western Europe from c. 600 to 1200 AD

Trips to the Islands

There are several islands located off Bantry Bay and a car-ferry service runs in high and low season months with varying timetables. Edencrest B&B is an excellent touring base for the islands. The details below are for high season months:

• The car-ferry to Bere Island off Castletownbere operates from 9am. Ancient monuments, Christian settlements, the Viking harbour, and the gigantic gun batteries of the British Navy can be seen on the Island.
• The Whiddy Island ferry runs daily from 9am till late. Whiddy Island has ancient church ruins, castle ruins, gun batteries, and remains of a WWI seaplane base.
• The Garnish Island ferries operate from about 8am till 6pm. The ferry charge does not include the entry charge to the Island.
• Access to another Island, Dursey Island, on the tip of the northern Peninsula is by cablecar over the sea-rapids above the narrow channel. 

Shamrock West Cork Garden Trail

The Shamrock West Cork Garden Trail is home to both private and public gardens which are open to the public during the high season months. County Cork is lucky to have the warm, gentle Gulf Stream nearby and so the gardens are home to a vast range of flowers shrubs and unusual trees.The gardens are lovingly cared for by their owners who are justifiably proud of what they and nature have achieved together! Leaflets of the 'Trail' can be obtained locally. Dereen Gardens to the north of the Beara Peninsual is famous for tree ferns, azaleas and rhododendron.

Josephine Walsh, Edencrest  Bed and Breakfast, Glengariff Road, Bantry, County, Cork

Tel: + 353 (0) 27 51110, Mobile: +353 (0) 87 3220760   E-mail: edencrestbantry@gmail.com

Web: www.bantrybandb.com

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