Sheep's Head Lighthouse - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Lighthouses

About Sheep's Head Lighthouse

A majestic lighthouse which marks the southern tip of Bantry Bay, was built in 1968 as a consequence of the development of the oil terminal at Whiddy Island. The lighthouse comprises a 7 metre high white round tower on a square building. The lantern is 83 metres above sea level. It touches on lovely little Lough Akeen, and there is spectacular coastal scenery, including Mizen Head and the Beara Peninsula.

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Attractions Near Sheep's Head Lighthouse

Three Castle Head

Three Castle Head

6.75km from Sheep's Head Lighthouse

The castle consists of three towers, hence the title “Three Castle”, connected by a rampart wall of some 20 feet in height; one of the highest medieval walls still intact in Ireland. Dunlough Castle, standing atop the cliffs at the northern tip of the Mizen Peninsula, looks at the Atlantic Ocean from the extreme southwest point of Ireland. Founded in 1207 by Donagh O’Mahony, Dunlough is one of the oldest castles in southern Ireland and an example of Norman architecture and dry stone masonry.

Barley Cove Beach

Barley Cove Beach

9.6km from Sheep's Head Lighthouse

This frontline beach land is a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire a breathtaking piece of West Cork. It consists of 2 beaches, each approximately 150m in length.This beach forms part of a Special Area of Conservation and a National Heritage Area Ballyrisode Beach is an extremely valuable resource to both residents and visitors for a number of reasons, including its scenery and landscape and for its safe and sheltered location for swimming and other recreational activities.

Mizen Head Signal Station

Mizen Head Signal Station

10.5km from Sheep's Head Lighthouse

Mizen Head Signal Station, built to save lives off the treacherous rocks at Ireland's most south-westerly point, five miles from Goleen, is open to the public. It is one of the extreme points of the island of Ireland and is a major tourist attraction, noted for its dramatic cliff scenery. One of the main transatlantic shipping routes passes close by to the south, and Mizen Head was, for many seafarers, the first sight of Europe.

Dzogchen Beara

Dzogchen Beara

12.1km from Sheep's Head Lighthouse

A beautiful Meditation Retreat centre situated on the wild and beautiful Beara Peninsula in south-west Ireland. It sits high on cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean with breathtaking views of sea and sky. It is home to the Spiritual Care Centre, which was opened by Mary McAleese on 12 September 2007.

Derreenataggart Stone Circle

Derreenataggart Stone Circle

13.51km from Sheep's Head Lighthouse

Derreenataggart Stone Circle is about 1.5km west of Castletown Bere, close to the road and open to the public. It is about 8m in diameter and twelve stones of a probable fifteen survive. Thirty metres south-west of the circle, site CO115-011001 is "a raised sub-circular area of rough ground with a recent rectangular depression at its western edge".

Hungry Hill

Hungry Hill

16.43km from Sheep's Head Lighthouse

The Hungry Hill is an Irish mountain, belonging to the Beara Peninsula in County Cork. Rising to 685 metres above sea level, it is considered the 130th highest peak in Ireland. A magical place, which should make hiking enthusiasts dream! There is a cairn at the summit and a number of standing stones to the south and east of the mountain. At its eastern foot are two lakes — Coomadayallig and Coomarkane — which both drain into the Mare's Tail waterfall.

Discover More Attractions in County Cork, Home of Sheep's Head Lighthouse

County Cork

County Cork

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County Cork is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, situated in the province of Munster and named after the city of Cork, Ireland's second-largest city. It is one of Ireland's main tourist destinations, known for its rugged coast and megalithic monuments and as the starting point for the Wild Atlantic Way.

Location of Sheep's Head Lighthouse

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