Monday, August 24, 2020

Day Trip To the End of Ireland | Mizen Head, Cork

I can safely say that Mizen Head, the very end of Ireland, located in Cork, is one of the best places we've visited - and we've visited a lot of places in Ireland!

I didn't know what to expect before our visit. I thought that maybe there would be cliffs and perhaps a lighthouse, and although there are lots of cliffs, there's no lighthouse now, except far in the distance.

Mizen Head actually has the site of an old signalling station - which now serves as a museum of sorts with exhibitions on how the lighthouse and signalling station keepers would have lived years ago.

It's a site unlike any other I've been to and it's views are amazing.

We visited as a family and although there were steps and steep climbs at times our boys (7 and 4) managed it fine. The site is sadly not suitable for wheelchair user or for buggies. There are lookout points dotted all around the site and the views are amazing.

There's also a bench by the sea arch lookout - a set of cliffs with an arch cut from the sea within them, where we stopped to let the boys have something to eat.

The highlight of Mizen Head is most definitely the suspension bridge. This joins the cliffs together and allows you to get out to the signalling station The views from the bridge are amazing, some of the most awe-inducing ones I've ever seen in Ireland, so really special!

Mizen Head thankfully wasn't too busy when we arrived. It opens at 10 and we got there at 12 on a Sunday morning. In places it was impossible to social distance though - notably going up and down the steps to the viewing points. Masks are needed for the visitors centre and the lighthouse/signalling station site.

When we were leaving though (we spend 2 hours at Mizen Head), there were crowds of people queuing to get tickets, so if you're wanting to visit a morning would be best.

One of my favourite views from Mizen Head was this view from the suspension bridge which was almost like looking through a rock window. The sea is between each set of rocks and I thought it looked incredible.


A trip to Mizen Head costs €7.50 for adults, €4.50 for kids and under 5's are free. There's a visitors centre with exhibitions, a cafĂ© and toilets. There's also a small playground outside which is great for letting the kids burn off some energy after the long drive to Mizen Head (and is was long, a 4 hour round trip for us!).

Just a few minutes down the road is the beautiful Barleycove Beach and we spent the afternoon there. I'd highly recommend making a day trip out of Mizen Head and Barleycove Beach like we did as it made for a lovely day of exploring new places, relaxing and having fun.

If you're looking for some more days out inspiration around Ireland check out my Fairytale Ireland section, highlighting all the great and beautiful places we've visited across the Emerald Isle.



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