An Clochán - Castlegregory
( Cloghane - Caisleán Ghriaire )Distance: 29 km | Ascent: 50 m | Time: 7—9 hrs | Grade: Moderate
Leaving Cloghane across a small bridge to the south under which flows the Owenmore River, the Dingle Way follows a quiet undulating road for 3.5km that briefly makes its way inland and skirts Drom Hill to the north, giving rise to impressive views of glacial valleys to the south before emerging back on the sea-front at Fermoyle. Above you among trees stands Fermoyle House, one of two house in the area built by the Hickson brothers, one time landlords in the area. Go over a humpback bridge as far as a car park and straight on to the beach. Ahead of you is Fermoyle Strand, measuring 11km, and one of the finest stretches of sand in the Northern Hemisphere. The beach is usually safe to walk but after some high spring tides you might need to climb onto the dune at about 6km and back down to the beach again when safe.
Brandon Bay with Fermoyle Beach in the distance from the Conor Pass
About 250m from the end of the beach you will be guided up to the right by a waymarker through a gap in the dunes. Follow the path until you reach the road, turning left for the small community of Fahamore. On the far side of a bar/public house you will follow a track to the right which you will take until you come to the edge of a low cliff where once again you will turn right. You will make your way forward here along the field edges and down onto the beach again for 1km, unless the tide is in where you can follow the road parallel. As the trail curves around Scraggane Bay, offering views of the Seven Hogs islands which litter the bay one of which Oileán tSeanaigh, whose monastic site is best known.
Remnant of the ship the Port Yarrock of Glasgow which sank in Brandon Bay during stormy weather in 1894 can observed at low tide on Kilcummin beach, while a memorial can be viewed at nearby Stradbally graveyard.
The Magharees, as the peninsula is known locally, is home to the Natterjack Toad, a rare species that has a yellow line running down its back.
You will leave the beach at Kilshannig where a little off to the left there is an ancient site with a rare slab cross on which the Greek letters Chi-Rho are carved. Take a right turn after 25m and bear left and head straight down onto the next which lasts another 2.5km. The trail then takes you back to the final stretch of tarmac road to lead into Castlegregory, which offers the walker a good variety of accommodation, restaurants and pubs.