Things to do on the Mizen Peninsula

Outdoor & Adventure Activities

From Horse Riding to Kayaking, Scuba Diving to Paddleboarding Surfing to Archery and Hiking to Wild Swimming, West Cork offers an eclectic mix of activities to suit all ages and abilities.

Whether you're looking for a gentle stroll along clearly marked woodland trails, an energetic hike up a remote mountainside, or perhaps something more obscure and adventurous, activity providers in the region have you covered.

Get out on the water with West Cork based Kayaking, Paddleboarding and Surfing activities.
Try your hand at Horse Riding or take a Guided Walking Tour.
Sea Angling charters and tours depart from a number of locations along the West Cork coast .
The West Cork coast also offers superb shore angling opportunities from its many sandy beaches and extensive rocky shore. Find details of the best marks on the Sea Angling Ireland site here.
West Cork is home to some of the finest Blue Flag and Green Coast beaches in Ireland. From Inchydoney in the east to Barleycove in the west there's a string of world-class beaches to visit, each offering something a little bit unique.
If golf is your pursuit of choice, you'll find excellent courses at Bantry Bay Golf Club and Skibbereen & West Carbery Golf Club

Sea Kayaking in West Cork with Atlantic Sea Kayaking

Wildlife Watching and Birding

From Atlantic adventures in search of Humpback and Fin Whales, to combing West Cork headland for migrant birds, Mizen Head, and West Cork in general, is one of the best places not just in Ireland, but in the whole of Europe for marine and coastal wildife watching and birding.

Explore on your own, or hire a local guide, and immerse yourself in the wild side of Ireland.

Head out onto the wild North Atlantic to experience some of the best Whale and Dolphin watching in the northern hemisphere.
Hire a local wildlife and birding guide for the day to experience the wilder side of the West Cork coastline.
Visit Glengarriff Nature Reserve and explore the wild remnants of Ireland's ancient oak woodlands.
Get closer to nature on the Fastnet Trails: a system of long and short nature walks spanning Lisheen, Aughadown, Ballydehob, the Butter Road, Schull and Toormore.

Outdoor Attractions

From a ferry ride out to Garinish Island (Ilnacullen) to visit its semi-exotic gardens, to the eclectic Ewe Experience and lots more besides -- West Cork hosts a wide range of outdoor attractions

Take a trip out with one of the Garnish Island ferry services and visit the iconic gardens with their unique micro-climate supporting many exotic plants.
Set in a spectacular waterfall oasis, The Ewe Experience is Ireland's only interactive and interpretative sculpture garden.
Mizen isn't the only spectacular headland along this breathtaking stretch of the Wild Atlantic Way: Beara/Dursey Island (accessed by Ireland's only cable car), Sheeps Head, Toe Head and Galley Head are all well worth a visit.
Take a trip around the Fastnet Rock lighthouse, or visit the offshore islands of Sherkin and Cape Clear.

Indoor Attractions

While West Cork's outdoor attractions offer some fantastict experiences, it's always great to have a few indoor options when the weather turns (this is Ireland, after all). Luckily there's no shortage of indoor attractions to choose from

Visit Skibbereen Heritage Centre for fascinating exhibits on the Irish Famine, Geneology and Lough Hyne (Ireland’s first Marine Nature Reserve).
Is a spot of retail therapy more your thing? You'll find a host of boutique shopping opportunities in the picturesque West Cork towns of Bantry, Skibbereen and Clonakilty.
Art enthusiasts, meanwhile, will want to check out the latest exhibitions at The Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre in Skibbereen.

Contact Us

Mizen Head Signal Station
Mizen Tourism Co-operative Society Ltd.
Harbour Road
Goleen
West Cork
Ireland
Tel: +353 28 35000 or + 353 28 35115 (Summer Only)
E: info@mizenhead.ie

Opening Times

November 1st – March 16th: 11am-4pm (Weekends Only)
March 17th – May 31st: 10.30am – 5pm
June 1st – August 31st: 10am – 6pm
September 1st – October 31st: 10.30 – 5pm

From October 2024 - March 2025 Temporarily Closed for Work Schedule
July and August
Daily 10am-6pm
September, October
April, May, June
Daily 10.30am -5pm
November - March
Weekends 11am-4pm