As part of my quest to conquer all of Ireland’s inhabited
offshore islands, I made plans to stay in Baltimore, West Cork, during Easter
2014. From there I could visit both Sherkin & Cape Clear Islands during a 3
night stay at the Channel View Bed & Breakfast, just outside of the lovely
Baltimore village which is famed for its excellent sailing waters.
I chose to get there and back by public transport, which
involved a journey from Dublin to Cork city by rail, an onward bus connection
to Skibbereen, and finally a short bus ride to Baltimore. Bus Eireann
(Ireland’s public bus company) provides an online Journey Planner, so that I
could confirm what times suitable buses would run.
As is my typical experience, rail travel to Cork was very
pleasant and relaxing, and it was a short walk across the city to the bus
station. The buses to Baltimore were very comfortable and smooth, and I was
able to enjoy seeing the beautiful towns and villages through which we passed,
especially Clonakilty and Rosscarbery. This would have been denied me had I
been driving. The only negative is the price of the bus travel between Cork and
Baltimore, which is more expensive than the longer rail journey from Dublin to
Cork.
Channel View Bed & Breakfast was merely €40 per night
single, which was very reasonable. The view from my room was very beautiful; as
the name suggests a view of a channel of the blue estuarine channel of the
River Ilen as its sweeps around Ringarogy Island. Host Margaret provided all
day tea and coffee in the front room with an everlasting supply of biscuits. It
was only a 6 minute walk to Casey’s Hotel, which is famous for its delicious
food.
Having journeyed down on a bright and pleasant Good Friday,
I awoke on Easter Saturday to sunshine and a full Irish breakfast, after which
I walked the 20 minutes down to the ferry for Sherkin Island. A quick 10 minute
crossing brought me to the pier on Sherkin Island, where a local lady was
bravely swimming in the chilly waters. Just a minute uphill brought me to the
almost complete ruins of the Friary. Many years ago I remember landing here in
a small yacht whilst on a sailing course with the Glenans sailing school which
used to be based in Baltimore. Over 20 years ago I saw Sherkin in the sun, and
again today here was the most beautiful bright sunny day. I walked past the
community centre and its adjacent portacabin library, the national school and
waste recycling centre en route to the delightful beaches of Cow Strand and
Silver Strand. Sherkin is a gently hilly island with some excellent grazing
land for cattle, together with shady lanes, copses, rocky headlands, sandy
coves and land-locked stilly bay, a little bit of everything that are the
classic features of south West Cork. I visited the island church, and came
across a third sandy cove. Ancient run-down, un-taxed and probably un-insured
wrecks of cars passed me occasionally, belching black smoke and making raucous
noises from broken exhaust pipes. No police to supervise the motoring
activities of the islands!
The previous time I visited Sherkin Island I had lunch in
the piratically themed Jolly Roger pub, but this time it was closed, in the
process of changing ownership. Instead I enjoyed lunch in the Islanders’ Rest,
a hotel with a terrace overlooking Baltimore Harbour which today was the scene of
myriad white-sailed laser dinghies. Just below the hotel lies a yacht marina,
and nearby is beautiful Horseshoe Bay which is shaped exactly as its name
suggests.
Easter Sunday proved even sunnier than Saturday, a lovely
day for the 45 minute ferry ride to Cape Clear Island, Ireland’s most southerly
piece of land. Passing the Baltimore Beacon, a navigational monument set on top
of the headland at the entrance to the harbour, the boat battled more open
waters as it sailed by the south coast of Sherkin. I sat out on deck with my
face to the sun, surprised to be feeling this warm on the open seas. Just ahead
lay the hilly profile of Cape Clear Island, its south shore plunging almost sheer
to the sea. The ferry swung around to hug its more gently sloping north shore,
with signs of habitation here and there. Some impressive rock formations
appeared just before the narrow entrance to the island’s natural harbour, and
shortly I was on terra firma. A sign indicated “Gaeltacht” to signify that this
is an Irish Gaelic speaking area, though I was to hear not a word of the
language spoken during my 3 hours on shore. Children were wading waist deep in
the waters by the harbour beach, and I can testify that the cold hurt my bones
as I paddled merely ankle deep. The Bird Observatory seemed to be deserted, but
the shop-come-pub-come-bistro by the beach was doing a roaring trade with folks
enjoying beers and ice-cream at the outdoor tables.
An impossibly steep road climbed the vertical hill to the
east, and I had no intention of expending my energies legging up that in spite
of the possibilities of getting a good shot. Moreover I was worried about
meeting one of the island car wrecks making its way downward with nowhere to
step out of the way. Instead I followed the crowd up the more moderate slope to
gain views of the South Harbour, an attractive bay which is overlooked by the
campsite where Mongolian yurts provide overnight accommodation for some very
happy campers. I met these folk in friendly Cotter’s Bar, and they spoke of the
heated comfort of their luxurious tents. Cotters was supplying dinner for the
island’s tourists that evening and the choice was between 3 types of Thai curry.
To quote Basil Fawlty “duck done in 3 completely different ways” and “if you
don’t like duck you’re rather stuck”.
Cape Clear had suffered greatly during the immense winter
storms, and work was in progress to repair the harbour. The weather was so
blissful this day I could not imagine such a thing as a tempest. Returning to Baltimore,
the ferry took the route to the north of Sherkin, which made for a very smooth
passage and provided further interesting views.
