Ballycotton is surrounded by wonderful beaches. In the village there is a small beach called the Conger by Ballycotton Pier. For the more adventurous swimmers you can swim from "The men’s bathing area" which is accessed by steps down to a rocky platform on your left going towards the Cliff Walk. In the middle of the village there is a slip way know locally as "The Cow" and here you will find a rocky beach which is great for rock pools. The Ballycotton Bay area has one long sandy beach that stretches for miles from Silverstrand near Ballycotton to Ballycrenane near Knockadoon Head.
The Cliff Walk is from Ballycotton village to Ballyandreen beach along a cliff track where you are flanked by meadows on one side and the ocean on the other.
It starts at the end of Ballycotton village
(at the y in the road take the right up the hill, the left takes you to the pier). The walk extends over
5 miles on a foot worn track along the cliff face with stunning views and passes Ballytrasna beach.
There are many stiles to cross on the route (so not suitable for bikes or buggies).
Check out the
map of the Ballycotton Cliff Walk.
See what tripadvisor says about the Ballycotton Cliff Walk,
for more photos check out Cork Guide - Ballycotton.
There is a fantastic new playground at the entrance of Ballycotton village. It is in a stunning setting overlooking Ballycotton Bay.
Overlooking the Ballycotton Island lighthouse and the sea is the pitch and putt course. It is run by the Pitch & Putt club in Ballycotton.
All equipment (clubs, balls, tees) can be hired.
Website: Ballycotton Pitch & Putt
Ballycotton has a number of moorings or anchoring outside the harbour. This is the best option for visiting boats as the harbour is
very busy with fishing boats.
Ballycotton Bay provides excellent holding in a good anchorage in all westerly conditions.
Access is straightforward as there are no off-lying dangers for an eastern approach.
Website: inyourfootsteps.com
Ballycotton is one of the oldest stations in Ireland, being opened in 1858.
Today, the station operates one of the most modern lifeboats in the RNLI's fleet, The 14m Trent class all weather lifeboat.
The lifeboat volunteers who crew the boat and manage the station are proud of their station and record.
Ballycotton Lifeboat Souvenir Shop is open every Sunday afternoon between 3pm and 5pm throughout the summer.
Website: Ballycotton Lifeboat station
The Mary Stanford, Ballycotton, was the first and is the only Lifeboat in RNLI history to have been awarded a
gold medal for gallantry, that is the boat herself, as well as her brave crew for the famous Daunt Lightship rescue on 11th February 1936 and she now sadly languishes in a backwater of Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock almost certainly heading towards being scuttled unless she is rescued soon!
Website: The Mary Stanford
Experience the fresh Ballycotton sea air,
be mesmerised by the natural beauty and stunning views that Ballycotton has to offer.
Ballycotton Island Lighthouse Tours is a truly magical memory-making excursion.
Travel in an open topped boat, hike to the Ballycotton lighthouse summit & explore the lighthouse.
Website: Ballycotton Sea Adventures
Ballycotton has a proud fishing tradition and many locals still earn their livelihood from fishing. From Ballycotton pier and breakwater
you can fish for mackerel and
conger (night time best) and from the Breakwater you can bottom fish for plaice, dabs, black sole and dogfish,
codling in winter time and mullet inside the Breakwater. The Irish record for plaice and black sole have been recorded here.
All around Ballycotton Bay has great fishing spots. Check out the fishing websites for more details.
Websites:
Fishing Ireland - Ballycotton
Go Fishing Ireland - Ballycotton
For an amazing Deep Sea Angling experience come to Ballycotton!
The Ballycotton harbour is non-tidal and boats can go to sea at any time. Favourite angling-marks can be reached within 20-40 minutes.
From Ballycotton Pier you can charter a boat and trips can be tailored to suit the needs of passengers.
Colm Sliney skippers the Sarah Marie and
Peter Manning skippers the Cliona.
Websites:
Sea Angling Ireland - Cork
Ballycotton Sea Adventures
Ballycotton is well worth a visit for the bird watcher enthusiasts with 300 species of birds recorded here. It can be good for rare and scarce migrant landbirds during
spring and autumn migration and can also be good for sea-watching in suitable weather conditions.
It is good for waders, ducks and coastal/dune birds including Skylark and also Short-eared Owl in the winter.
While the Ballycotton cliff walk is also good for coastal species, including Chough and Peregrine.
Websites: birdwatchcork.com &
Special Interest Trails &
East Cork Bird Trail
Ballycotton is a sheltered beach break that has quite reliable surf and
can work at any time of the year. Offshore winds blow from the northeast.
Tends to receive a mix of groundswells and windswells and the best swell
direction is from the south southwest. The beach break offers both left and
right hand waves. Good surf at all stages of the tide.
Also, Ballynamona beach is a good destination for kite surfers.
The best wind direction is NE-E winds.
Website: surf-forecast - Ballycotton
Ballycotton Development and the Ballycotton Seafood & Shanty teams host a number of the
fun family friendly events throughout the year.
For more information check out
Ballycotton Events Guide
The Ballycotton Lifeboat team do a number of fun fundraising events throughout the year like
a weekend for all the family in August and Santa coming on the lifeboat in December.
For more information check out
Ballycotton Lifeboat Fundraising
The Blackbird, in the heart of Ballycotton village, has regular live music sessions throughout the year. Check out the Blackbird website for upcoming events:
The Blackbird Ballycotton.
Also, on our doorstep is
the Ballymaloe Grainstore which hosts a variety of events from concerts to cinema nights. Check out the
Grainstore website for upcoming events:
The Grainstore at Ballymaloe.
If you are in the Ballycotton Bay area why not try to find time
to visit the Ballymaloe Cookery School Gardens.
Walk through the little wooden gate at the entrance to Ballymaloe Cookery School and step into a veritable Eden. Beyond the main cookery school building (once an old apple store), lie several captivating gardens - some carefully designed and highly ornate, others allowed to grow wild at certain times of the year. Each space has a unique personality and a special story of its own to communicate.
Website: Ballymaloe Cookery School Gardens
Go visit the multi-award-winning Ballymaloe Cookery School which has been
delivering a first class culinary education to students all over the world
since 1983. It offers a variety of courses from 12 weeks to half days.
But if you do not have time for a course join in on the daily
Afternoon Demonstrations which are a wonderful way to spend an afternoon and immerse yourself in the
wonderful cooking in Ballymaloe Cookery School.
Tel: +353 21 4646970
Website: Ballymaloe Cookery School
Visit the artist studios downstairs at The Shanagarry Design Centre where you
can meet and greet the local artists and potters, watch live art and craft demonstrations and even have a go at being creative yourself!
Website: The Shanagarry Design Centre
You will find:
Elaine Hayes – Angels Touch (Holistic & Beauty therapis),
Ann O Riordan – EcoPaisti Crafts (Art & Craft classes for kids),
Phil Davis – Painter (Fine Painting, Prints and Classes),
Belinda Northcote Designs (Fine Art, Prints and Irish Designed Scarves).
Website: Belinda Northcote
and
The William Penn Room.
We are very lucky to have a number of wonderful potters in the area.
Stephen Pearce pottery
is known throughout the world. The handcrafted table & giftware has been made
since 1953.
The workshop and showroom are open daily and is packed full of beautiful pottery and the
café adjoining the showroom serves home-made cakes and sandwiches.
Website: Stephen Pearce
Orla O’Rourke –
Stable Door Pottery is located at the Shanagarry Design Centre. The pottery headlines in the fully
functional tableware collection.
Website: Stable Door Pottery
We are very luck in Ballycotton to have some amazing photographers.
Kevin Dwyer specializes in aerial photos of Ireland. There are photos of rivers, lakes and canals as well as Irish towns and villages including Ballycotton.
Website: Kevin Dwyer
Colm Sliney is both a photographer and skipper. He has taken some wonderful photographs of Ballycotton from many different angles.
Maurice O'Donoghue's Real Ireland series of Irish land and seascapes capture the charm and beauty of
this island nation.
Website: Maurice O'Donoghue
In the Ballycotton area there are a number of great little shops.
The Ballymaloe Shop is a kitchen and craft shop. It is jammed packed with pottery, blankets, clothes,
cookery books, home-ware & textiles, every kind of kitchen utensil and lots more. Ideal for gifts.
Website: Ballymaloe Shop
The Ballymaloe Cookery School Garden Shop sells a selection of gifts, cookery books, kitchen items,
vegetables from the farm and some of their own baking.
Website: The Garden Shop
Kilkenny Shop has a splendid range of homeware, crystal, linen, pottery, jewellery, fashion and accessories.
Website: Kilkenny Shop Shanagarry
Ballycotton is the hidden gem of East Cork. It is a small picturesque fishing village which sits on a rocky-ledge overlooking Ballycotton Bay and is surrounded by sandy beaches. Only 40 minutes from Cork airport and Cork City, Ballycotton is the perfect escape to the beautiful East Cork countryside.
During a stay in Ballycotton you can enjoy the freshest of fish served in award winning restaurants or from the local gluten free chippy straight from the boats in Ballycotton Harbour. You will receive a warm local welcome in our traditional pubs, there is live music in the village every weekend and the more energetic can enjoy our cliff side Pitch n Putt course or Ballycotton's internationally acclaimed cliff walk.
