HISTORICAL POINTS shipping. This was closed in TOURIST INFORMATION Bantry’s Heritage Loop Walks OF INTEREST 1919 and little remains of it Bantry has a wealth of heritage, today. Whiddy Island holds its As an important tourism natural and built, from sea, infamous first WW1 aviation location and a designated woodlands and mountains, to casualty for Ireland. At the end outdoor activity hub in West Bantry House, the Kilnaurane of a routine patrol flight lookout Cork, Bantry provides a wide Pillar stone and story of Wolfe for German submarines, Petty variety of activities and events Tone. The aim is to take walkers Officer Walford August Anderson all year round. on a tour of many of the died when the plane crash- heritage points of interest in landed. A memorial ceremony and around the town. was held in 2014 at the Bank House Pontoon (point 4) where The walks vary from 2.5m to a sculpture was unveiled to 5km plus, but they can be linked mark this petty officers tragic together to form a walk of more death. This site can also be than 20km. Most of the walks seen on the kayaking trail at use pavements, paths and point 5 on your maps. Bantry House & Gardens small roads, so are suitable At present the population Bantry House was constructed for all the family. For the more of Whiddy Island stands at only in about 1700 on the south adventurous there is the Whiddy Island 30. side of Bantry Bay. The house possibility of striking out across In the mid 1600s Whiddy was has been open to tourism since the peak of Knocknaveagh, sold to an English settler called Airstrip 1946 and now offers bed and which provides stunning views White who, prospering on This area, now used as an breakfast accommodation. The over the town and bay. The beautiful gardens contain seven farming, fishing & port trade, Airstrip, was, in the 1840s, walks are complemented by a terraces; the house is located also bought Bantry House (then occupied by a Coast Guard series of interpretative boards on the third. One hundred ‘Blackrock House’), taking over Station and boat house. erected by Bantry Tourism, steps are located behind the the whole of the Bantry area. During the building of the Failte Ireland and Cork County house and are built to appear During the 1700s Whiddy Gulf Oil Terminal on Whiddy Council. to rise out of a fountain and prospered on the pilchard Island, in 1967, this was the are surrounded by azaleas and fishing industry, with a fleet main construction area for rhododendron. The gardens of 150 boats, and three ‘Fish all the pipe-work and was a Palaces’ (large sheds where are constantly tended and hive of industrial activity. The maintained. they pickled these Pilchards) Airstrip, originally 3 fields, was The population at this time built in the 1970s by Rowa Bantry Bay 18 Hotel numbered 817 people. One Pharmaceutical Company, who Championship Golf Course Eating Out of these ‘Fish Palaces’ was own the land. This is located at A beautiful, challenging 18 hole Bantry offers a wide variety of located at point 4 on your map. point 2 on your map. During the Great Famine championship parkland golf restaurants and cafes to suit the population decreased to course in the sunny South West all tastes. Local specialities Railway Pier of Ireland. Course architects about 250 and Lord Bantry include mussels which are Located at point 7 on your Eddie Hackett and Christy introduced deer farming to the harvested in Bantry Bay. map, Railway Pier was built in O’Connor Jnr have adapted island - taking over much of the 1890 to connect Bantry Railway some 170 acres of picturesque good tillage ground. Civil unrest Accommodation station to the Bantry Steamship scenery skirting the coast, ensued and many people were Bantry offers a range of Company ships, trains ran on to with parkland tree lined holes tried in the courts or hung on accommodation to suit all the pier from the nearby main coupled with an abundance of budgets from 4 Star Hotels the infamous ‘hanging tree’, station. Passengers and goods perfectly positioned hazards, to Guesthouses, Bed & near the site now known as then transferred to the ships lakes, mounds and bunkers. Breakfasts, Farmhouses, Gallows Hill. and continued to Glengarriff and Caravans, Camping and Hostels. In 1918, the Americans built Castletownbere. The pier was in Country Market (every Friday) a seaplane base on the eastern use up to 1949. Bantry Market is one of the For further information, please end of the island to keep watch most vibrant markets in West see www.visitbantry.ie or call on German submarines & Cork, hosting an abundance +353 2750229 of stalls selling a vast array of local artisan foods that will Bantry Tourist Office is make your mouth water. The located in the Old Courthouse Bantry Bay Port market operates from 9am – building in Wolfe Tone Square. 3.30pm. Company Bantry Bay Port Company

Harbour Office: Wolfe Tone Square, Bantry, Co. Cork, Ireland ABBEY POINT SLIPWAY TRAIL SAFETY INFORMATION TO RAILWAY PIER RETURN Canoeing & Kayaking is an For more information and adventure sport. When you safety tips, visit www. Green Trail: Beginner Trail go canoeing follow the five bluewaysireland.org 1 Access Point: Abbey Slipway points below to stay safe: Distance: 2 km return Duration: 1 hour return In case of an emergency Description: Short return trail between Abbey Slipway (1) Planning - Plan your trip well dial 112 or 999 to contact and Railway Pier (7). Beware of Ferries operating from in advance by consulting emergency services. Use VHF Bantry Pier. with the Blueway website channel 16 to contact the and local providers. coast guard. BE RESPONSIBLE AND STAY SAFE TODAY Experience - Ensure the Blueway ABBEY POINT SLIPWAY is a suitable match for your LEAVE NO TRACE TO BANK HOUSE RETURN group’s experience. Water Take only pictures, can be dangerous, if you are leave only ripples. Blue Trail: Intermediate Trail inexperienced use a local guide www.leavenotraceireland.org and seek formal training. 1 Access Point: Abbey Slipway INVASIVE SPECIES Distance: 6km return Duration: 2 hour return Conditions - Consult the Help stop the spread of invasive Description: Travels west to point (2) where the crossing weather forecast and tide species - wash your boat before point is marked by a signpost and flag. Beware of winds tables in advance of your and after your paddle. and tidal flows at the crossing, a wind flag at point (2) trip and if unguided only go www.invasivespeciesireland.com will indicate local wind conditions. If suitable cross out in favourable conditions, 600m (15 minutes) to the Blueway flag on Whiddy Island clear days with low wind. We welcome feedback about point (3). Be careful of ferries operating between Whiddy your paddling experience. Island and Bantry. Follow trail to Bank House on Whiddy Equipment - Always wear Please contact us at Island (4). Return via the same Blue Intermediate Loop an approved buoyancy [email protected] to Abbey Slipway. aid. Ensure your boat has adequate buoyancy. Bring suitable clothing, such as a wetsuit and equipment to ABBEY SLIPWAY TO WHIDDY ISLAND For further local information deal with an emergency. TO ABBEY SLIPWAY - LONG LOOP please contact either: Emergencies - In the event of MAP LEGEND BANTRY BAY PORT COMPANY capsize, stay with your craft, Red Trail: Advanced Trail - bantrybayport.com be ready and equipped to 1 Access Point: Abbey Slipway You are here Public House help one another. Always bring BANTRY TOURIST OFFICE Distance: 9km Duration: 3 hours Put in\take out points Cafe\Restaurant some form of communication - visitbantry.ie 00353 27 50229 Description: Follow the Blue Trail description to Bank Fresh Water Shop with you, ie mobile phone - House on Whiddy Island (4) continue north to point (5) Shower VHF. Ensure your group has where the crossing point is marked by an orange buoy Harbour Slipway a towing system in place. and flag. This is a 2 km long (45 minute) open water Historical building\ruins Toilets crossing which requires experience to successfully Hotel complete. Beware of winds and tidal flows at the Tourist Info Parking crossing, a wind flag at point (5) will indicate local wind Warning conditions. Cross between Horse Island and Chapel Island flanked by mussel farm buoys to the green channel marker. From the green channel marker head WIND FLAG INDICATOR for the Blueway flag on Reenbeg Point (6). Then cross Local Advice for Users the small bay south to reach Railway Pier (7) and on to Trail users must check the weather forecast Wind Flag Sagging: Slack Winds Abbey Slipway (1). and beware of the wind especially in open water favourable paddling conditions crossings. In case of an emergency dial 112 Wind flag extended or flapping: High Winds, Bantry Bay Port Disclaimer: Users of this trail do so at their own risk. or 999 to contact the emergency services. Use not favourable paddling condition VHF channel 16 to contact the Coast Guard. Company No Flag: Trail CLOSED.