Frequently Asked Questions
What equipment do I need for hillwalking?
Waterproof jacket – A waterproof jacket is an absolute necessity. A good quality jacket will be lightweight , breathable and have a hood that fits well. It should be able to be packed into a small size in your backpack. Ideally it will have large external pockets that you can access easily.
Walking boots – These are a fundamental requirement for walking on the Sheep’s Head Way. Many people ‘get away’ with walking in runners and other unsuitable shoes, but you are putting yourself and the people who may have to rescue you at risk by choosing too wear improper footwear on trails. Walking boots should be sturdy and give good support while not causing chaffing or blisters on the feet. An outdoor pursuits shop is the best place to get advise on which boot to buy.
Walking trousers and waterproof overalls – Walking trousers should be flexible and breathable, and allow you to easily put waterproofs over them. Denim should be avoided as it is inflexible and holds water which can be a risk in cold conditions. Waterproof trousers or overalls will make your walk much mor comfortable, especially in bad weather.
Hat and gloves – In cold or windy weather a knitted hat will protect your ears and help keep you warm. I hot sunny weather, a hat with a brim will protect your face and neck from sunburn. Gloves are extremely important in cold weather. For example, if it is 3 ° C at sea level and you then walk to an elevation of 500m in a 25 mph wind, the temperature will feel like -8 ° C
Walking poles – These are a great aid in rough terrain as they offer stability when the ground is very uneven. You can also use them to assist in ascent and descents which can take stress off your ankles and knees. This technique requires a bit of practice and be careful to maintain good posture when using them.
Backpack – A good quality waterproof backpack is another essential for hillwalking. A fully kitted out backpack would include:
- Water – as much as is practical
- Extra warm layers
- Waterproof trousers
- Mobile phone
- Physical map & compass
- Gloves
- First aid kit & foil blanket
- Camera / Mobile phone
- GPS device / Mobile phone
- Headtorch & spare batteries
- Sunscreen & insect repellent
- Signaling whistle
- Food for the day
What skills should I know when hillwalking?
While waymarked ways guide you through the landscape, you should have a solid knowledge of outdoor skills. Your first priority in an outdoor activity is to not become a casualty in need of rescue. The skills you need are those that will prevent this from happening.
Map skills – You should be able to read a map and use it and your surrounds to locate yourself on the map. You should be able to take a bearing form a map and use a compass to find your way. If you are not familiar with these skills, a good way to learn them is to join your local orienteering club. The Ordnance Survey in the UK have a good introduction for children.
Walking etiquette – People walking uphill have the right of way, so if a path is narrow and you are descending you should step out of the way for walkers ascending. Smaller groups should give way to larger groups. Walkers should cooperate with each other and assist each other where necessary.
Awareness of your surroundings – One key part of outdoor pursuits is to be aware of your surroundings and keep updating your information about the weather, the fatigue of yourself and the people you are with, and the conditions of the path. The South West coast of Ireland has extreme changes in weather; it can be raining, bright sunshine, hail and gusty wind all in the space of an hour. Dense fog can descend in minutes and you be prepared by knowing generally where your route is going and by having a physical map and compass as well as a GPS device like your phone.
Walking over uneven ground – Charging through uneven terrain is not an efficient or ecologically sound way of hillwalking. Hillwalking is not a competition, and it is beneficial to take your time and try to minimse hard impacts on your feet and joints. Again, your priority is not becoming a casualty, and so you should choose to walk in manner that prevents damage to yourself and the environment.
How can I get started hillwalking?
Hill walking is a great way to increase your physical fitness and enjoy the outdoors. The best way to begin is to start slow, find easier walks and over time progress to more difficult trails. The most important starting point is to prioritise safety and minimise the risk of injury. This means you need to be prepared, by choosing the correct equipment and ensuring you have an appropriate fitness level.
If you are new to outdoor walking, a good plan is to start walking on public roads or level paths. Start with a gentle pace and short distances. Increase your distance first and then try increasing your pace. Anywhere from 2-5km per hour is an average pace over level ground. Then add some some hilly road walks, and again build up your distance over time. If you can walk up to 10km over hilly roads, you should be fit enough for easy or moderate graded trails.
For example, the Shronacarton Walk is an easier trail to start with.
If you find you have pain after walking that doesn’t go away, or if you have old injuries that flare up we recommend visiting a physiotherapist and designing a training plan that is tailored to suit you. Exercises like squats, lunges, hamstring curls, step-ups, crunches, back extensions and calf and tibialis raises are great specific exercises for hillwalking. As with any new activity, it is best to start slow and try and improve any imbalances you might have right away. A basic lower limb resistance training regime will make an enormous difference in protecting you from injury when hill walking.
To take on harder trails, you will find that you need more strength in your leg muscles. Strenuous and hard trails will have sections of rocky ground that change elevation quickly. This puts a lot of pressure on your body; your back, hamstrings, calf muscles, tibialis (front of your shin) and feet. While it is normal to be sore after a hill walk, it is vital that you gauge your current level of fitness realistically before you attempt strenuous or hard trails. As an example, there is a section of the Glanbannoo Linear Walk that gains 125m over 656.5m, which is an average rise of 1 in 4 or a 24% grade. This will be very challenging for most walkers with average fitness levels.
Where can I walk with my dog?
Unfortunately NO DOGS are allowed on The Sheep’s Head Way.
You cannot bring a dog with you on the Sheep’s Head Way. The walk goes through working farms and agricultural areas with livestock.
You can walk your dog on public roads. Bear in mind that rural roads in West Cork are generally narrow and you will need a lead on your dog to keep them safe from traffic. Also note that public roads can often have livestock on them, so for safely you should have your dog on a lead.
What do I do with my rubbish?
You bring back with you and dispose of it in the correct manner. This is part of the Leave no trace guidelines.
What about tissue and other biodegradables? You are walking through people’s private land that they have chosen to share with you. In the interest of mutual respect alone, we would ask that you take all your rubbish home with you regardless of type.
What about orange and banana skins? Unfortunately these do no biodegrade quickly at altitude or in the cold. If you want to preserve the Irish landscape you will choose to take these back with you.
For example, there are a number of rare plants and species on the Sheep’s Head Way. Rather than take the risk of endangering them, we ask you take all forms of rubbish with you and leave only your footprints.
What do I do if I get lost?
Don’t panic, look at what’s around you and think about where you have walked and what the last place you saw a way marker or signpost. You may have missed a marker or there may be a way marker missing, so you may have to retrace your steps. Study the map and try to work out your location, your direction of travel, where you are now and where you are going.
If you have a phone with internet access you can use the location utility on Google maps or the map on this website to identify your position and find your way back to the trail.
What do I do in the event of a serious Emergency or Accident?
In case of emergency call 999 or 112 and state the emergency service you require. Give the number of the nearest way marker and/or your GPS location.
To identify your location please quote the number of your nearest way marker post or pole, GPS co-ordinates or grid reference. State the name of the trail route, direction and approximate time since you started your walk if you have no reference number.
State whether you need Ambulance, Gardaí (police), Fire Brigade or Mountain Rescue. Ensure you, and any others in your group, are comfortable and calm whilst awaiting assistance. (NB: it may take an hour or more for help to arrive if you are in a particularly isolated location).
What is the difference between “Walk / Walking / Hillwalking” and “Hike / Hiking”?
Walk / Walking / Hillwalking – A “walk” in Ireland can refer to a simple walk along a public road, or it can imply something far more substantial. In the context of outdoor recreational walking, we often use “walk” where American English would use “hike”. A “walk” in the USA implies smooth surfaces with no need for specialised hiking gear, and is accessible to all fitness levels, whereas a “walk” in Ireland could be much harder.
Hike / Hiking – This term is not used in Ireland much, we use “hillwalking” to refer to what Americans call “hiking”. In the USA it refers to travelling by foot over rough, hilly or mountainous terrain. It implies the use of specific boots and equipment, and that you need a certain level of physical fitness and preparedness. When Americans want to emphasise that the terrain is very rugged, they call it “mountain hiking”. In Ireland, we would refer to this as “hill-walking” or “mountain hill-walking”.
What is the difference between a “Mountain” and a “Hill”?
Mountain – In Ireland, generally a mountain has an elevation over 600m (2000ft), and has a topographical prominence over 30m. By this definition there are no mountains on the Sheep’s Head Way, but you should understand that the terrain on sections of the Sheep’s Head Way is physically far more demanding than some walking route through mountains in other countries.
Hill – Generally this is any geographically identifiable prominence below 600m.The problem here is that “hill” can refer a variety of landscapes, from peat uplands, to high bog, to exposed rocky areas. In the UK, ”hill” generally refers to areas that incorporate more pasture, but this is not usually the case in Ireland. In the USA the word “hill” is usually not used in the same context.
What is the difference between a “Way”, “Right of Way”, “Waymarked Way” and a “Trail”?
Way – A “way” generally refers to a path or route from one point to another. It is most common in English speaking countries outside the USA, and in Ireland it is used to describe long distance walking trails . e.g. The Sheep’s Head Way.
Right of Way – Generally this is a legal name given to the legal right given by a landowner to allow passage along a specific route through their property. This phrase has subtle differences in different countries. In Ireland, there are private and public right of ways. For example, in a town there is a public right of way for pedestrians to use footpaths. Private right of ways exist between landowners, where one party needs to travel across another’s land to get access to their land. A private right of way is not a public right of way.
Waymarked Way – A waymarked way is a route from one point to another, with marker poles that guide the traveler along the route. This is used more in English speaking countries outside the USA.
Trail – In the context of outdoor recreational walking, a “trail” in Ireland usually implies some kind of recreational path or waymarked way. In the USA, a trail is a more general term for a route between two points – the equivalent in Ireland would be “path” or “route”. In the USA they refer to “hiking trails”, which in Ireland are “hill walks”.
Can I camp on the Sheep’s Head Way?
The general rule in the Republic of Ireland is that you do not have permission to camp anywhere, unless you have obtained permission from the landowner(s). If you want to camp along the Sheep’s Head Way, you have to get permission from the landowner(s) and camp off the trail.
The terrain on the walk is generally not suitable for easy camping. In the uplands it can be very windy and wet, while in the low lands you will be on working farms. If you camp without permission, you are actively working against keeping the walk open.
There is accommodation on Sheep’s Head but it is spread out. If you insist on camping, the most practical option is to rent a car and stay at a camp site. There are camp sites in Dunbeacon, Glanlough and Bantry. Then you can drive to the trail and do the walk the in loops. If you want to walk the walk in a continuous run, you will need permission from several landowners. Our advise is to visit the area for a week before you intend to walk and make arrangements with the landowners. We are not in a position to organise this for you.
Where can I park my motorhome, campervan or RV?
There are 5 official parks that can accept such vehicles:
Before you decide on bringing your motorhome or RV to Sheep’s Head, please read the section we have written on roads here.
There is limited space available on roads and in parks for campervans, motorhomes and RVs. It is always best to contact the parks ahead of time to ensure they have space for you.
If you insist on driving on the minor roads with a large machine, know that you will encounter traffic and you will have to drive your machine off the road onto wet muddy ground to make way for traffic. You may not be able to even do this on some roads, and so you will at some point have to reverse your machine, possibly several hundred meters/yards. If you are not comfortable with this, you should not drive such a machine onto the small minor roads of West Cork.