The setting of Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve is spectacular, with the woods nestled in the sheltered glen opening out into Glengarriff Harbour. Above the woods rise the Caha Mountains, with their dramatic layers of sheer rock.

A variety of trails are provided in the Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve to suit a range of abilities. You can take a gentle amble along the River Walk or make the steep, but rewarding climb up to Lady Bantry’s Lookout.

The entrance to Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve is located approximately 1km from Glengarriff village, Co. Cork, on the Kenmare Road (N17). The Nature Reserve features a range of walking trails and picnic areas.

Irish name: Iolar mara Description An adult White-tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) is brown with a pale head and a distinctive white tail. It is the largest bird of prey in Ireland with a wingspan of up to 2.4m. Females are about a third larger than the …

The Nature Reserve hosts a very rare dragonfly, the Downy Emerald, and the lake was dug to provide additional habitat for the species. In June 2006, an adult male was seen and in the summer of 2008 Downy Emeralds were recorded breeding at the new lake.

The mature oaks of Glengarriff host Ireland’s only aboreal ant species (Lasius fulginosis). The arboreal ant colonies are known to persist in association with individual trees for up to a century.

This live-streaming webcam was set up by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to monitor a pair of white-tailed sea eagles breeding in County Cork. White-tailed sea eagles became extinct in Ireland over 100 years ago but were brought back as part of a reintroduction programme: from 2007 to 2011 one hundred eagle chicks were...

At the beginning of the 17th century, the woodlands around Glengarriff were extensive, and it was from the shelter of these that O’Sullivan Bear set out with his followers early in 1602 on his long march to exile in Leitrim after the defeat of the Gaelic army at the Battle of Kinsale.

Gallery Here are some images from the Glengarriff Nature Reserve (please click to enlarge)…

Evidence of the glacial processes that shaped and formed the now wooded glen, can be seen in the ice-smoothed rocks that occur in the Reserve e.g. on the far bank of the River Walk.