When Ancient Stones Meet Irish Rain | Beara Way

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Day 9 was wet. Properly, relentlessly, beautifully wet. I walked out of Ardgroom into the rain and didn't dry out until I pulled my boots off in Lauragh, eleven kilometres and one very large bog later.

This one has everything I love about the Beara Way on a bad weather day: a 3,000-year-old stone circle rising out of wet grass under a heavy sky, a mountain crossing with no real path and boots disappearing into sucking ground between waymarker posts, and a harbour that appeared through the cloud looking better than it ever would have in sunshine.

What You'll See

I leave Ardgroom with the harbour disappearing into mist behind me, mussel farms barely visible on the water. The Ardgroom Stone Circle comes first, eleven stones on a working sheep farm with panoramic views over the Kenmare estuary, or what you can see of it through the cloud. Then the route climbs onto open bog with no track, just posts in the distance and very soft ground underfoot. This is where the rain earns its place in the story. At the top of the crossing I step from Cork into Kerry on a soaked col, which feels like it means something after everything it took to get there. Coming down the other side, Kilmakilloge Harbour appears through the mist in silver and grey, the Cashelkeelty Stone Circles glistening with puddles and moss and small offerings left by strangers, then a waterfall alongside the path carrying the day's rain off the mountain. Finally, the canopy of Reenkilla Woods, where the rain softens to a drip and the body starts to know it's nearly done.

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VIDEO CHAPTERS

0:00 Leaving Ardgroom in the Rain
0:50 Ardgroom Stone Circle – 11 Stones from 3000 Years Ago
1:21 Cork to Kerry Border Crossing
2:05 Kilmakilloge Harbour Revealed Through Mist
4:17 Crossing the Bog – The Heart of the Hike
6:41 Cashelkeelty Stone Circle – Ancient & Modern Pilgrims
7:10 Mountain Waterfall – Where the Rain Finds Its Path
7:49 Reenkilla Woods

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Trail Info & Logistics

Distance: 11km | Terrain: Road, open bog, woodland lane | Conditions: Boggy mountain crossing with no defined path in sections, waymarker posts only

What to Bring:
Waterproof boots, not just water resistant ones. The bog will test them.
Gaiters are worth it on the mountain section
Poles help on the spongy ground between the posts
Layers that stay warm when wet
More patience than you think you'll need

Highlights:
Ardgroom Stone Circle: 11 stones, 1,000 to 1,500 BC, unusually pointed and tapered, set on a working sheep farm with views across the north Beara Peninsula
Cork/Kerry Border: The route crosses counties between Eyeries and Tuosist via Lauragh. Worth stopping for.
Kilmakilloge Harbour: Sea eagles, cormorants, guillemots, and great northern divers in the coastal area around the harbour
Cashelkeelty Stone Circles: Intimate, mossy, and quietly moving on a wet day

Accommodation: Lauragh is a small village. Book ahead, options are limited.

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Day 9 of my end-to-end walk of the Beara Way in southwest Ireland. I'm filming the full route from Glengarriff to Kenmare, stage by stage. If you're planning to walk it yourself or just want to come along for the views, the full playlist is linked above.