Day 2 - Cork to Gougane Barra 40 miles (62 km)
You can follow backroads along the course of the River Lee to the thriving market town of Macroom for lunch and onto St Finbarr's Hermitage in Gougane Barra this afternoon. Gougane Barra was Ireland's first National Park when it opened to the public in 1966. This contributes greatly to the reputation which Gougane Barra has as an area of wild and beautiful scenery. The magnificent Forest Park covers an area of over 400 hectares (1,000 acres).
The River Lee rises here in Gougane Barra and flows through beautiful scenery to reach Cork Harbour after a distance of approximately 50km. There is a tiny island in the lake at Gougane Barra connected to the shore by a causeway. It was here that St. Finbarr, patron saint of Cork, founded his early Christian monastery, before moving down the River Lee to establish a monastery at what is now St. Finbarrs Cathedral in Cork City.
Enjoy your overnight stay in Accommodation in Glengariff. The name comes from "An Gleann Garbh" - the rugged glen - which is derived from the rugged beauty of the mountains and wooded valleys surrounding the village. Magnificent views of the Caha Mountains and the bulk of Sugarloaf can be seen from the numerous viewpoints along the roads which hug the coastline or wind along the steep sided valleys.