Glengarriff is a small village at the head of a sheltered inlet of Bantry Bay, on the edge of the Beara Peninsula in the southwest of Ireland, surrounded by wooded hills, rocky slopes and islands. The climate here is unusually mild, warmed by the Gulf Stream and protected from the wind, and plants grow in Glengarriff that you would not expect so far north: palms, tree ferns, rhododendrons and other subtropical species, which thrive in the damp air.
The village is best known for Garinish Island, also called Ilnacullin, a small island in the bay transformed in the early twentieth century into an extraordinary garden, with Italian-style terraces, a classical temple, a walled garden and a Martello tower, all surrounded by exotic plants. Boats run from the village to the island in summer, passing seal colonies on the rocks along the way, where the seals bask in the sun and watch the boats go by. Around the village, the Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve protects an old oak forest, with mossy trees, streams and walking paths.
Glengarriff is also the gateway to the Beara Peninsula, a wild, rugged and less-visited alternative to the Ring of Kerry, with mountains, bogs, small villages and spectacular coastline. The road around the peninsula, the Beara Ring, is narrow, twisting and full of views, with tight bends, steep climbs and little traffic. The Healy Pass, a dramatic road with hairpins that crosses the mountains in the middle of the peninsula, is one of the highlights. North of Glengarriff, the N71 climbs over the Caha Pass toward Kenmare, through a series of short rock tunnels, with views over the mountains and the bay.
The roads here are narrow, with stone walls and hedges close to the edge, and the surface can be uneven. Traffic is moderate in summer, and you may meet tour buses on the main road. The weather is changeable, with rain and sunshine often in the same hour, and the light is soft and beautiful.
Glengarriff has cafes, pubs, shops and accommodation. Bantry, about ten kilometres southeast, is the main town of the area, with fuel, supermarkets and all services. Kenmare, to the north, is another attractive town with good restaurants.