Mizen Head is the most south-westerly point of Ireland, a jagged headland of dark cliffs where the Atlantic comes in with force. A footbridge crosses a deep chasm to the old signal station on a rock, and the views of the cliffs and the sea, with the Fastnet Rock lighthouse far out to sea, are among the finest in the country. Bantry and Skibbereen are each thirty-five or forty kilometres away, and the village of Goleen is closer, a little to the north-east.
The ride out to the head is a lovely one, a narrow road running along the peninsula between stone walls, with the sea on one side and bare hills on the other. The surface is rough in places, with potholes and gravel, and the road can be very narrow, with passing places. The traffic is light outside the summer months, but in July and August the road can be busy with visitors. Take it slowly, and be ready for sheep that wander across without a thought.
The Fastnet Rock, a lonely lighthouse on a tiny islet, is known as Ireland's teardrop, because it was the last sight of Ireland for many emigrants who sailed for America. The signal station on Mizen Head was built to warn ships and later became a weather station and now a visitor centre, with exhibits on the sea and wrecks. There is an entrance fee for the bridge and the centre. The cliffs are home to seabirds, and dolphins and whales can sometimes be seen offshore.
Schull, Goleen and the larger towns of Bantry and Skibbereen offer petrol and supplies, and there is a cafe at the visitor centre. The weather here can be wild, with strong winds and sudden squalls, and even in summer it can be cold and wet. The road is open all year, but the exposed headland is best visited in calm weather, and spring and early autumn are the best seasons.