Sheep's Head - Poet's Way Loop
Walking Trail · Cork
Sheep's Head - Poet's Way Loop is a 12.4 km very difficult waymarked loop in Cork, starting near Kilcrohane.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Very Difficult | Very Challenging | 6 hours |
Getting there
Starts at Tooreen Point carpark at the tip of Sheep's Head peninsula, near Kilcrohane.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 51.54599, -9.82644
- Irish Grid reference
- V 733 341
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 88
The National Trails Register's own latitude and longitude fields are empty for all 1,186 trails on it. This trailhead comes from Sport Ireland's separate Trailheads dataset, matched to this trail on its register ID.
About the trail
This loop takes you on paths, tracks and minor road through the rock and bog landscape of the Sheep's Head Peninsula, heading out across some seemingly remote country to the tip of the peninsula, with stretches on steep rocky trails past high cliffs and an abundance of spectacular coastal scenery.
- Waymarking
- Red arrow on yellow background
- Dogs
- No
Who manages it
Sheep’s Head Way Limited
The Sheep's Head Way Committee Durrus, Bantry, Co.Cork +353 27 61052 or +353 86 8778604
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Sheep's Head - Lighthouse Loop 0 m away · 3.7 km trail
- Sheep's Head - Caher Loop 5.3 km away · 6.1 km trail
- Sheep's Head - Cahergal Loop 5.3 km away · 8.6 km trail
- Sheep's Head - Farranamanagh Loop 9.3 km away · 6.2 km trail
- Sheep's Head - Funeral Path Loop 9.3 km away · 3.5 km trail
- Sheep's Head - Peakeen Ridge Linear Walk 9.7 km away · 5.7 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Sheep's Head - Poet's Way Loop?
12.4 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 350 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 6 hours.
How hard is the Sheep's Head - Poet's Way Loop?
Sport Ireland grades it Very Difficult, with an overall difficulty of Very Challenging. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Sheep's Head - Poet's Way Loop start?
Starts at Tooreen Point carpark at the tip of Sheep's Head peninsula, near Kilcrohane. The trailhead is at 51.54599, -9.82644 (Irish Grid V 733 341).
Can you bring a dog on the Sheep's Head - Poet's Way Loop?
No. The register records dogs as not allowed on this trail.
Who manages the Sheep's Head - Poet's Way Loop?
Sheep’s Head Way Limited. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Cork
Trail data from the Sport Ireland National Trails Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Trailhead coordinates from the companion Trailheads dataset. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13.