Sheep's Head - Whiddy Island Loop
Walking Trail · Cork
Sheep's Head - Whiddy Island Loop is a 6.2 km moderate waymarked loop in Cork, starting near Bantry.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Moderate | Moderate | 1 hour |
Getting there
Starts at Pier on Whiddy Island, near Bantry.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 51.68819, -9.49144
- Irish Grid reference
- V 969 494
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheet 85
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.
Public transport
Whiddy Island Ferry
Before you go
Please note the seasonal ferry times to Whiddy Island before setting out from the pier at Bantry.
- Waymarking
- Red arrows on white background
- Dogs
- No
Who manages it
Sheep’s Head Way Limited
Tim O Leary - 086 8626734
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Bantry Blue-way Blue Trail 1.7 km away · 6 km trail
- Bantry Blue-way Green Trail 1.7 km away · 1 km trail
- Bantry Blue-way Red Trail 1.7 km away · 9 km trail
- Sheep's Head - Rooska Loop 2.7 km away · 13.9 km trail
- Sheep's Head Way 2.7 km away · 171.8 km trail
- The Sheep's Head Looped Cycle 2.8 km away · 60.8 km trail
Common questions
How long is the Sheep's Head - Whiddy Island Loop?
6.2 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 30 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 1 hour.
How hard is the Sheep's Head - Whiddy Island Loop?
Sport Ireland grades it Moderate. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the Sheep's Head - Whiddy Island Loop start?
Starts at Pier on Whiddy Island, near Bantry. The trailhead is at 51.68819, -9.49144 (Irish Grid V 969 494).
Can you bring a dog on the Sheep's Head - Whiddy Island Loop?
No. The register records dogs as not allowed on this trail.
Can you get to the Sheep's Head - Whiddy Island Loop without a car?
Whiddy Island Ferry.
Who manages the Sheep's Head - Whiddy Island 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.