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The island with stunning coastline, sharks, goat farm & €10 ferry trips

24 May 2023 , 13:24
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The island with stunning coastline, sharks, goat farm & €10 ferry trips
The island with stunning coastline, sharks, goat farm & €10 ferry trips

THIS is the Irish island with a stunning coastline, goat farms and basking sharks.

And tickets for the ferry trips that bring visitors to the remote island cost just €10.

Visitors can only get to the island by ferry eiqrdiqkriqeprw
Visitors can only get to the island by ferryCredit: Alamy
Cape Clear has a stunning, rugged coastline
Cape Clear has a stunning, rugged coastlineCredit: Alamy
There are tours of the Fastnet Rock Lighthouse
There are tours of the Fastnet Rock LighthouseCredit: Cape clear ferries

Cape Clear Island is Ireland's most southern inhabited Gaeltacht island.

This means a majority of the population on the island speak Irish, or as Gaeilge.

The island is three miles long and one mile wide - and it lies just eight miles off the coast of West Cork.

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A 40 minute ferry trip takes visitors from Baltimore to Cape Clear.

Adult return tickets from Baltimore to Cape Clear cost €20. For children the price is €9. And there are special package deals for families, including two adults and two children for €50 return.

The island is a popular destination during the summer months with secondary school students, who are looking to improve their Irish language skills by joining immersion courses.

Cape Clear Island has a stunning rugged coastline that visitors get to see while travelling into the harbour on the ferries.

The hillsides are covered in heather, gorse and other wild flowers, while the water is sparkling beneath.

While on the ferry, passengers have a good chance of spotting some wildlife beneath the waves.

Dolphins, basking sharks and even whales are known to frequent the waters surrounding Cape Clear.

From higher ground on the island, harmless basking sharks can often be seen lazily gliding through the waters close to shore.

And a number of companies provide boat tours specifically for dolphin and whale watching.

GOAT FARM

Once you're on the island there's plenty to do to keep busy - including visiting the Cape Clear Goat Farm, or Cleire Goats.

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The quaint farm was established in 1979 and is located near the Cape Clear Heritage Center. Visitors can meet the friendly goats and try delicious homemade goats cheese and ice cream.

And if visitors attend the farm between 10am and 12pm, they'll get a chance to see the goats being milked.

There's also the main heritage centre, the Fastnet Rock Lighthouse, which can be toured, and a world renowned bird watching observatory  to visit.

There's also plenty of places to go for a paddle in the sea, or a kayak further out.

And on land there are a number of walking routes that allow visitors to explore every inch of the island's beauty.

FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION

Cape Clear hosts a small number of restaurants and bars that provide hearty meals and drinks.

There's a farmers market every Sunday, a small grocery shop and a tourist shop.

Many people who visit the island choose to just do a day trip, arriving on the ferry in the morning and leaving again in the evening.

But for those hoping to stay overnight, there are some accommodation options.

There are a few apartments, cottages and houses to rent.

There is also the Chléire Haven Glamping site, which is a family friendly camping site open from April to September.

There's the Ard na Gaoithe B&B, which provides an early breakfast for guests and encourages Irish speaking. There's also Cape Clear Hostel.

Return tickets for adults to the island start at €20
Return tickets for adults to the island start at €20Credit: Hopkins Communications -Miki Barlok
Passengers hope to see whales, dolphins and even sharks
Passengers hope to see whales, dolphins and even sharksCredit: Hopkins Communications -Miki Barlok

Roisin Phelan

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