Stunning scenery, a clean unspoilt environment and top class food and entertainment make West Cork one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland. The Cork coastline with majestic mountains as its backdrop lays claim to some of the most spectacular views in the country. Historic towns and picturesque villages dot the Cork countryside and combine to create an utterly unforgettable experience.

Clonakilty is home to a thriving musical and artistic tradition and many pubs host traditional music sessions. Its many festival and theme weekends give the town a constant buzz of excitement. The impressive Model Railway Village Project in the town centre depicts West Cork's finest attractions in miniature and shows a working railway following the course of the long closed West Cork Railway.

1) Glengarriff:
Lying in the heart of a beautiful glen Glengarriff offers an abundance of natural attractions to amaze its visitors. The valley is thickly wooded with elms, pine, yews and holly. The famous Garnish Island, with its beautiful 37 acres of delightful Italian Gardens and temple, guards the route to Glengarriff Harbour. Spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding countryside are not to be missed.

2) The Mizen Peninsula:
Mizen Head can be reached through an area of rugged beauty via Ballydehob's twelve-arch bridge overlooking a watersports lagoon. The former lighthouse keepers quarters in Goleen houses the Mizen Vision Project and its worth daring to cross the lofty suspension bridge to experience the unique Keepers House, Engine Room and coastal views combined with the exhilaration of the wild Atlantic waves.

3) Bantry:
A monument to St. Brendan the Navigator takes pride of place in the town's central square. Legend has it that this navigator discovered America in the 6th century. Bantry House and Gardens is the site of the Bantry 1796 French Armada Exhibition Centre, which tells the account of the thwarted 18th century French invasion. A series of illustrations, exciting set pieces, storey boards and special sound effects brings you through this fascinating tale.

4) Lough Hyne:
Lough Hyne or (Ine), four miles south west of Skibbereen, is a unique salt water lake, which is a nature reserve boasting a multiplicity of unusual water creatures. It is popular for water sports, such as swimming, scuba diving and canoeing - shooting the rapids, which link it to the sea. This land-locked inlet is surrounded by wooded hillsides, well worth climbing for spectacular views of the lake, coast and islands. On an islet on the centre of the Lough are some remains of Lough Ine Castle, a fortress of the O'Driscolls. It was one of the largest and most important of the religious houses in Ireland. A prince of Thomond Donal McCarthy founded it in 1240 for the Franciscans. Part of a nearby Norman Castle and Gardens are worth visiting.

Angling, Boating, Walking, Pony Trekking, Sightseeing, Watersports, Cycling

Dunmore, Parkland Course, 9 Holes, 2,232 yards, Par 64.
Green fees free to guests of Dunmore House Hotel
Bandon, Parkland Course, 18 Holes, 5,663 metres, Par 70.
Founded 1906.
Kinsale Farrangalway, Parkland Course, 18 Holes, 6,609 yards, Par 71.
Designer Jack Kenneally.
Old Head of Kinsale Golf Links, Links Course, 18 Holes, 7,100 yards, Par 72.
Skibbereen, Parkland Course, 18 Holes, 5,525 metres, Par 71.
Designers Eddie Hackett & Jack Kenneally.
Lisselan Golf Course Clonakilty, Parkland Course, 6 Holes, 1,623 yards, Par 23. Ranked in the top ten favourite courses in 1996 played by 'Fore' Magazine writers.

Shandon Court , Cork
Ballyroe Hotel , Tralee