A FINE HOSTEL IN WEST CORK

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Some days ago I took the notion to spend a few days in Glengarriff in West Cork. Glengarriff is a peaceful village lying in a lush valley surrounded to the south and east by the Caha and Shehy mountain ranges and to the west by the Bantry Bay. Its climate is subtropical and this is seen in the lush plant growth, home to several rare plants and trees, like the Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) and the royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) for example. Close by are the Italian gardens, situated on a small island better known as Illnacullin island, a beautiful place to visit.

Sugar mountain and Shrone hill, part of the Caha mountains in which glacial valley Glengarriff lies.

The Blue Pool, accessible right from the village

I think that most of all Glengarriff is a place where you can relax and unwind, but also a place where, in the village itself, people congregate in and outside of pubs and eateries, and so a lovely ambience resides. I often travel through this little village, I always stop to soak up what Glengarriff really is, a place of beauty, of peace. Even the scent is full of fragrance, the fragrance of fresh air, of oxygen. Very restorative!

Early spring in the village 2025

Why am I writing about Glengarriff? First of all I love the place and have spent time there, and secondly because of where I stayed. I like to put the Glengarriff Hostel on the map because it is an amazing place. I’ve always loved and travelled using hostels, and this is one of the best. What a nice way to travel and meet new places and people in a way that is adventurous and affordable. Glengarriff Hostel has a mixed dorm, a female dorm, family and private rooms. A comfortable sitting room and a great kitchen with a terrace looking out towards the Blue Pool and Shrone hill. Find out more on https://glenhostel.ie/

The Hostel with Shrone hill behind it
Private room
Chill out room
Kitchen
Entrance
One of the dorms
Family room

One of my favourite things about Glengarriff is the Nature Reserve which is just a stone’s throw away from the village on the Kenmare road. This is an original Oak forest, lined with pathways and walking trails, both long and short. Very interesting are the lichens, the mosses and the polypody ferns found here. The Glengarriff river runs through this forest. Both this reserve and the surrounding area is a wonderful place for hikers, hill walkers and for those interested in geology, botany and nature in general. People who like the sea can also live it up in Glengarriff, there are boat trips, fishing, and swimming.

Irish spurge Euphorbiacae hyberna
Wild Rhododendron
Along the coastline at Glengarriff

For the horticulturist there are several gardens to visit with interesting and sub-tropical species. Springing to mind are The Bamboo Gardens, The Ewe Experience, Garnish island. And Ardnatrush gardens which are my favourite, this is the garden developed by botanist Ellen Hutchins and where she did research into seaweeds among other things. Here are some photos I took there at my last visit.

Gunnera manicata at Ewe Experience
Lichen at Ardnatrush
My brother Johan and I
Tree Fern – Dicksonia antarctica at Ellen Hutchins gardens

Following is a link to a website about Ellen Hutchins:

Overview Botany of Bantry Bay

And some links to other gardens in Glengarriff to visit.

https://bamboo-park.com/

https://www.theewe.com/

https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/ilnacullin-garinish-island/

Glengarriff is easily reached by bus from Cork, via Bantry and from Killarney via Kenmare.

I’ve enjoyed looking up some websites for information, but basically I’m quite familiar with the gardens, the botany and the interesting things about Glengarriff. It is the place where in 1965 my family emigrated to from Antwerp in Belgium. Us eleven children have since dispersed all over Ireland and Belgium too, with a huge number of descendants.

The surrounding mountains are a great place for the geologist.

12 thoughts on “A FINE HOSTEL IN WEST CORK”

  6. Hi Agnes,

    It’s been such a long time since we’ve been in touch. I finally managed to get to Ireland just over a month ago and I did think of you and how it would’ve been lovely to meet up for a coffee or something. My husband was sent over to a conference in Paris with his flights to and from Europe covered along with our accommodation in Paris. The uni dragged the chain with official approvals which left us two weeks to organise flights, accommodation and catching up with friends through Germany. I lived in Heidelberg for six months in 1992 and my friends have scattered all round Northern Germany so we had quite a road trip to see them. Anyway, we had a week in Ireland, 8 nights in Paris and about 10 days in Germany. While we were in Ireland, we landed in Dublin and drove straight to Midleton for 3 nights staying in the country while we checked out Cork City and Cobh. You may recall I had a 4 x Great Grandmother who was an Irish Famine Orphan sent out to Australia (you sent me some information) and she came from Midleton and I was able to visit the old workhouse where she lived and was given a tour. It was so special. From there we stopped off at Mallow and Buttevant where more of my ancestors came from on the way to Doonbeg for two nights while we checked out Loop Head and West Clare where more of my family is from. Didn’t make it to the Cliffs of Moher but we toured the Cliffs of Kilkee and almost froze to death watching the sunset there. Spent two nights and a day in Dublin. The whole thing is a blur and I’ve been home for 3 weeks and I’m only just starting to write up about our trip and sort out the photos. I’m working towards a new extension to my blog because4 I’ve run out of space in the current one and the next step is very expensive. I am missing Ireland and really enjoyd your post and look forward to seeing more. I have written an overview of the trip on my current blog: https://beyondtheflow.wordpress.com/2025/06/23/weekend-coffee-share-22nd-june-2025/

    Take care and best wishes,

    Rowena

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    1. Dear Rowena, I’m so happy for you that you were able to visit all your ancestor’s places in Ireland, it sounds wonderful the way you describe it. I’m taking some time out now to go and read your blog and I’m eager to know your story. It is funny during the last few months there was reference in a variety of occasions to folks who emigrated from Ireland to Australia among other countries and I was thinking of you. Glad to have received your new Rowena. Wishing you well. Love from Agnes

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