Dunmanway Trails Management Committee was formed with the purpose of establishing walking routes in the Dunmanway area. This group is managed by a committee of 10 persons, with the option of co-opted further persons.

To date we have established one loop walk on the Yew Tree Hill with the potential of establishing up to 40 km of walks on the hills above Dunmanway. This loop walk which is 9.8km long is now open to the public to walk and enjoy the panoramic views over the town of Dunmanway. The famed Yew Tree Hill affords a full circle view over the whole of West Cork and as far as Mullaghanish and the Paps in Kerry. The route starts in the town centre and has 4.4 km on public roads and 5.4 km on a mixture of open mountain, woodland grassland. Please click here for full information on the trail.

The development of hillwalking trails will play a valuable role in supporting Dunmanway’s future recovery. It has the capacity to benefit our local economies, while also promoting responsible use of the countryside.

These walking trails will complement existing activities in the locality, such as, the newly built municipal swimming pool, children’s playground, pitch & putt course, and river sports like kayaking and canoeing on the nearby Bandon River, zorbing and paint-balling, mountain biking and orienteering.

All of these activities take place in the natural environment.

Up to now there were no recognised walking trails in the Dunmanway area; These walks are designed to fulfil the needs of the activities visitor, and are intended to link up with other walking routes in West Cork, e.g., Sheeps Head Trails, Fastnet Trails, Beara/Breffni Way and Slí Muscraí.

The Heritage Walks around the town are designed to offer the visitor the opportunity of experiencing the historical and cultural heritage of the town and hinterland.

The establishment of these trails will promote Dunmanway as an ideal activities holiday destination, and at the same time will support the sustainable development of the outdoor recreational sector in West Cork.

By creating high quality walking trails through picturesque landscape it will enhance and showcase the historical heritage of West Cork, linking historical towns, archaeological sites and ancient settlements along the way. Investing in walkways such as this will pay dividends to the local economies as the increased number of tourists will make walking an important part of their stay in West Cork.

Tourism

Outdoor recreation and activity holidays are becoming a major aspect of tourism. West Cork offers a wide range of facilities for the active tourist. The hills above Dunmanway are a natural asset and offer the potential for development of hill-walking, cycle routes, heritage trails leading to interpretative and recreational tourism. In any tourism consideration priority must be given to enhancing existing attractions as well as developing new attractions, thus creating a strong year round product resulting in the maximization of the economical benefits accruing to the local community.

With the development of the new swimming pool we cannot pass up the opportunity to promote Dunmanway as an inland tourist destination. The hinterland around Dunmanway has the potential for the promotion of hill-walking, e.g. Nowen Hill, Shehy Mountain and Maughnaclea. The River Bandon offers excellent facilities for kayaking and in conjunction with Funmanway has the potential for other inland water activity holidays. The nearby Sam Maguire Homestead has a major historical significance along with other archaeological and storied locations in the area. All of these will complement the above attractions to offer a very attractive activity holiday package to the visitor. In addition to these there are five heritage walks on the periphery of the town which would readily lend themselves to the establishment of Slí na Sláinte walks designed for the more casual walker.