At the Edge of the AtlanticNotebook No 123June 2026
A vast sheltered Atlantic strand on the Mizen Peninsula, reached by a floating boardwalk.
Collected by Deborah. Read her editorial perspective
When you consider the Mizen Peninsula, nestled west of Schull and Goleen, Barleycove may be the first place that comes to mind. It is a wide Atlantic beach, sustained by dunes shaped by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake tsunami. Reaching this southwestern edge of Ireland always feels like an arrival.
Slieve League
To step onto the sand, a small floating boardwalk guides you above a tidal lagoon. We find that arriving at low water offers the finest experience of the boardwalk’s subtle sway. Here, without any kiosks, a prepared picnic is crucial for an afternoon spent by the ocean.
Allocate ample time; Barleycove offers an authentic sense of reaching the very edge of the land.
The Ireland Edit Way
Cut the itinerary in half, then cut it again. The letter we send before every first visit.
Every hotel change costs you half a day. Luxury, in Ireland, is staying put.
Six questions we apply before booking any room in Ireland. The November test, the dinner-twice test, the landscape-over-room test.
To understand Ireland, stop looking at the castles and start looking at the kitchen table.
From the notebook
Collected notes. A few times each season.