Mizen Head is Ireland's most south-westerly point, where an award-winning footbridge arcs 150 feet above the Atlantic to reach a historic signal station on Cloghane Island.
The headline experience: a footbridge spanning the gap between Cloghane Island and the cliffs, 52m across and 45.7m above the sea. The original 1910 reinforced-concrete span was replaced by the current award-winning bridge, opened in 2011.
The headland path leads down past the 99 Steps and walkway toward the Signal Station, with the ocean surging on all sides. Paths begin closing from about 4.30pm in peak season.
The decommissioned Signal Station (Mizen Vision) is packed with displays on Irish lighthouses, the Fresnel lens, the Fastnet storm, keepers' quarters, whales, birds and local flora. It is also a superb cliff-top viewpoint.
Grey (Atlantic) seals haul out on rocks below the headland, and the Mizen Peninsula is one of Europe's best areas for coastal and marine wildlife watching. Bring binoculars.
A children's playpark built for under-12s sits along the way, a deliberate thank-you for children coping with the long drive to the headland.
The café beside the ticket desk serves homemade soup, West Cork seafood chowder, local mussels, fish and chips, sandwiches and home-baked treats. The shop stocks Mizen and West Cork crafts, books, prints and clothing.
Beyond the head you can reach Blue Flag beaches, whale-and-dolphin watching, kayaking, horse riding, sea angling and the Fastnet Trails.
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