Long way around is worth it when you're talking about the beautiful Beara peninsula

A trip around the south-west starting at Roaringwater Bay and heading northward towards Tralee is only around 40 miles on a map but it's nearly 500 miles if you follow the coast and zig-zag around all the promontories and inlets

Donal Hickey: "It would be impossible to do justice to this area of mountain, ocean, forest and lush vegetation in a day trip."

Renowned botanist Robert Lloyd Praeger once suggested that if people really wanted to see the south-west they should begin at Roaringwater Bay, West Cork, and head northwards at least as far as Tralee, County Kerry — though not by car.

A line on a map shows the distance at around 40 miles, but, if you followed the coast, zig-zagging around various promontories and inlets, it would be close on 500 miles. “And what a glorious walk that would be!" he enthused.