Kinsale’s beaches give this friendly seaside town that extra something special. A visit to Kinsale isn’t complete without a trip to the beach (and a melting 99 ice cream cone of course!). But many visitors don’t realise that Kinsale has multiple beaches that are enjoyed by swimmers, sun bathers, surfers and walkers all year round. There are four main beaches within a 10 to 15 minute drive from Kinsale town centre, all with something unique to offer.

The Dock Beach, is the best known of Kinsale’s beaches. Located at Castlepark, Kinsale is a small yet beautiful beach located just over the bridge and a short walk from the town centre. This family hot spot shares its name with the well known Dock Bar that sits at the entrance and car park for the Dock Beach. Both are located on the Castlepark peninsula that is only reachable from Kinsale town by bridge, unless of course you have a boat!

Castlepark peninsula is a focal point of Kinsale’s inner harbour. It is connected to the mainland by only a narrow neck of land, meaning it is almost surrounded by water, with the Atlantic ocean on one side and the Bandon river on the other. The peninsula is home to many residential and holiday home properties as well as a marina, bar, beach and an early 17th century fort. This fort, or James Fort, was built after the siege of Kinsale in 1602 as a means to defend the town and harbour from seaborne attacks. James Fort is a beautiful and well maintained feature of Castlepark and a must for anyone visiting Kinsale.

The Dock beach is a clean sandy beach with shallow water perfect for bathing and swimming. Nestled into the south facing side of the peninsula it enjoys uninterrupted views of the inner harbour as well as Charles Fort located directly across the harbour. This beach is very popular all year round due to its proximity to the town and accessibility by foot, bike, car or boat. During the summer, local swimming groups place buoys or markers in the water close to the beach to allow swimming enthusiasts to measure distances while they train.

In peak times during the year you’ll find kayak and SUP rentals available on the beach.

Sandycove is located approximately 5km from Kinsale town. It’s a very quiet and peaceful residential area that boasts some of the best swimming spots in Kinsale. While there is a beach here, it’s only available at lower tides. During higher tides the beach is completely submerged with water. Funnily enough, this spot is most popular when the beach has disappeared. High tide at Sandycove means kids playing in the clear water, competitive swimmers and people exploring the surrounding waters in kayaks, SUPs and snorkels.

Sandycove consists of a pier with slipway, a sand and pebble beach (at low tide) and an untouched island that provides a natural barrier and shelter from the open expanse of the Atlantic ocean. Sandycove Island or Goat Island as it’s known by the locals is a protected island and natural ecosystem for birds, bugs, sea-life and, yup, you guessed it, goats! While the goat population changes year on year there are a least a dozen goats that claim ownership of this small island. Sandycove is also home to a small number of seals that can be seen bobbing their heads up to take a peek at the visitors.

In the past decade, Sandycove has grown in popularity with swimming groups from all over Cork and beyond. Swimmers take off from the slipway in a counter clockwise direction around the island. On full tide a full circle of the island is roughly 1 mile or 1.6 km around and a great test or training route for sea swimmers.

Garretstown beach is located about 10km from Kinsale. Garretstown beach is the largest of all of Kinsale’s beaches. With gorgeous sandy surface and blue flag awarded waters it’s no surprise why so many visit here all year round.

A hugely popular surfing beach for beginners and intermediates, you’ll find multiple surf rental and lesson providers happy to help you get set up when the surfs up! During the summer months, Garretstown beach is patrolled by professional lifeguards, so be sure to look out for their flags and signals that are there to keep you and other beach goers safe.

If surfing isn’t your thing then there’s still loads to offer at Garretstown beach. Its flat sandy surface is perfect for a leisurely stroll, kicking around a ball or just playing in the sand. It’s great for kids with some small paddling pools that form along the sand as well as shallow waters and small waves breaking onto the shore.

During peak seasons you’ll find a variety of food and beverage trucks dotted along the beach side road providing everything from coffees, ice-creams and pizzas. Garretstown is also well served with a nearby quirky village called Ballinspittle just a couple of km away that you’ll pass on your way to the beach.

Garrylucas is only separated from Garretstown by a rocky and grassy section of land less than 500m long. But although it’s located right beside Garretstown beach, it has some uniquely different characteristics.

In terms of water sports Garrylucas doesn’t get the same level of surf that its neighbour does due the it’s angle to the sea. But instead it has developed as kite surfing mecca in County Cork due to its wide yet enclosed bay and regular winds.

Garrylucas is a large sandy and stoney beach that seems to change in texture and shape with every tide. It’s popular with families, sun bathers and swimmers. It’s also very popular with walkers with the option to walk along the sand or on the wide footpath that stretches along the beachfront. From the beach you can see the Old Head of Kinsale and boats drifting across the blue horizon.

A local pitch and putt course, tennis courts and campsites can be found just across from the beach as well as a seasonal cafe serving pizza, tapas and drinks.