Notice: Bere Island 5 mile race - Sat 12th Oct 2019

This 5 mile road race on Bere Island in West Cork is coming up on Saturday the 12th of October 2019. In terms of location, it must be one of the most scenic spots in the county.

This is a brand new race on the calendar and takes place in the centre of the island.

Entries... The race starts at 2:30pm and it costs €12 on the day. You can also pre-enter online for €10.60 by going to this LINK

For more info, see below...



Beara Race Series....... The Bere Island race is also part of a new Beara AC 5 mile road race series as shown below.

The Bere Island event is the second of three races in the series with a race in September, October and November.

There is a special commemorative medal for anyone completing all three races...

The race series website is https://www.beara5mileseries.com/

****

Getting there... There are two ferries going to the Island. If you take the most easterly one then you can go across as a foot passenger as the race starts and finishes in Rerrin.
 

The westerly ferry goes from Castletownbere.

Bere Island 5 mile ... Anyone familiar with Bere Island will know that there is no shortage of hills. As 5 mile courses go, it could be described as fast. It could however be described as unique and incredibly scenic. The photos below are just a taste of what the course and island looks like with lovely quiet small roads and great views.

From Beara AC.... Visitors to Bere Island may be well familiar with their renowned Park Run course, which loops the east end of the island with it's military fortifications and encampments dominating the terrain.

A new course for their venture into the 5 Mile distance and they have chosen to head west 'into the hills'. Again a notable military landmark is within sight as you pass around the early nineteenth century Martello Tower built by the Royal Navy to protect the coastal entrances to Bantry Bay.
A more challenging route as the terrain rises and falls faster. but a route no less spectacular than any around.

From the village of Rerrin, the route takes you west with a slight rise first and then an increasing lift on the appropriately named, 'Long Height'.

A left at 'Robbie's Cross' will take you onward and upward passed the mile 1 marker where the road chicanes up to the highest point on the course at 1.5 miles. You can be safe in the knowledge that this is the  major hill climbed on this course.

Spectacular views out over Bantry Bay, if the weather is in your favour, will help you along on the aptly named 'High Road' Flattening then falling to mile 2 you then descend quickly to Ballinakilla at the half-way point and you begin 'The Low Road'.

This sheltered road on the north side of the island affords glimpses across Berehaven to the mainland beyond and the hinterlands of Castletownbere.

It is a welcome chance to settle into a steady pace. This will bring you through mile 3 and mile 4 markers eventually coming to Robbie's Cross and a left turn will bring you back down to the village with a nice welcome downhill and flat finish.

Race Sponsored by Murphy's SuperValu Castletownbere.

Bere Island is the second of three races on the new Beara AC 5 Mile Road Race Series.