Rosscarbery Beach / Warren Beach In Cork

The beautiful Warren Beach (aka Rosscarbery Beach) is up there with my favourite beaches in Cork, and for good reason.

Warren beach is a lovely little blue flag beach located in a Natural Heritage Area at the mouth of Rosscarbery Bay.

It’s one of the often-missed beaches in West Cork and it’s a fine spot for a ramble or a paddle, with parking nearby.

Some quick need-to-knows before visiting Rosscarbery Beach in Cork

Although a visit to Warren Beach / Rosscarbery Beach in Cork is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows that’ll make your visit that bit more enjoyable.

Water safety warning: Understanding water safety is absolutely crucial when visiting beaches in Ireland. Please take a minute to read these water safety tips. Cheers!

1. Location

Rosscarbery Beach is nestled inside a Natural Heritage Area located at the mouth of Rosscarbery Bay. It’s a handy, 6-minute drive from the centre of Rosscarbery (one of the most overlooked towns in Cork). If you fancy stay here, see our Rosscarbery hotels guide.

2. Parking

There’s parking right next to Warren Strand, but while there are plenty of spots, it’ll be hard to nab one at peak season. It can get congested with cars parking on either side of the approach road (NEVER block the road or park on a bend).

3. Swimming

Warren Beach only has lifeguards during the summer months. However, care is ALWAYS required when entering the sea here as there are rip currents on either side of the beach so remember to stay in the middle and NEVER venture far from the shore. If you’re not an EXPERIENCED swimmer, please avoid the water.

About Warren Beach

 

Warren beach is perfectly located close to Rosscarbery, a stone’s throw from many of the best places to visit in West Cork.

This is a gorgeous, clean sandy beach that’s perfect for a paddle or for just kicking-back on on those often rare, fine summer days.

The cliff walk

If you fancy a ramble, there’s a lovely cliff walk here that’ll take you over to nearby Owenahincha Beach and that’ll treat you to stunning ocean views throughout.

Just be careful while you stroll and never get too close to the edge of the cliffs. Owenahincha Beach is well worth a ramble along, also!

Coffee, toilets and showers

During the seasonal months of the year, you’ll find a couple of food and coffee trucks next to the beach, where you can grab a hot drink or sweet treats (creps and the likes!).

There’s some well-kept public toilets at Warren Beach, too, along with some public showers for washing away the sand.

Potential mayhem

If you’ve ever visited Warren Beach during the busy summer months, you’ll know what I’m about to say – the parking situation here can get a little bit mental.

When the main car park fills up, people tend to park alongside the narrow road leading to the beach, which is usually fine.

Until you get someone that makes a balls of the parking and blocks the road – be responsible when parking and drive VERY slowly when approaching the beach.

Things to do nearby

One of the beauties of Rosscarbery Beach is that it’s a short spin away from a clatter of other attractions, both man-made and natural.

Below, you’ll find a handful of things to see and do a stone’s throw from Warren Beach.

1. Drombeg Stone Circle

An ancient stone circle of 17 standing stones, Drombeg Stone Circle was excavated back in 1957 and 1958 and it was then that cremated bones were discovered. West of the stone circle is a prehistoric kitchen made of a flagged trough where water was boiled by dropping red hot stones into it. 

2. Rosscarbery

Rosscarbery is only a short drive from Rosscarbery Beach so it’s definitely worth exploring. It’s a great spot to base yourself from for a night or 2 and the village is home to some great restaurants and pubs. There’s plenty of things to do in Rosscarbery and there’s several great places to eat in Rosscarbery, too.

3. Inchydoney Beach and Clonakilty

Inchydoney Beach is a popular hotspot for surfers as it has an excellent swell (there’s also a surf school on the beach if you fancy learning). After a few hours by the sea, you can head into Clonakilty for a feed (see our Clonakilty restaurants guide). 

4. Glandore and Union Hall

The wonderful villages of Glandore and Union Hall are connected by a one-lane poulgorm bridg. Visitors here can enjoy a range of activities such as snorkeling, fishing or simply having a little walk around.

5. Lough Hyne

Located 5km away from the lovely market town of Skibbereen is Lough Hyne. You can grab some mighty views of you head off on this Lough Hyne Walk that takes you up Knockomagh Hill.