Words by Maureen McCoy, photography by Paul McCambridge
At Ballydowane, between Bunmahon and Stradbally, the entrance to the beach is not inspiring, a narrow lane leads to a basic parking circle which then peters out into a short ramp onto the beach. Two great stacks either side of this ramp hide the true expanse of the bay. It is only when you step out from their shadow that the view opens up and you are transported into a rugged landscape with red and purple cliffs behind and great pointed sea stacks jutting out of the water like some mythical sea creature, you can lose yourself in this other-worldly place.
Irelands Copper Coast, named after the nineteeth-century copper mines that have helped to form sea arches and caves, has 25km of scalloped beaches and bays where jagged rocks and promontories shelter each bay from the next…
Advised for strong swimmers as there can be currents.
Excerpt from Wild Swimming in Ireland 2016, ISBN 978-1-84889-280-4
Getting there; from Dungarvan, west of Waterford city, take the R675 towards Tramore. Follow this road and take the right hand turn for Stradbally, as you come into Stradbally turn towards Ballyvoonely then after a few kms take the right for Ballydowane.
Google Maps;
