Copper Coast route notes · Optional stop
Annestown: an optional cove break between Kilfarrasy and Kilmurrin
A smaller cove and a change of pace on the coast road.
Position 3 in the expanded eight-stop route · Suggested on-site allowance: 20–40 min. Add travel, meals and breaks.
By Nick · TheLazyNick · Route notes updated . Practical source dates appear below.
Open the interactive Copper Coast planner · Open the standalone place record
Where this stop fits in the drive
Choose Annestown for a change of scale after the earlier shore stop, not because a complete drive requires every beach on the map. A smaller cove can be a place to pause, look and decide what to keep for the rest of the day. The official tourism listing describes the beach setting and its sea arch, but this itinerary does not make reaching that feature a goal or assume that the shore is suitable for swimming when you arrive.
Annestown is optional in the selected route. It comes after Kilfarrasy and before the optional Kilmurrin detour, with Tankardstown carrying the mining-history thread farther west. If the day is running short, omit a cove while keeping enough time for the visit that matters most to you. A route becomes more useful when you can remove a stop without losing its main idea. Moving between places, finding permitted parking and taking a break all need time beyond the on-site allowance.
Start by looking at the actual access and conditions before deciding how far to walk. A tourism photograph can show the character of a cove, but it cannot establish today’s tide, footing or the safety of a cliff edge. Do not infer a continuous walk to another route point from a line on the planning map. If your group wants a short, gentle pause, keep the visit to the permitted access and viewpoint that suits them, and leave wider coastal exploration for a separate verified plan.
History and the landscape
The historical thread
The route uses Annestown as a village-and-shore interval between the geological emphasis at Kilfarrasy and the mining remains at Tankardstown. The wider Geopark history links the coast’s communities and industry; this stop is not presented as a mine tour or assigned a personal filming story that has not been documented. Historical source.
Geology and what to notice
Discover Ireland identifies a sea arch and islands as part of Annestown’s coastal setting. Use those landforms to think about the way the sea reshapes a coast, while turning to the Geopark’s geosite information for detailed geological interpretation rather than guessing the age of a visible rock. Geological source.
Parking, access and conditions
- Parking
- Discover Ireland lists free parking at Annestown Strand car park, within walking distance of the beach. Practical source Source check: 2026-09-24
Tide and the safe extent of the visit
Check local signs, tide, swell and the safe return before stepping onto the shore. This guide recommends a coastal visit, not a swim or an unsupervised cliff path. An optional stop should be easy to shorten or skip when the conditions are unhelpful.
Food and comfort breaks
A current café or toilet service has not been verified for this collection. Plan a named meal stop elsewhere and carry water instead of making facilities at the cove a condition of the day.
Road travel and public transport
Use live directions for each road leg; the route line is an order of places, not a navigable road or verified coastal path. If travelling by bus, check the actual service, return departure and last-mile walk separately. Do not assume a bus reaches every beach entrance.
Check TFI journey planning · Check the Geopark’s official site guidance
Listen to the Copper Coast in English or Hindi
These are the real continuous whole-coast narrations used by the main guide. They are background for the route, not recordings specific to this stop. There are no verified stop chapters or time offsets, so both players begin at the start of the full track.
Hindi · हिन्दी
Load a track while connected and listen when safely stopped. The static stop notes remain available without playing audio.
Choose the next part of the day
For a shorter day, choose either Annestown or Kilmurrin as the additional cove after Kilfarrasy. Keep the sequence flexible, but use live road directions rather than trying to connect shore points on foot. Before leaving, confirm which later stop will provide your next planned food or toilet break.
The original seven-stop plan omits the optional Kilmurrin detour. The expanded route adds it between Annestown and Tankardstown; all eight real place records remain available. Optional labels help shorten the day without losing the route’s main historical and geological threads.
Sources for this stop
- Discover Ireland: Annestown Beach and parking
- Geopark: official geosites
- Geopark: mining heritage context
Standalone place details and image credits · Send a correction