The Sandycove Swimmers

About Sandycove Island
Driving Directions
Other Locations Where we Swim
How to get started in the Cork, Fermoy and Kinsale areas

Sandycove Island
Sandycove Island is a small island sitting in the estuary of the Pil river just over the headland from the Kinsale Estuary, less than 10 minutes drive from Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland.

The island itself is populated by a herd of wild goats, whence comes the Sandycove Island Challenge, Sandycove Distance Camp and Sandycove Swimmers logo.

Water Entry is at the slipway facing the North West corner and going straight out to the “first corner” and going anti-clockwise around the island.

The lap of the island varies according to the tide height, up to about 1800 meters distance.

More information about swimming at Sandycove is contained here, including typical water temperatures throughout the year and a map of the island showing different swim distances.

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Directions from Kinsale
Drive along Pier Road with the water on your left. You will pass Actons Hotel on your right.
At the Trident Hotel, the road curves around to the right and then to the left. Follow the road (the R600). The water will still be on your left.
After about 1km, the road turns left across a bridge and then to the right at the other side of the bridge it curves to the right, keep following it.
About 500m from the end of the bridge, there is a road to the left, signposted Sandycove. Take this left turn, and almost immediately take the next right.
Follow this road, keeping the water on your left all the way along. After about 2km you will see the slip and an area for parking. You have found Sandycove Island!
Please be mindful of the residents when parking-don’t block the way through and don’t block anyone’s driveway (it does happen unfortunately!).

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Other Locations Where we Swim
There are many beautiful open water swimming areas around Cork, and indeed around Munster and Ireland. Information about some of the other places in Cork where we swim can be found here, along with contact details for people who swim in these areas and can give advice or further information.

Additionally, we have created a Google map of worldwide open water swimming locations. We would love if you could add your local open water spots to the map! We ask that you give us as much information as you can about a swimming area so that visitors to the area know what to look out for (such as tides, currents, rocks, etc).

Other Local Groups
Many “pods” of open water swimmers (Waterford, East Cork, Myrtleville, Schull and Lough Ine) are now active within 100 miles of Sandycove Island.  They are feeding on the energy and knowledge at Sandycove Island and contributing new marathoners and providing new enthusiastic marathon aspirants.

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