Lough Hyne

I was following the West Cork Coast Route as well as the Wild Atlantic Way. This is a very scenic part of the country and I can plainly see this for myself. As the name implies, the route follows the coast and thus the sea. So it is a bit of a surprise for me to see a lake along the route itself. This isn’t one of those tiny lakes you would see in the countryside. Lough Hyne is also quite sizable. If you look at the map, Lough Hyne is actually near the coast. The lake is actually a salt water lake which makes it unique in the country. It is said that Lough Hyne used to be a freshwater lake but because of rising sea levels and it’s proximity to the sea to begin with, the sea water eventually made it to the lake turning it salty over time.

This curious situation gave rise to a habitat unlike any in the country. This is on top of the beauty that Lough Hyne has. It shows how popular this place is because I had to park way before the parking lot to be able to leave the car. The weather was actually got better so people thought to go out and enjoy. It seems that Lough Hyne is one of these places. This is a trail which goes around the lake. I wasn’t sure how far it goes so I didn’t attempt to go around the lake. There is a hill right beside the lake and it seems to be a short but steep climb. I suspect there would be great views to see if you take the time to climb it.

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