Guided Coastal Walk: Exploring the Eroding Geological and Cultural Heritage of Bunmahon Head

Join us for a guided walk exploring the rich geological and archaeological heritage of Bunmahon Head and discover how climate change is affecting the Copper Coast's precious coastal heritage. Delivered in partnership with the Discovery Programme, Copper Coast Geopark and Waterford County Museum, this walk will be led by archaeologist Dr Edward Pollard and geologist Robbie Galvin, who will provide a insight into the changing coastal landscape and the impacts of erosion. The cliffs around Bunmahon are undergoing significant erosion, revealing and threatening evidence of thousands of years of history.

Along the route, we will explore how this landscape has evolved, from ancient volcanic lavas and the Old Red Sandstone conglomerates that form the cliffs, to archaeological remains including ogham stones, Iron Age promontory forts, a Napoleonic signal tower and the legacy of nineteenth-century copper mining. The walk will also examine how ongoing coastal change is reshaping the landscape and placing this remarkable heritage increasingly at risk.

The walk is approximately 2 km return and will last around one hour. We will meet at 10:30 am on 16 August in the car park at the western end of Bunmahon Beach before walking approximately 20 minutes along the cliff to Bunmahon Head. This is a relatively easy walk but includes sections of uneven, rocky and potentially muddy ground. Please wear suitable footwear and clothing appropriate for the weather. As there are unprotected cliff edges along the route, participants should take care at all times.