Esk Mountain

13/08/2026

ELLEN HUTCHINS FESTIVAL

Delighted to be running two special events this year as part of the Ellen Hutchins 200 Years & Heritage Week which runs from 15th - 23rd Aug 2026 celebrating botany, botanical art and the beauty and biodiversity of Bantry Bay.

MONDAY 17th AUG > 4 - 6/8pm (FULLY BOOKED)
> BOTANY WALK & FIRESIDE DINNER

Explore the hidden lives of that native plants that have a home on Esk Mountain from Royal Fern to Sundews & Devil's-bit Scabious with botanist Phoebe O'Brien. Learn how to use hand lenses & ID cards to enjoy their unique details & identify your finds. Continue the botanising with Phoebe over special two-course fireside dinner. Tickets to this event are now fully booked but feel free to DM to join the waitlist.

FRIDAY 21st AUG > 10am - 12noon/1.30pm
> TO THE MOUNTAINS WITH ELLEN

A brand new event for 2026 crafted in collaboration between Madeline Hutchins, Karen Minihan & Finola Finlay. Ellen Hutchins loved landscape, especially mountains and wrote eloquently about them in her letters. Explore Esk Mountain with current custodian - Kloe Wood & botanist with readings of extracts from Ellen’s letters to fellow botanist, Dawson Turner, by OPTIONAL add on: Two-course fireside dinner celebrating the wild flavours of Esk Mountain in August. Tickets both for the talk 10am-12noon (€20pp) & lunch 12-1.30pm (€35pp) must be pre-booked via the following link https://eskmountain.com/product-category/experiences/?rwstep=product&re-product-id=340618

For the full festival programme visit https://ellenhutchins.com/event-listings-2/

📷 Image 1: Ellen Hutchins Festival, Images 2-4: Phoebe O'Brien, Image 5: Karen Minihan







Visit Glengarriff
Visit Bantry
Kenmare News
Biodiversity Ireland

10/08/2026

AUGUST ON ESK

Apologies for the delay, wrote the post, lost it & has taken a week to muster trying again! Such an amazing few weeks ahead, here's the run through of what's coming to the mountain this month >

OUR BIG RHODO BASH
> > Mon 10th-Fri 14th > 10am-5pm daily
We start phase two this week, clearing the biggest thickets of invasive Rhododendron ponticum on Esk. Want the most satisying all-body work out!? DM to join our volunteer group on WhatsApp for the details.

GUIDED FORAGING WALKS & FIRESIDE FEASTS
> > Sat 15th > Our last remaining date for public tours this month!
Choose from four tours > Foraging Walk & Camp-fire lunch, Explore Esk - Trail Tour, 'Taste of Esk' Tour & Dinner Feast or enjoy a full day immersed in landscape from mountain to sea with our Paddle, Forage & Feast Package. All details, including tour times available via our experiences page here https://eskmountain.com/product-category/experiences/?rwstep=product

BOTANY WALK & FIRESIDE DINNER WITH PHOEBE O'BRIEN
> > Mon 17th > 4-6pm/8pm (SOLD OUT)
Explore the hidden lives of the native plants that have a home on Esk Mountain from Royal Fern to Sundews & Devil's-bit Scabious with botanist Phoebe O'Brien. Continue the botanising with Phoebe over a special two-course fireside dinner. https://eskmountain.com/product-category/experiences/?re-product-id=339718&rwstep=product DM to join the waitlist.

TO THE MOUNTAINS WITH ELLEN
> > Fri 21st > 10am-12noon/1.30pm
Special event as part of the Ellen Hutchins 200 Years Festival & Heritage Week Ellen Hutchins loved landscape, especially mountains and wrote eloquently about them in her letters. Come with us to walk the mountainside trails with readings of extracts from Ellen’s letters to fellow botanist, Dawson Turner, by Karen Minihan. OPTIONAL add on: Two-course fireside lunch celebrating the wild flavours of Esk Mountain in August. Tickets both for the talk 10am-12noon (€15pp) & lunch 12-1.30pm (€35pp) must be pre-booked via the following link https://eskmountain.com/product-category/experiences/?re-product-id=340618&rwstep=product

GUEST CHEF POP-UP > TIGER BALM CLUB
> > Saturday 29th August > 11am-2.30pm / 4.30-8pm
Tiger Balm Club’s Mark Ahern (formerly Head Chef of House Café, Bar Pigalle, and Good Day Deli in Cork), and Bryan Rudd (aka Sunshine Primo) bring their high-energy brand of fire-led cooking to Esk Mountain with two workshop style sittings covering lunch & dinner all washed down with locally brewed beers from Tom Crean Brewery Kenmare
Get all the info & tickets here https://eskmountain.com/product-category/experiences/?rwstep=product&re-product-id=340560








Visit Glengarriff
Visit Bantry
Kenmare News
Yay Cork
Pure Cork

27/07/2026

OUR BIGGEST PROJECT YET

After four years of waiting we have finally got the green light to move ahead with the removal of the largest, most mature tract of invasive Rhododendron ponticum from Esk. This plant alongside invasive Sika deer cause the greatest damage to biodiversity on Esk & indeed across our wider landscape. Spanning 15 acres & amounting to a solid 3.5 acres in plants, the biggest challenge is getting the work completed in the tiny 6 week window that we have left to secure the funding needed to cover the time & resources for the initial clearance & still have time for a follow-up re-treatment programme if needed before the scheme closes at the end of the year.

We have four residential farm volunteers arriving this week but have space for another eight local volunteers to join us across eight dates in the coming 14 days.

If you'd to get involved, DM us to join our volunteer group. All equipment, training & an invite to a special celebratory feast in September included. Spread the word!!







Biodiversity Ireland
Yay Cork
Pure Cork
Visit Glengarriff
Visit Bantry

24/07/2026

YESTERDAY ON ESK

> Project Ecologist Nikki Keeling & Archaeologist Aine Brosnan joined Will & I for a day exploring natural & human history on Esk, developing understanding & insight into the many layers that make this mountain what it has been, is & could be.

It is an ongoing priority to learn as much as we can about every bit of this site. If you're a specialist in bogs or bats, lichens or local history > anything relevant to the natural landscape of the Caha Mountains & our ever evolving relationship with it we'd love to hear from you! DM to start a conversation.

📷 Thanks to Nikki Keeling for many of these beautiful photos

22/07/2026

SILVER-WASHED FRITILLARY

This beauty has been finding a home again on Esk Mountain since over 10 acres of invasive Rhododendron ponticum have been cleared from the woodlands on site allowing the woodland floor to recover, in particular drifts of its favourite food plant - the dog violet to return.

Following her visit to Esk Mountain earlier this month - ecologist, broadcaster & writer Anja Murray sheds light on this extraordinary butterfly & the power of nature of recover when given the chance in her monthly column 'Wild Matters' in the Irish Examiner this week. Have a read online via the link below
https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/outdoors/arid-41882530.html

Anjas piece also features the incredible work of three other nature restoration projects including The Barna Way in Kerry, up in Leitrim & Paul & Jacinta who have been Farming for Nature for 20 years along the Ilen river outside Skibbereen.

📷 Photo no.1 credit Wikipedia





Kenmare News Southern Star

20/07/2026

EAST ASIA > ESK MOUNTAIN

"Would you like to spend a day’s immersive experience on a mountain in West Cork, in an off-grid kitchen with a fire pit and spend the day with just a few others, walking through a temperate rainforest whilst being guided to pick wild plants, making seasonal kimchi, and learn something about local wild products and Japanese-inspired techniques?"

"If so, book to join chefs and on Esk Mountain for this very special one-day course. The menu will include spring rolls with hazelnut satay, yakitori with wild rose gochujang, and plantain kimchi. There will be grilled sika cha-zuke and meadowsweet crème caramel."

Read the full article here https://open.substack.com/pub/irishfood/p/epi-and-paudis-wild-west-cork-east?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=8s7b87

Swipe to photo three to see the full menu of incredible flavours you'll get the chance to taste & learn from Epi & Padraig 🌿

Limited tickets still available. Find them & make yours here https://eskmountain.com/product-category/experiences/?re-product-id=339705&rwstep=product






Pure Cork Yay Cork Visit Glengarriff Visit Bantry Kenmare News Fáilte Ireland Discover Ireland

14/07/2026

COOL DOWN

Trees & mountains naturally cool air. Here on Esk we have the mountain but have lost almost all of the trees that would have grown across these slopes. We're working to restore temperate rainforest through tighly managed grazing, deer culling & fencing.

With the current heatwave set to continue, we have three ways for you to escape into the delicious cool of the existing 40 acres of woodland on Esk Mountain this week > > >

> > THURS 16th JULY 5-7.30pm
> COLLABORATOR TOUR & DINNER. Are you a tour operator, outdoor guide, chef, artist, tourist office or other interested in working with us!? Enjoy a tour of a facilities on Esk & talk possibilites to work together over a two course dinner in our woodland events space. Just two complimentary spaces left. DM for more details & to apply for a space.

> > FRI 17th - MON 20th JULY
> STAY ON ESK. Get away this weekend with a three-night stay for two in the Nook with its own nest swing under the shade of the trees. Includes access to our woodland nature trails & a five minute drive from the most magical river & sea swims! Make The Nook & The Nest yours here https://eskmountain.com/accommodation/

> > SAT 18th JULY
> VOLUNTEER DAY ON ESK 10am-5pm. We will be following the river up the Eastern boundary of Esk securing the fenceline with sponsored fencing stakes as we go. There will be plenty of opportunities to splash in the water along the way & will be finishing up the day with a refreshing late lunch / early dinner in the woods to say thanks! Spaces limited to 12. Book yours here https://eskmountain.com/product-category/experiences/?rwstep=product&re-product-id=335059






Pure Cork
Yay Cork
Visit Glengarriff
Kenmare News
Visit Bantry

10/07/2026

JULY VOLUNTEER DAY

We've just set the date! >

SATURDAY 18th JULY

Those of you who have followed along on here since earlier this year will know we launched a 'Sponsor a Stake' Campaign giving people a chance to help secure the boundary of Esk Mountain & in doing so protect the naturally regenerating habitats from surrounding intensive upland sheep grazing. In total 71 stakes were sponsored - huge thanks again to everyone who donated! On our May volunteer day, eight of you helped install 30 stakes & in doing so secured our Western & Northern boundaries. We now need help getting the final batch of 22 sponsored posts up onto the mountain to secure our Eastern boundary. There's also the task of hammering the posts into the ground & afixing the sponsor name tags depensing on what feel up for!

If you'd like a guided hike around the boundary line of Esk Mountain installing a fencing stake or two followed by a 2-course late lunch / early dinner to end the day as a thank you - book your spot via the link below. Spaces are limited to just 12 & half are already taken by our core volunteer group.

https://eskmountain.com/product-category/experiences/?re-product-id=335059&rwstep=product

07/07/2026

TRAVELLING BACK TO REIMAGINE THE FUTURE

What do spuds, conifer plantations & temperate rainforest have in common!? They've all grown in the same fields on Esk Mountain in the last hundred years.

In this video current custodian of Esk Mountain, Kloe shares the story of how two fields divided by on old farm wall have developed radically differently in a few short decades due to peoples relationship with them.

This Saturday 11th July award-winning broadcaster, writer & ecologist Anja Murray will be leading a workshop on Esk Mountain taking you back in time to explore how human relationships with our landscape have changed profoundly over time. Finding ourselves now in a biodiversity crisis, we will explore current challenges and opportunities facing nature and the many ways we can shift both attitudes and practices to empower change for the future, drawing on inspiring examples of habitat restoration at Esk.

WHEN? Saturday 11th July . 10.30am - 12.30noon
WHERE? Esk Mountain, Glengarriff, West Cork
TICKETS? €15pp available our experiences page below

https://eskmountain.com/product-category/experiences/?re-product-id=340382&rwstep=product

07/07/2026

The Nook & The Nest featured by Yay Cork

Look forward to welcoming you this Summer 🌿💚🌟⛰️

pssst... book it fast 😉

After dark, you can kick back beside the firepit barbecue (wood supplied – you really won’t need to lift a finger).

Oh, and there’s a tree-suspended nest swing with room for two 😍

SEE INSIDE 👉 https://tinyurl.com/y8h5w3ub