Geography
Situated eight miles down the Ilen
river from Skibbereen, Baltimore has a permanent population of just over two
hundred, although it grows every summer with visitors who cannot help but return
and who are now very much a part of local life.
Although the quiet harbour may resemble the Aegean during
the summer, in winter violent storms blast in from the Atlantic. We are
protected from the worst of them by Carbery's famed Hundred Isles, including
Sherkin island and Cape Clear.
Fishing and the sea have always
played an important part in the history and economy of Baltimore. Because of its maritime tradition,
Baltimore is well known as one of the best places in the country for
water-sports, including sailing, windsurfing and deep sea
diving
Spring arrives earlier here than
almost anywhere else in Ireland, owing to the extreme southerly position and
warming influence of the Gulf Stream. Sharp frosts are rare, snow almost unheard
of, many shrubs grow well all year round and there is no month when you can't
find a flower somewhere for your enjoyment.
Local wildlife, including a number
of rare birds, also enjoy Baltimore’s mild climate. Out at sea, perhaps on the way to picnic
on an uninhabited island, you'll often spot seals sunning themselves on
wave-washed rocks.
As you sit on the harbour wall watching the sun slip down, the screech of gulls may herald the return of fishing trawlers and you might enjoy a stroll down to the pier to bargain for your supper! Alternatively, enjoy a meal cooked for you with special Baltimore flair in one of our friendly restaurants.