Charles Fort and the Scilly Walk
British Fort at the Mouth of Kinsale Harbor
Day 4 – Tour of Charles Fort
Another Great Guided Tour!
After exploring Kinsale with Barry Moloney, we drove out to the mouth of the harbor.
​
In 1601, Catholic Spain sent troops to the beachhead in Kinsale. Their plan was to aid Irish clansmen in their fight to gain freedom from Protestant England. However, the combined forces failed.
In their quest to maintain control of sea trade, the British built Charles Fort in the late seventeenth century as a defensive fortress at the mouth of Kinsale Harbor. Fearing attacks from the sea, the outer walls of the star-shaped fort are thickest. British soldiers occupied the fort until Irish independence in 1922.
It was a sunny day, and the harbor views were stunning!
Scilly Walk to Kinsale
While Charles Fort is only a short bus ride from Kinsale, it is also a lovely 45-minute walk. Some of us decided to join our guide, Paul, for the walk back to town.
​
​
The peaceful, tree-lined Scilly Walk took us past local homes and included great views across Kinsale Harbor.
Along the way, we stopped
with friends for a refreshing
pint at The Spaniard Pub.