The Ring of Kerry
Can I share a secret with you?
I hated driving along the Ring of Kerry at all as a child and teenager. It was so touristy and crowded in summer and everyone was going there and I was like 🙅🏻♀️.
I’m glad I gave it a second chance last year though and explored it again after all those years. The colours were amazing in November, it was quiet and I was able to take it all in and stop whenever and wherever I wanted to. Slow travelling at its best!
I haven’t seen it ALL, as I definitely would have needed more time to do so, but I’m going to share my experience and my favourites with you here.
So where is the famous Ring of Kerry located? As usually everyone talks about ‘The Ring of Kerry’, the name of the peninsula itself isn’t mention that often. The Ring of Kerry is on the Iveragh Peninsula, the largest of the five peninsulas in the southwest of Ireland, with the Dingle Peninsula being north of it and the Beara, Mizen Head and Sheep’s Head Peninsulas being south of it. To read more about the majestic and beautiful peninsulas in the southwest of Ireland, here are my blog posts about Beara, West Cork and the Dingle Peninsula.
Each of the five southwest peninsulas offers spectacular views of the Atlantic and the mountains, with the Iveragh Peninsula being the most famous for sure. Visitors have been coming for ages and if you’ve ever been there, you probably know why. The natural beauty is breathtaking here and you’re going to love the rugged countryside, the views on the sea, the cliffs, little bays, beaches and coves. The Ring of Kerry is also home to Ireland’s highest mountain range, the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, with Carrauntoohil, Ireland’s highest mountain, situated in the centre of the range.
With the Ring of Kerry being so famous, you better not expect isolation or a peaceful and lonely road trip. It can become quite crowed and touristy, especially in July and August. June and September are probably the most beautiful months to visit. I personally loved exploring the Iveragh Peninsula in November, but keep in mind that many places and tourist shops will be closed.
The best towns to start and finish your drive along the Ring of Kerry are Kenmare and Killarney. I know most people start in Kenmare and finish in Killarney. If you really want to take it all in, I’d recommend at least 4 days on the Iveragh Peninsula. This way you’ll have time to explore the Ring of Kerry and Valentia Island, take a boat trip to the Skellig Islands and visit the beautiful National Park in Killarney.
If you love both nature and history, Killarney National Park with Muckross House and Gardens will be the perfect choice for you. Read more about Killarney in my blog post here.
Kenmare
Kenmare is the perfect start for your road trip. It’s a very picturesque and busy town, which connects the Beara and Iveragh peninsulas. I have lovely childhood memories of going to the weekly market, trying to convince my mam each and every single time that we needed a donkey (or two, or three), another dog or another pony. Nowadays, I adore the colourful streets, the tiny shops and galleries and the great food and coffee you can get there. It isn’t that touristy there yet and the ‘little nest’ is a very charming and lively town with a great range of places to eat. Stop at Jam, a lovely café and deli with gluten-free options, and maybe get some take-away for your drive along the Ring of Kerry.
Kenmare is definitely worth spending a whole day there, exploring the shops and art galleries, having some tea and cake in one of the lovely cafés and enjoying dinner in one of the great restaurants in town. If you love nature and taking it all in, go on an adventure with Seafari Cruises, founded by marine biologist and ocean sailor Raymond Ross. Safari cruises take you on an eco-trip to explore the beautiful wildlife of Kenmare Bay, with a chance to see seals, otters and maybe even eagles.
Although the Ring of Kerry is spectacular, I can highly recommend exploring the Ring of Beara when you’re spending time in Kenmare. It’s rugged, it’s beautiful, it’s special. Read more about the Beara Peninsula here.
Back to the Ring of Kerry for now, though. After spending some time in Kenmare, follow the signs to Sneem. While driving along the River Kenmare, enjoy the views of my beloved Caha and Slieve Miskish mountains on the opposite side (the Beara Peninsula).
Sneem
Sneem is a pretty and charming village, with a beautiful estuary flowing into the Kenmare river and the statue of local hero Steve ‘Crusher’ Casey.
Staigue Fort
Staigue Fort is a spectacular ring fort near Castlecove. It is said to have been built during the late Iron Age. It’s - as far as I know and have seen so far - one of the best preserved ring forts in Ireland. It’s definitely worth a stop, you’re going to be impressed (at least I was).
Castlecove
One of the best (and safest) beaches in the southwest, the sheltered cove is popular with families. I loved the views of the Kenmare River and the Beara Peninsula, they are amazing.
Derrynane House
Another beautiful beach on the Ring of Kerry, Derrynane beach is worth a visit. Not far from the beach you’ll find Derrynane House, the ancestral home of one of the big figures in modern Irish history: Daniel O’Connell. It is an Irish National Monument and guided tours are available on request.
Waterville
When leaving Caherdaniel, you’ll drive along the breathtaking Coomakista Pass with amazing views of the Kenmare River and the surrounding landscape.
While descending from the Coomakista Pass you’ll find great views of the Skellig Islands and Waterville, a lovely town with a beautiful and long beach, Waterville Strand. For those of you who are into golf: there’s a championship golf course here as well. Plus, there’s a statue of Charlie Chaplin, who is said to have been a regular visitor. Overall, Waterville is a gorgeous town with stunning views of the surrounding area and great places to eat and stay.
Skellig Ring Drive
I highly recommend continuing your road trip on the Skellig Ring Drive. With no coach tours allowed on this drive, it’s not that crowded and you get a chance to enjoy the beautiful landscape around you.
Be sure to stop for great views of the Skellig Rocks. Portmagee is a gorgeous harbour village and your start for a boat trip to Skellig Michael and the Skellig Islands. With Covid-19 making this a bit harder, you probably won’t be able to spend some hours on Skellig Michael, but why not enjoy a boat trip around the Skellig Islands. They are impressive and definitely worth a visit. The cliffs near Portmagee offer spectacular views of Valentia Island and the Dingle Peninsula in the distance.
Valentia Island
Valentia Island is a beautiful island. If you have the time, I’d recommend spending at least a night there. The views of the surrounding area (the Skellig Islands, the Ring of Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula) are spectacular and the island itself offers stunning cliffs, hills and beautiful nature. The car ferry only runs from April to October, so keep in mind to use the road bride when visiting in winter.
The Skellig Experience Centre is located on Valentia Island and definitely a must-see. With Skellig Michael being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the centre gives you all the details and background information on the history and wildlife of the island.
Remember Daniel O’Connell? The Heritage Centre in Cahersiveen has all the information on his life and the Fenian uprising of 1867.
Rossbeigh Strand
Rossbeigh Strand is another one of the amazing beaches on the Iveragh Peninsula. The beach is perfect for horse riding, so why not spend some hours trail riding through the beautiful scenery that surrounds Rossbeigh and the beach itself.
Lough Caragh and Carrauntoohil
On your way from Rossbeigh to Killarney, you’ll find Caragh Lake and Carrauntoohil, Ireland’s highest mountain, on your right hand side. The drive around Lough Caragh is beautiful, so if you have the time - enjoy!
Killorglin
Famous for its Puck Fair Festival in August, Killorglin is also a beautiful village during the rest of the year and worth a stop.
Moll‘s Gap and Ladies‘ View
If you‘re confident with driving narrow Irish roads, explore Ballaghbeama Gap and make your way to the R568 and Moll‘s Gap. The famous Moll‘s Gap (check instagram, it‘s gorgeous) is definitely worth a visit.
Continue on the N71 to Ladies‘ View, with amazing views of the Killarney lakes and the surrounding area.
Now head to Killarney and spend time there. Especially Killarney National Park, Torc Waterfall and Muckross House are worth a visit. More about it in my blog post about Killarney here.
Dark Sky Reserve
The Ring of Kerry is also the perfect place to spend a night sitting outside, watching the night sky and viewing the stars. The Kerry International Dark-Sky Reserve was designated Ireland‘s first International Dark-Sky Reserve and thanks to the lack of light pollution on the Iveragh Peninsula, you‘ll see way more star constellations and planets than in most places in Europe. Although you won‘t be able to take part in Dark Sky Tours right now thanks to Covid-19, why not spend an evening (or more) just sitting outside and enjoying the night sky?
Walking the Kerry Way
County Kerry offers amazing walking trails, with the Kerry Way being the most famous. It‘s a 214 km long circular trail that starts and ends in Killarney. You‘ll find several smaller loop walks along the way, too, with the option to climb Ireland‘s highest mountain, a lovely 30km Loop Walk near Waterville and two additional Loop Walks in Sneem. I haven‘t done more than a few loop walks on the Iveragh Peninsula myself, but there are plenty of great trails to choose from.
You know I love to explore the great outdoors off the touristy routes, and although the Beara Peninsula and the Dingle Peninsula are my favourites for doing so, the Ring of Kerry and the Iveragh Peninsula offers great choices to do so as well.
Just park the car and get out there wherever you feel like it and I‘m sure you won’t be disappointed. Take your time when exploring this beautiful peninsula, travel slow and enjoy!
Etta