Kerry is possibly my favourite place in the country. My grandfather on my mother's side is from Kerry, so I might be biased, and nearly every time I go, it rains. Ferociously. But even when it rains, Kerry's still beautiful. It's got it all - mountains, lakes, beautiful beaches, lots of great towns, history, pubs, craic. It's probably why I end up heading there once or twice a year.
It's easily reachable from Cork, less than ninety minutes drive to Killarney. Kerry is split into two peninsulas - Dingle (Daingean in Irish) and Iveragh. The Iveragh is home to the Ring of Kerry, a picturesque drive that follows the coast through country towns and mountain passes.
Kerry: 1-3 days
Killarney's a good base, though Kenmare has also been recommended to me. There's also Killorglin, home to the famous Puck Fair, held every August.
Killarney's a bit of a bigger, touristy town, lots of pubs, but with easy access to the beautiful National Park. This contains the famous lakes, Ladies' View, Ross Castle, and offers fantastic views of the mountains.
On the Ring of Kerry, all the coaches go around anti-clockwise, so I reckon it's nicer to go in the opposite direction. You'll pass through Moll's Gap, Sneem, Castle Cove, Caherdaniel, and Waterville. From here you can make a diversion out to Portmagee and the Skellig ring. Every morning the boats leave for Skellig Michael, a monastery built on a rock of an island in the Atlantic. Sailings are weather-dependent, so if you can, give yourself a couple of mornings in the area to increase your chances of making it out. There's also a bird sanctuary, and seals if you're lucky.
Continuing around the ring, you'll come through Caherciveen, birthplace of Daniel O'Connell, an Irishman who campaigned for civil rights for Catholics in the 19th century. He's often referred to as the Emancipator. Caherciveen is a another town that's a nice overnight stop. It has a nice museum in an old police barracks, and some old ring forts nearby (Cahergal), and a castle (Ballycarbery). Say hello to Philip in the Shebeen pub if you like. If you're there in August, the town holds a festival over the bank holiday weekend.
After Cahirciveen you'll pass some nice beaches, then through Killorglin, to return to Killarney.
Another possibility on the Iveragh peninsula is to climb Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain at just over 1,000m high. If you're an experienced hill walker, it shouldn't be much trouble for you, just be wary of using the severely eroded Devil's Ladder route. The Brother O'Shea route is a little longer, but less dangerous. If you're not very confident, I can recommend Outdoors Ireland for a guide.
Further north is the Dingle peninsula. Dingle is a wonderful little town, full of artisan shops, pubs with real character, restaurants that serve tonnes of delicious, fresh fish, and where they still speak the native Irish tongue. It's also home to Fungi the dolphin. You can head out in a yacht or a kayak to try catch a glimpse of him if you like.
In the area is Mount Brandon, upon which is an ancient pilgrimage route. It's very accessible, as long as you take it at your own pace and have the proper gear.
You can also try visit the Blaskets for a picnic, or take a surf lesson on Inch Strand.
It's easily reachable from Cork, less than ninety minutes drive to Killarney. Kerry is split into two peninsulas - Dingle (Daingean in Irish) and Iveragh. The Iveragh is home to the Ring of Kerry, a picturesque drive that follows the coast through country towns and mountain passes.
Kerry: 1-3 days
Killarney's a good base, though Kenmare has also been recommended to me. There's also Killorglin, home to the famous Puck Fair, held every August.
Killarney's a bit of a bigger, touristy town, lots of pubs, but with easy access to the beautiful National Park. This contains the famous lakes, Ladies' View, Ross Castle, and offers fantastic views of the mountains.
On the Ring of Kerry, all the coaches go around anti-clockwise, so I reckon it's nicer to go in the opposite direction. You'll pass through Moll's Gap, Sneem, Castle Cove, Caherdaniel, and Waterville. From here you can make a diversion out to Portmagee and the Skellig ring. Every morning the boats leave for Skellig Michael, a monastery built on a rock of an island in the Atlantic. Sailings are weather-dependent, so if you can, give yourself a couple of mornings in the area to increase your chances of making it out. There's also a bird sanctuary, and seals if you're lucky.
Continuing around the ring, you'll come through Caherciveen, birthplace of Daniel O'Connell, an Irishman who campaigned for civil rights for Catholics in the 19th century. He's often referred to as the Emancipator. Caherciveen is a another town that's a nice overnight stop. It has a nice museum in an old police barracks, and some old ring forts nearby (Cahergal), and a castle (Ballycarbery). Say hello to Philip in the Shebeen pub if you like. If you're there in August, the town holds a festival over the bank holiday weekend.
After Cahirciveen you'll pass some nice beaches, then through Killorglin, to return to Killarney.
Another possibility on the Iveragh peninsula is to climb Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain at just over 1,000m high. If you're an experienced hill walker, it shouldn't be much trouble for you, just be wary of using the severely eroded Devil's Ladder route. The Brother O'Shea route is a little longer, but less dangerous. If you're not very confident, I can recommend Outdoors Ireland for a guide.
Further north is the Dingle peninsula. Dingle is a wonderful little town, full of artisan shops, pubs with real character, restaurants that serve tonnes of delicious, fresh fish, and where they still speak the native Irish tongue. It's also home to Fungi the dolphin. You can head out in a yacht or a kayak to try catch a glimpse of him if you like.
In the area is Mount Brandon, upon which is an ancient pilgrimage route. It's very accessible, as long as you take it at your own pace and have the proper gear.
You can also try visit the Blaskets for a picnic, or take a surf lesson on Inch Strand.
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