The Ring of Kerry

The Ring of Kerry is a 179-km-long circular tourist route in County Kerry, south-western Ireland. Clockwise from Killarney it follows the N71 to Kenmare, then the N70 around the Iveragh Peninsula to Killorglin – passing through Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen, and Glenbeigh – before returning to Killarney via the N72. – read more (wikipedia)

The Iveraph Peninsula

The Iveraph Peninsula is a very popular destination.  The Ring of Kerry is one of the most beloved areas to visit in the Republic of Ireland.  I highly recommend straying from the prescribed route a wee bit.   We did not stray and we missed Kerry Cliffs, Foilhommerum Bay and Balycarbery Castle on the tip of the peninsula.

The Kerry Way

The peninsula is also home to The Kerry Way.  The Kerry Way is a walkers’ version of the Ring of Kerry.  It is a 113 mile long circular hiking train the begins and ends in Killarney.  It typically takes 9 days to complete.  What an adventure that has to be.  As you can see on the map below, there are B&B’s all along the way.  You can make arrangements to have your luggage delivered to specific B&B’s at scheduled times so you need only carry day packs while walking.  [link to interactive map]

Traveling the ring

We visited The Ring of Kerry in April well ahead of the peak tourist season.  There was still plenty of traffic; I can only imagine how crazy it gets during the peak summer months.  There is no debating it’s beauty and no wonder about why it is such a popular place.  This was the most “touristy” area we traveled through in Ireland.  Our goal was to avoid big cities and touristy areas.  We made an exception for this area.  If you are in the area, you must take the time and at least drive the loop.  The sites to stop at are many and the views grand.  The map below illustrates the locations of the photos that follow.

Beenarouke

Inchee

Cahersiveen

Killorglin

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