Ring Of Kerry
The Ring of Kerry is one of those journeys where the scenery does most of the talking. This spectacular circular route around the Iveragh Peninsula in south-west Ireland takes you through mountains, lakes, coastline, tiny villages and some of the most dramatic countryside the country has to offer.
It is roughly 179 kilometres around, although the distance is almost irrelevant. You don't come here to see how quickly you can complete the circuit. You come to stop, stare, take photographs and repeatedly say, "Wow."
And you will be doing plenty of stopping.
The traditional starting point is Killarney, which is a convenient base and one of the most attractive towns in this part of Ireland. From here the route heads into Killarney National Park, where things get spectacular almost immediately.The park contains three lakes — Lough Leane, Muckross Lake and the Upper Lake — surrounded by mountains and woodland. Muckross House, an impressive Victorian mansion, is one of the main attractions, while nearby Muckross Abbey provides a rather atmospheric glimpse into Ireland's medieval past.
One of the best ways to see this part of the route is by taking a jaunting car ride. These traditional horse-drawn carriages have been operating in Killarney for generations and provide a wonderfully old-fashioned way of exploring the park.
The road then begins to climb towards the mountains, and this is where the Ring of Kerry really starts to earn its reputation.
Ladies View is one of the most famous viewpoints on the entire route. The name supposedly comes from the admiration shown by Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting when they visited in 1861. Whether they were genuinely impressed or simply didn't want to offend Queen Victoria is another matter, but the view is certainly worth admiring.
From here the landscape becomes increasingly dramatic, with mountains dropping towards lakes and valleys stretching into the distance.
Eventually you reach Kenmare, one of the prettiest towns on the route. It is colourful, compact and an excellent place for a break. The town has plenty of cafés, restaurants and pubs, and its location makes it a popular base for exploring the surrounding countryside.From Kenmare the road heads west towards the Atlantic coast.
And this is where the scenery becomes seriously impressive.
The coastline around the Iveragh Peninsula is rugged, windswept and wonderfully unspoilt. You get enormous views across the Atlantic, rocky headlands and beaches appearing seemingly from nowhere. On a sunny day the sea can be an extraordinary shade of blue; on a wet and windy Irish day, it can look considerably more threatening.
Both are equally impressive.
Sneem is another attractive little village, famous for its colourful buildings and pleasant setting. It is a good example of the sort of place that makes driving around Ireland such fun. You don't necessarily need a major attraction — sometimes a small village, a pub and a good view are quite enough.
Further west lies Waterville, a seaside village with a rather unusual connection to Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin and his family regularly holidayed here, and there is a statue of him overlooking the sea.The Atlantic scenery continues around the coast, with numerous viewpoints and places where you will want to pull over. The road can be narrow in places, and you need to remember that you are sharing it with coaches, campervans, tractors and the occasional sheep.
Then comes one of the real highlights: Valentia Island.
Connected to the mainland by bridge and ferry, Valentia is steeped in history and has some magnificent coastal scenery. It was also one of the locations involved in the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable, an achievement that transformed communication between Europe and North America.
Nearby is Geokaun Mountain, the highest point on Valentia Island, offering magnificent views over the island and surrounding coastline.
From there the route continues towards Cahersiveen, before eventually turning back towards Killarney.
There are numerous variations to the route, and that is one of the joys of the Ring of Kerry. You don't have to follow the official circuit slavishly. There are additional roads, viewpoints, beaches and attractions that can easily turn a one-day drive into a two- or three-day exploration.One place that should definitely be considered is Skellig Michael, the extraordinary rocky island lying off the coast. The island is famous for its early Christian monastery, perched high above the Atlantic, and for its appearance as a filming location in the Star Wars films.
However, getting there isn't straightforward and landing trips are weather dependent. Even if you don't make the journey to the island itself, the views towards the Skelligs from the mainland are spectacular.
And that is really the secret of the Ring of Kerry.
It isn't about ticking off a list of attractions.
It is about the journey.
There are plenty of famous stops, but some of the best moments will probably be somewhere between them — rounding a bend and suddenly finding the Atlantic spread out in front of you, seeing a ruined stone building in a field, watching sheep wandering across the road or discovering a tiny beach with nobody on it.
The weather can make a huge difference. On a beautiful summer day the Ring of Kerry can look like something from a postcard. When the clouds roll in, the rain starts and the mountains disappear into mist, it becomes wild, atmospheric and unmistakably Irish.
There is one downside, however.
It can get busy.
The Ring of Kerry is one of Ireland's best-known tourist routes, and in the height of summer you can encounter plenty of coaches and traffic. The narrow roads don't always make passing easy, so patience is required.But don't let that put you off.
Take your time, get off the main route occasionally, explore the villages and don't be afraid to stop simply because something looks interesting.
The Ring of Kerry is one of those journeys where the destination is almost irrelevant.
The whole point is the road itself.
And if you finish the circuit without taking far more photographs than you could possibly need, you've probably been driving with your eyes closed.
Return to Ireland Home Page