Our Guide To Driving The Ring Of Kerry, Ireland — Our Wanders

The Ring of Kerry scenic drive is one of the most popular coastal drives in Europe, and for a good reason. In a single day, you can explore this 179 km stretch of road that takes you through lush green, rolling hills and cute, colorful fishing villages, along a dramatic coastline with ruins and turquoise bays. This post is your guide to driving the Ring of Kerry. We’re sharing all the practical information we’d have been happy to know before our road trip.

Essentials about driving the Ring of Kerry

The Ring of Kerry driving route is part of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, a coastal road along the Atlantic Ocean that stretches to 2500 kilometers. It’s known for dramatic ocean views, lush greenery and deep blue bays — and also known for unexpected storms that should be expected anywhere on the Irish coast. (Don’t forget, it’s Ireland. It’s green for a reason.)

The Ring of Kerry drive is a 179 km (111 miles) long, circular section of the Wild Atlantic Way, starting from Killarney National Park and traversing around the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry. It might be the most famous, but not the only scenic section of the Wild Atlantic Way. We found the drive on the Dingle Peninsula and the Burren Coastal Road quite spectacular, too. Most probably your favorite will be the one that you see on a clear day. 🙂

Is the Ring of Kerry worth it?

Ireland is not a country that’s typically flooded by tourists, especially its more remote, rural regions, but the Ring of Kerry is one of the few busy sights. There’s no doubt it’s worth a visit (hence everyone wants to visit), because it’s not just incredibly scenic all the way, but also offers countless stops that are exciting, unique attractions on their own.

Misty beaches, lovely rural towns, breathtaking clifftops, an old mansion and a dramatic beachside castle ruin. We’ll show you all the highlights, and then some great hiking opportunities along the way.

How long does the Ring of Kerry take?

Plan a full day. You’ll want to stop very often, sometimes only for a few minutes, other times for a few hours. The pure driving time of the full circular route is about 4 hours, but you need to double or triple that time.

We spent two days there, taking a boat trip to the Skellig Islands, visiting Muckross House and hiking to Strickeen peak in addition to the traditional stops. There’s a lot to do in this region, and if you’d like to add several longer activities to your Ring of Kerry itinerary, we recommend planning for more than one day.

Where does the Ring of Kerry start?

It’s a circular route, so if you drive a car, you can choose which direction to start: from Killarney towards the south (clockwise route) or the north (counterclockwise route). We’d recommend taking the clockwise route from Killarney towards Ladies View and follow N71 to Kenmare, because tour buses must all do it counterclockwise. Roads are not that wide, and it would be quite uncomfortable for two big buses to meet, that’s the reason.

The Skellig Ring is a smaller circular route at the end of the peninsula. Traditionally, it’s not part of the Ring of Kerry drive, but it’s so worth including!

Do you need a car?

The best way to see the Ring of Kerry is, of course, with your own (rented) car. We rented one as soon as we got out of Dublin to explore the Irish countryside and the ocean coast.

Visiting the Ring of Kerry by car allows you to see everything at your own pace, to get to rural areas which are not that easy to reach by public transport. Even if you only have a few extra days, you can see a lot, because Ireland is not that big. The downside? It has its price, and you need to do the driving — on the other side (which is not as hard as you’d imagine, if you already have some driving experience).

If you’d like to visit the Ring of Kerry without a car, you have some options. Ring of Kerry tours are available, though usually not from Dublin. This one starts in Killarney, and this one from Cork. Both offer a bit different schedule and stops, but visitors highlighted that their guides were exceptional, knowledgeable and entertaining, on both tours. The downside? You go by bus, so you stop where the bus stops.

Ring of Kerry guide: best stops along the way

First we’re sharing a one day agenda with the best Ring of Kerry stops. If you have more time, read on to the next section.

Killarney

Your Ring of Kerry road trip starts in Killarney, one of the loveliest towns in Ireland. Have a stroll on the colorful main street, and visit giant St. Mary’s Cathedral with its elegant stained-glass windows. Don’t spend more than an hour in town though, as Killarney National Park right next to it awaits with even more impressive sights. (And there’s a long day ahead, with more amazing places to see!)

Killarney National Park

This is the most mountainous stretch of the Ring of Kerry route, with picturesque passes, lakes and forests.

Muckross House and Muckross Lake

Killarney National Park is the oldest one in Ireland, and it was established when Muckross Estate was donated to the Irish state in 1932. This beautiful, 19th-century Victorian mansion, the Muckross House is still an important place in the heart of the national park, though the park has been expanded since then.

We signed up for a guided tour to see the furnished mansion, and it was one of the best ones we’ve been to in Ireland. The tour itself was also exciting, with a guide blessed with true Irish humor. Then we took a walk in the enormous garden, located on the shores of Muckross Lake, one of the three Killarney Lakes. The estate is free to visit, but tickets are required for the tour in the mansion.

It was a real Irish countryside idyll — majestic Muckross House, the blooming garden, the towering mountains of Killarney National Park reflected in the lake. This was the image I had in my head when dreaming about Ireland. We were impressed by the harmony of the old mansion, its carefully manicured gardens and the surrounding landscape. Also, it was our longest stop during the day.

On the way to Muckross House, you can stop at 15 th-century Muckross Abbey, one of the many abandoned Irish ruins. Not as picturesque as others, but it’s worth a quick stop.

Torc waterfall

Not the tallest or most powerful one in the country, but Torc waterfall is a nice one hidden in a lush green forest. It’s only a short walk from the parking lot, and it’s quite busy because of the easy access.

Read this, too: Best Waterfalls In Ireland & Northern Ireland

Upper Killarney Lake viewpoints

Though these viewpoints are not officially named or being nearly as famous as upcoming Ladies View, we liked them just as much. Watch out for small pullouts as you drive past Upper Killarney Lake, and take a walk on the rocks to enjoy fabulous lake views. (No, tour buses won’t stop here, pullouts are barely enough for one or two cars.)

Ladies View

Ladies View is one of the most photographed Ring of Kerry highlights and is a goodbye to Killarney National Park. From there you get a view of the park from above, including the Killarney Lakes: Lough Leane, Upper Lake, and Muckross Lake. And where does the name “Ladies View” originate? Queen Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting admired the landscape from here on Victoria’s visit to Ireland in 1861.

Sneem & Waterville

No Ring of Kerry road trip is complete without some colorful seaside villages. As we started driving along the coast, we were tempted by many, with pastel colored streets and pretty bays. Waterville was our favorite, and it’s one that’s located right on the coast so that you can smell the salt in the air while walking on the street. Sneem is another popular village stop (which we found less scenic). You can enjoy a traditional Irish lunch in any of them.

Whitestrand Beach, Castlecove Beach and Derrynane Beach are between Sneem and Waterville, and you’ll likely won’t have time to stop at each, so just pick one for a short walk. Or have a glimpse of them from the car, as the most fabulous turquoise bay is only a little bit further.

Skellig Ring Road

Skellig Ring Road is a circular scenic route on its own at the very end of Iveragh Peninsula. We were quite relieved that buses are not even allowed to use this section, because the road is extremely narrow. But it’s probably the most scenic section of the coastal road, so it’s really worth including it in your day. Just drive slowly and carefully.

Ballinskelligs Castle & Beach

This was our first stop along the Skellig Ring Road, and one of the most romantic ruins we’ve seen in Ireland. Even though the ruins of Ballinskelligs Castle are not that special on their own, the setting where they are located makes them quite memorable.

This ruined castle towers above perfectly turquoise Ballinskelligs Beach which made us feel like we were suddenly transported to the Mediterranean. All the blooming flowers just added a special charm to the landscape. (We visited in May, and all of Ireland was in bloom.)

Skelligs Chocolate

If you happen to drive the Ring of Kerry on a rainy day, this place will save you! They have an incredible variety of sweets and delicious hot chocolate.

Portmagee

This adorable coastal town offers boat trips to Skellig Michael. We did it on a separate day, and it was among the best things we’ve done on our Ireland road trip!

Clifftop walk at Kerry’s Cliffs

No doubt that we enjoyed the most spectacular coastal views of the day at Kerry’s Cliffs. Located close to Portmagee village, these cliffs are 305 meters high, offering views of turquoise bays below, and also views of the Skellig Islands and Puffin Island in the distance.

There’s an easy walking path at the top of the cliffs. Also, this is the only stop along the Ring of Kerry where we had to pay entrance fee (it was about 4 EUR/adult in May 2019), but it was well worth it.

Kells

Our next stop was again on the main road around the peninsula. Kells is a traditional fishing village with nice coastal views and sandy Kells Bay Beach. There’s a subtropical garden called Kells Bay House and Gardens, but we couldn’t fit that into our Ring of Kerry one day itinerary.

Sunset at Ross Castle

We stopped between Kells and Ross Castle, our last stop, but those were quick viewpoint stops. You can’t fit everything in one day, and Ross Castle is a nice final stop as you can see the sun set by Lough Lane, the largest of the Killarney Lakes.

If you arrive earlier (or start your day here), you can also take a guided tour in Ross Castle. It’s a tower house surrounded by walls and round towers. It surely can be an interesting tour, but we had no regrets of choosing to tour Muckross House instead.

Additional activities for your Ring of Kerry itinerary

So here comes another list which is not less wonderful than the places we’ve already mentioned. They just really won’t fit in a single day.

Skellig Islands

One reason we planned two days for the Ring of Kerry was that we wanted to take a boat trip to the Skellig Islands. Skellig Michael and Little Skellig are two remote, inaccessible, small, rocky islands that are an important and protected bird area. Their inhabitants include puffins, too! Skellig Michael, the larger island is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its early Christian monastery. Lately it has become well-known as Luke’s island in the new Star Wars movies.

Our half day boat trip turned out to be breathtaking, and became one of our favorite experiences from the two weeks we spent in Ireland. We’ve already written a detailed post about it — read it here!

The Gap of Dunloe

Driving the Gap of Dunloe is a short detour from the main loop of the Ring of Kerry, but surely worthwhile if you have the time. Plan for at least a few hours, but half a day is even better. The Gap of Dunloe is a narrow mountain pass between the MacGillycuddy Reeks and Purple Mountain. River Loe runs through the gap, and you pass five lakes while descending into the valley.

The gap starts at Kate Kearney’s Cottage, and it’s 11 kilometers long. Though it’s a paved road, it’s closed for cars. You can walk or bike, or you can rent a horse cart to enjoy the stunning views it offers. A walk to the picturesque old bridge called the Wishing Bridge gives you a taste of this place if you’re short on time.

A hike to Strickeen peak

Rising to 440 meters above sea level, it feels ridiculous to call the hike to Strickeen peak a mountain hike. Still Strickeen looks like a real mountain, barren, rocky and wild. You’re in the north, the climate is different. Even hills are so bare and rocky that they look like 2000 meters high mountains in the continental climate.

Yet the trail to Strickeen peak is relatively easy, and comes with fascinating views. To access the path, we parked at Kate Kearney’s Cottage, and started to walk in the Gap of Dunloe. After about one kilometer, there’s an uphill path and a sign that indicates Strickeen. This well-worn track took us all the way up to the summit.

Where to stay

We stayed in Killarney International Hostel while we explored Killarney National Park, the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula. Killarney turned out to be a great base, and this hostel exceeded our expectations. It was an old manor house once, located in the middle of a huge park. The building is renovated today, it offers several private rooms to couples and families, as well. We also liked its large and well-equipped common kitchen. And the peaceful, historical atmosphere of the place.

Hostels or not, Killarney offers tons of choices in terms of accommodation. But you can also book accommodation in the lovely seaside towns, like Kenmare, Waterville or Sneem.

The Ring of Kerry map

We created a map where you can see all the attractions and Ring of Kerry best stops. The optional stops for your additional days are marked with yellow:

Do you like coastal drives? Do you have any favorite one?

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Originally published at https://ourwanders.com on October 6, 2022.