Top Sites Along the Ring of Kerry in Ireland

When going on a road trip through Ireland, you will have plenty of beautiful countryside to see as Ireland offers this natural resource in astounding quantities. If you are headed towards the southwestern part of the country, you will have the choice between a few peninsulas: Dingle Peninsula, Iveragh Peninsula and Beara Peninsula.

The most famous is the Iveragh Peninsula where the Ring of Kerry can be found. It is a circular driving route that gives visitors the chance to explore the sights around the peninsula’s coastline and starts and finishes in the picturesque town of Killarney.

A few of the stunning highlights along the way include:

Killarney National Park – This popular site includes 10236 hectares of woodlands, mountains and lakes around you which you can hike or just enjoy a nice picnic. The park includes the highest mountain range in Ireland, MacGillycuddy's Reeks.

Ladies View – Panoramic viewpoint located within Killarney National Park. It's been said that the name Ladies View has its origin from the admiration of the view by Queen Victoria`s Ladies-in-waiting during their visit in 1861.

Moll`s Gap – A pass on the winding road from Kenmare to Killarney, offering impressive views of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks mountains.

Torc Waterfall – A beautiful waterfall at the base of Torc Mountain. It's located about 5 miles (8km) from Killarney and has parking available for Ring drivers. The climb up to see the falls is a ten minute walk from the parking lot.

Because the Ring of Kerry is a popular day trip with many bus companies offering the excursion, it can get very crowded at times. Because of the narrow roads there are spots where buses cannot pass each other, that's why the buses drive the Ring counterclockwise. It is advised if you drive yourself, to go clockwise so you're not stuck behind buses all day. Unless you will be driving a larger vehicle yourself and you don't want to encounter one of the tourist buses at a narrow section, in which case you should also drive counter clockwise.

There are variations to the route, where you either do part of the Ring or where you add the Skellig Ring that takes you to Valentia Island, located in the tip of the peninsula.

Something to keep in mind: Because of the narrow roads, the many tourists and the distance you will travel (about 180 km or 112 miles), this can end up being an exhausting day. You might want to consider doing only a part of the route or to explore Dingle Peninsula and Beara Peninsula as they are lesser known and therefore less crowded, but definitely not less impressive!

Have you driven the Ring of Kerry or any of the other routes on the Irish peninsulas?

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.