Ring of Kerry

The Ring of Kerry is the most famous drive in Ireland and also the most crowded. In July and August, the 179 km circular route around the Iveragh Peninsula sees tour-bus convoys and hire cars moving through viewpoints in a slow procession. Go in September or October — the heather is purple, the crowds are gone, and you get the same mountains and coast in comparative peace.

The route from Killarney runs clockwise (this matters — tour coaches travel anticlockwise; going the same direction as coaches means slow-moving traffic for hours). It passes through a sequence of distinct landscapes: mountain road southwest toward Kenmare, coastal stretch west through Sneem and Waterville, the open Atlantic-facing road with views to Valentia Island and the distant fins of Skellig Michael, through Cahirciveen and north along Dingle Bay back toward Killorglin and Killarney. The full circuit — with stops and a proper lunch — takes 6–7 hours. It's a long day and it rewards not rushing.

Kenmare is where you should eat lunch. It's a genuine food town for its size — several good restaurants, an excellent deli at Supervalu for picnic supplies, a weekly farmers' market. Between Kenmare and Sneem, the first serious Atlantic section, pull off at Coomakesta Pass — one of the best viewpoints in Kerry, looking back over Derrynane Bay toward the distant peaks of Skellig Michael, 16 km offshore.

Derrynane House, 5 km past Coomakesta, is the ancestral home of Daniel O'Connell — the lawyer-turned-politician who won Catholic Emancipation in 1829 and is arguably the most important Irish political figure of the 19th century. The house is managed by the OPW and worth 45 minutes. The beach at Derrynane adjacent to the house is one of the best in Kerry — sheltered, usually swimmable in summer, and almost empty compared to the road above.

The Skellig Ring: where the main Ring of Kerry turns north at Waterville, a second road branches west through Portmagee and onto Valentia Island via a bridge at Portmagee. This 50 km loop adds two hours but covers some of the most dramatic Atlantic scenery in Kerry, carries almost no tour coaches, and brings you to the embarkation point for Skellig Michael boat trips. If you're planning to take the Skellig trip (book months in advance, weather-dependent, around €130 per person), you're staying in Portmagee anyway — the Skellig Ring is your approach.

Getting here without a car: Bus Éireann operates a Ring of Kerry Summer Rambler (route 280) from Killarney during the summer season — check current dates as the service varies. Cycling the ring is the better option for independent travellers: the full circuit takes 2–3 days by bicycle, with hostels and B&Bs in Cahirciveen, Waterville and Kenmare. Most tour coaches are off the road by 4pm, making afternoon cycling much more pleasant. Bike rental is available in Killarney town (around €20/day for a hybrid). Neptune's Hostel on New Street in Killarney is the main budget accommodation — well-located for both the park and the town's pubs. For traditional music, O'Connor's bar on High Street is the real thing: long-established session, starts around 9pm.