The Dingle Peninsula is one of Ireland's most famous scenic day trips. It has some of the best natural scenery seen anywhere in Europe. Here I have made some suggestions to make this trip a most memorable one.
Leaving Killarney town, take the Killorglin road (N70). Turn right at the Golden Nugget bar (N72) to Miltown. To see the Dingle Peninsula properly you need a full day. Leaving Killarney around 10:00am and returning around 6:00pm.
Castlemaine next head for Inch Beach (please do not drive your car on any beach in Kerry !) some of Ryan's Daughter was filmed here.
Passing the Anascaul River mouth, you may want to turn right for Anascaul and Tom Crean's South Pole Inn Pub. It was here Tom Crean the famous South Pole Explorer returned after his magnificent Courageous Journey with Lord Shackelton and Scott to the South Pole.
After this you can continue on to the town of Dingle. Here you can take a boat trip to see Fungi the wild dolphin who has been a resident in Dingle Harbor for 20 years, Slea Head Drive on Dingle Peninsula Slea Head Drive, a one-way, single-lane loop around the far-western end of the peninsula, leaves from and returns directly to Dingle Town.
The 30-mile tour can be done in a half-day by auto, or a hard-cycled full day by bicycle.
This is rugged, desolate country. The breathtaking panoramas of the coastline with steep cliffs falling into the sea, isolated beaches, and the Blasket Islands. These natural wonders and the following array of historical sites made this day of explorations our most enchanting in Ireland.
Ogham Stones: Dating from 300 A.D., these stones near the village of Ventry contain rare examples of early Celtic writing. Utilizing variations of five straight lines, the Celts used a writing alphabet of 20 different letters.
Ring Fort and Beehive Huts: Clustered within a circular stone wall is a group of beehive huts, essentially stone igloos, which provided shelter for small families from 1,000 B.C. to as late as 1200 A.D.
Beehive huts on Dingle Peninsula Dunbeg Fort: Perched on a sheer cliff promontory, this hill fort contains a stone rampart and entrance, guard chambers, underground tunnel, and central beehive hut. Although inhabited as late as the 11th century, evidence of early settlement dates back to 500 B.C.
Great Blasket Centre: This modern facility is a heritage centre for Gaelic culture and a memorial to the hardy souls who inhabited Blasket Island up until 1953. The small community of approximately 100 had survived for centuries, each family owning a cow, several sheep, and a small potato plot.
Riasc Monastery: Dating from the 5th to the 12th century, the monastery site lays in ruins with traces of walls, inner walls, beehive hut residences, a square oratory, and an outside grain kiln operated for the surrounding farmers. An incredible Celtic pillar stone dates from 1,000 B.C., with a monk-carved Maltese-type cross, inscribed over the Celtic scrolls.
Gallarus Oratory: one of Ireland’s best-preserved early churches (700 A.D.)
Returning to Killarney via the "Conor Pass", stop at the car park at the top and stretch your legs, looking South you can see Skelligs in the distance and Dingle Bay, and to the North, Brandon Bay and the Hog Islands.
Its on to Tralee now via Blenerville and the Windmill and back to Killarney and Gleann Fia Country House for a relaxing drink from our Honour Bar.
For the adventurous driver only From Brandon to Killarney via Caherconree (only for very experienced drivers). At Camp take the side road beside Ashes Pub which will bring you out on the Inch - Killarney road.
This road is not suitable for buses of any kind or in frosty winter weather. The road is narrow and steep, the price you pay for the view at the top. Drive safely and keep your eyes on the road and put your hand brake on when stopping. You can see Tralee Bay to the North and Cromane and even Caragh Lake in the distance to the south, with the mountains at Glenbeigh to the South West.
