The Ring of Kerry (175 kms circular route) is a scenic drive around the Iveragh Peninsula in southwest Ireland’s County Kerry.
Whether you choose to cycle it or drive or travel in coach, it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful scenic routes in Ireland. Fortunately or unfortunately, it rains almost most of the days here in Ireland. So, in case if you reach here on a rainy day, you might not be able to enjoy this place to the full extend.
With this itinerary, you will drive through miles of green, rolling hills, explore colourful and beautiful Irish towns, and see a fantastic stretch of Ireland’s rugged coastline. It is a beautiful scenic drive and it’s no wonder that it makes it into bucket list of many travellers.
There is a always a debate on which direction you should cover this circular route. Some people go in a clockwise direction and some others in the anti-clockwise direction. Most of the guidebooks suggests to go clockwise so that you are going the opposite direction of the tour buses (which go counterclockwise).
The route when done clockwise starts from Killarney following the N71 to Kenmare, then on to the N70 around the Iveragh Peninsula to Killorglin, passing through Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen, and finally returning to Killarney via the N72. Without any stops, it would take 2.5 – 3 hours to cover the main route. Please note that this itinerary would still take more hours as we had deviated to another road / location from the main route, in between.
This itinerary will be more suitable for those with their own vehicle or rental vehicle. I strongly believe that the best way to see the Ring of Kerry is to drive your own vehicle / rental vehicle, as you have the flexibility to stop and enjoy the stunning scenery whenever you want.
If you don’t have your own vehicle, there are still plenty of options like the ‘Ring of Kerry coach tours’, to see most of the important sights. Even though you will be confined to the viewpoints or stoppages planned by the tour companies, coach tour is also a good, safe and convenient option. If you get a good tour guide, your coach trip is going to be a great fun.
I know that there are many tour operators (mini and big buses) conducting one / two days tour in this route. I won’t be able to share pros / cons of any operator, as I have not tried any such coach trips in this route.
Keep in mind that daylight hours are much shorter in autumn and winter. We did this trip in July 2024, so the days were long. If you visit in autumn or winter, you could have 8 hours of daylight or less so that will need to be factored into your trip.
This is my second trip to Ring of Kerry. First was a One-day trip from Cork in 2019. This time since we were travelling from Dublin, we had to plan a two days itinerary.
The Ring of Kerry road is much like all the other rural roads in Ireland. I appreciate that some of the narrow roads can be very challenging, especially for those coming from countries where you are used to much wider roads or where you follow a right hand side driving. Take it slow and take bends cautiously.
There is always another debate within the traveller’s community, if one should choose Dingle Peninsula or Ring of Kerry if you are forced to select one of the two options. In most of the cases, I have seen that Dingle Peninsula wins that debate. There’s definitely no reason not to visit the Ring of Kerry and I would suggest you to visit both these wonderful places, if you get a chance.
If you are a regular reader of my blogs, you would have noticed something special about my travel style/pattern. I tend to cover as much as possible on each day. I know that’s it’s not everyone’s travel style but unfortunately, I somehow cannot change that pattern. This trip is no different.
Enough of intros, now let me get into the details.
We started our journey from Saggart in Dublin.
Day 1:
We visited the following places on day 1.
| Saggart, Dublin (started from here) |
| Torc Waterfall, Torc, Killarney, Co. Kerry |
| Ladies view, Derrycunihy, Killarney, Co. Kerry |
| Molls Gap, Eirk, Co. Kerry |
| Kenmare, Co. Kerry |
| Sneem, Drimna Beg, Co. Kerry |
| Caherdaniel, Ballycarnahan, Co. Kerry |
| Viewpoint of Scarriff Island |
| Charlie Chaplin Statue, Waterville, Co. Kerry |
| Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry |
| Skellig Ring, Co. Kerry |
| Coomanaspig, Co. Kerry |
| Portmagee, Doory, Co. Kerry |
| Bunnys Pod (EIR Code: V23FD37), Cahersiveen (Stayed here) |
1) Torc Waterfall, Torc, Killarney, Co. Kerry:
The waterfall is 20 metres (66 ft) high and 110 metres (360 ft) long and was formed by the nearby Owengarriff River. This is one of the most popular things to do in Killarney.
The parking space is slightly limited in this place. Consider yourself lucky if you manage to get parking in the car park near to the waterfall (just a 5 minutes’ walk). I was told that there is another parking space but it is far away from the waterfalls.
Even though Torc Waterfall isn’t the biggest set of falls we’ve seen, it’s quite impressive in its own way. I think the natural surroundings around the falls make it so pretty. The moss-covered tree branches everywhere makes it look like it is part of some fairytale kingdom.
There are no much shops available but yes there is a Public toilet facility near to the car parking area. You don’t have to pay for the car park or to visit the falls. Nice one, isn’t it?
2) Ladies view, Derrycunihy, Killarney, Co. Kerry:
You will see this viewpoint in the right side of the road. There is also a cafe-restaurant (on left side) here, with panoramic views of the valley. I think there is also a small gift shop here. From this viewpoint, you’ll be able to see the Lakes of Killarney and the surrounding mountains. Unfortunately, it was slightly raining when we reached here. So, we couldn’t get the best views.
A short trail will take you to an even better viewpoint, if you prefer to do so.
3) Molls Gap, Eirk, Co. Kerry:
If you further continue from Ladies’ View, you will reach Moll’s Gap.
Moll’s Gap viewpoint got its name from a woman (named Moll Kissane) who set up an unlicensed pub in the area when the N71 road was newly constructed. While the illegal pub is long gone, Molls gap has a shop (named Avoca), which can be good place to grab a coffee or food & you could use the toilet facility aswell.
This can also be a good stop for breakfast in case you haven’t been able to before the start of your Ring of Kerry drive.
4) Kenmare, Co. Kerry:
Kenmare is one of the beautiful towns in Ireland known for its colourful houses.
Kenmare offers a great selection of hotels and pubs, and as a result, it gets really lively during the peak season. So this can be another place for a short break or to grab some food or coffee.
5) Sneem, Drimna Beg, Co. Kerry:
Follow the road and enjoy the beautiful scenery until you reach the colourful town of Sneem. This can also be a good stop for food or coffee, if you wanted to.
Surrounded by mountains, the vibrant and colorful town of Sneem is a popular stop on the Ring of Kerry. The traditional Irish pubs get lively during the summer months and often provide live music and not surprisingly, a good selection of refreshing beverages.
6) Caherdaniel, Co. Kerry (Glenbeg Caravan and Camping Park):
Parking space is relatively smaller here, but it is worth stopping here. From the parking area, you can see ‘Glenbeg caravan and camping park’ and a small beach (on the right side). This is a small beach but it’s really magical, especially on a sunny day.
7) Viewpoint of Scarriff Island (Never miss this view point):
Continuing from Caherdaniel, there’s a fantastic viewpoint named ‘Scarriff Island Viewpoint’. One of my personal favourites, this viewing point should never be missed.
From here, you’ll get an epic view of Scarriff Island (and the neighboring Deenish Island). Both of these islands were inhabited in the 1800s, but today they’re deserted and very difficult to reach. On a sunny day, you can capture some breathtaking views from this viewpoint. There is enough parking space available here.
8) Charlie Chaplin Statue, Waterville, Co. Kerry:
Waterville is one of the Ring of Kerry’s more unique towns, which is very near to the coast.
You’re probably wondering why there is a statue of Charlie Chaplin in the Ring of Kerry (I did). Well, basically it’s because he and his family used to love visiting the town of Waterville and the statue was built for his remembrance. They even have the right to hold a Charlie Chaplin themed comedy film festival every year!
There are plenty of great accommodations in Waterville to choose from, and if you decide to stay here overnight, make sure to pay a visit to the beach during the sunset.
9) Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry (This will be the toughest stretch in this whole trip):
At this point, we took a detour off the main Ring of Kerry route and ventured onto what’s known as the Skellig Ring. If you are in short of time, you could skip this detour, but it’s worth including if you have a option. If you plan to take this route, venture off into R567/R566/R565, else you can stay on N70.
Without any doubt, Skellig Ring is one of the best extensions of the Ring of Kerry, and it was one of the highlights of our road trip. Please note that the roads are quite narrow here in this stretch. You won’t see tour buses as the roads in this area are simply too narrow for them.
10) Skellig Ring, Co. Kerry:
This drive was one of the most spectacular parts of the Ring of Kerry drive for me. The winding roads are much less driven than the main Ring and on a clear day you can see out to the Skellig Islands, which look so dramatic even from a distance.
Ideally the next stop should have been ‘Kerry Cliffs’, but we had to skip this part as we were running short of time. Kerry Sea Cliffs are over 1000ft above the Atlantic Ocean, which are actually taller than the Cliffs of Moher.
11) Coomanaspig, Co. Kerry:
You will pass through Coomanaspig – one of the highest points in Ireland that’s accessible by car.
On a clear day the view as you spin down towards Portmagee is mind-boggling. There’s plenty of parking up at the top but beware – it’s fierce windy up there!
12) Portmagee, Doory, Co. Kerry:
Portmagee is a small colourful town located around 80 km from Killarney.
You have good parking space here. Next to the parking area is the bathroom that was awarded Ireland’s Top Toilet Award in 2002.
Few of the Skellig Island boat tour operators depart from Portmagee.
There are two types of Skellig boat trips. One is a landing trip where you land on Skellig Michael and climb the carved steps to the monastery – although good fitness is required! You’ll also circle the island (if weather allows), to see the famous Gannet colony – one of the largest in the world! Landing tours generally cost around €100 per person.
Alternatively, eco-tours do not land on the islands but instead sail around them with a highly qualified guide providing information about the history of the islands, the monks that lived there from the 6th century and the ecology of the island too. You’ll also see the Gannet colony. Eco boat tours generally cost around €40 per person.
By the time we reached here, the boat service were all finished. Anyway, we never had the intention to visit Skellig Island in this trip.
We had planned our stay at Cahersiveen. So this was a good place to pack some food for our dinner.
We managed to buy some burgers from ‘K’s golden grill’ (an evening mobile food shop). Food was quite tasty and economical.
If interested, you can also plan to visit Valentia Island from here. Valentia Island is one of Ireland’s most westerly points. It lies off the Iveragh Peninsula in the southwest of County Kerry. It is linked to the mainland by the Maurice O’Neill Memorial Bridge at Portmagee. We did not visit Valentia island in this trip.
13) Bunnys Pod, Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry (Stayed here):
We stayed at Bunny Pod (EIR Code: V23FD37), Cahersiveen. This is a good glamping pod for a family (2 adults + 1 child).
The glamping site is at a great location with excellent views.
Day 2:
We covered the following places on day 2:
| Bunnys Pod (EIR Code: V23FD37), Cahersiveen (Stayed here) |
| Cahersiveen Town, W Main St, Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry |
| Kellsbeach Pods, Bay, Kells, Co. Kerry |
| Rossbeigh Beach, Unnamed Road, Faha, Co. Kerry |
| St. Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, 5 Cathedral Pl, Kilgarvan, Cobh, Co. Cork |
| Saggart, Dublin (Final destination) |
1) Cahersiveen Town, W Main St, Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry:
As you begin your loop back towards Killarney along the north-facing edge of the Iveragh Peninsula, you’ll pass through the market town of Cahersiveen, whose tall, colourful houses, many with traditional shopfronts is a great view.
2) Kellsbeach Pods, Bay, Kells, Co. Kerry:
Kells Beach (with Blue flag award) is a lovely sandy beach with a small harbour. It is an idyllic spot for a day out on the northern coastline of the Iveragh Peninsula. There is a caravan park and a small glamping site near to this beach.
3) Rossbeigh Beach, Unnamed Road, Faha, Co. Kerry:
Rossbeigh Beach Car Park is free and there are plenty of spaces plus a cafe and toilet facilities. Overlooked by Rossbeigh mountains, this beach is very long. This is also a blue flag beach. Rossbeigh Beach is perfect for a day by the sea during the warm weather months. You can also drive up to the mountains, to get some panoramic views.
4) Cobh, Co. Cork (St. Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, 5 Cathedral Pl, Kilgarvan, Cobh, Co. Cork):
We decided to visit Cobh aswell, in these 2 days trip.
Cobh is a gorgeous coastal town situated half an hour from Cork. Cobh in fact is a destination by itself and would need a full day. Due to some time restrictions, we could spend only an hour here.
Cobh was ranked as one of the most beautiful small towns in Europe by Condé Nast Traveler. One of the major transatlantic Irish ports, the town was the departure point for 2.5 million of the six million Irish people who emigrated to North America.
On the 11th April 1912 the newly built Titanic called to the port of Queenstown (now known as Cobh) on her maiden voyage. From Southampton, she went to Cherbourg, France where 281 passengers boarded. On April 11, Titanic arrived in Cobh Harbor, its final port of call. Eight passengers disembarked and 123 boarded. There is also a visitor centre named ‘Titanic Experience Cobh’.
St. Colman’s Cathedral is a must see in Cobh. The interior of the cathedral is architecturally and visually very beautiful.
If you have more time in Cobh, You could also try a 45 minutes guided boat tour to ‘Spike Island’.
More details here : https://www.spikeislandcork.ie/
After Cobh, we returned back to Saggart in Dublin.
Summary:
There’s no doubt that the Ring of Kerry is worth its status as one of the best places to visit in Ireland.
Many roads on the Ring of Kerry are narrow, two lane roads. If you do not like the idea of driving these narrow, curvy roads it might be better to visit the Ring of Kerry on a tour. The Ring of Kerry is famed for its outstanding natural beauty, historical sites, unique winding roads and charming towns and villages.
A lot of visitors do tend to drive the Ring of Kerry in one day. If you elect to do so and want to do it any sort of justice, plan for a long day of exploring. I’d say anywhere from 7-10 hours would be a fair assessment.
If you will be relying on WiFi and plan on using Google Maps, make sure to download an offline version of the Ring of Kerry area before you set out for the day.
Ireland is popular for rains. A fine day could easily turn to a rainy one so make sure you are prepared for all sorts of weather on your drive. Most importantly, I’d say make sure to have a wind and waterproof jacket.
The nearest airport to Killarney is Kerry Airport, (often called Farranfore airport) which is 17km and a 15-minute drive away from Killarney. Its flight schedule is quite limited – namely to Dublin, London, Manchester, Luton, Faro, Alicante, Normandy, Brittany and Frankfurt-Hahn.
There is a train station in Killarney town that links up with a couple of routes within Ireland. Via Mallow, you can reach both Cork and Limerick Junction stations. From Limerick Junction, you’ll be able to join lines that take you to Limerick city, Galway, Dublin and Waterford.
One of the main appeals of traveling the Ring of Kerry is that the more time you spend there, the more you discover and the more you will enjoy this area.
The Ring of Kerry is technically just a national road, and there is no fee to drive along it.
There are so many great viewpoints that you will just stumble across, lots of which don’t even have names. You have to be okay with the idea that though you want to have a plan, there will be times when you’ll want to stop off and look through a quaint town or see a breathtaking view for a while.
The Ring of Kerry is open all year long, although it is the busiest during the summer months of July and August. In case if you want to avoid busy period, my personal suggestion to you will be to plan your visit on the shoulder seasons or even the off season. In the spring and fall (March to May or September to November), there are fewer crowds and it won’t be too cold.
I hope this itinerary will help you to plan your trip in a better and meaningful way.
In case if you have more days with you, there are still many more interesting places in and around Ring of Kerry. Please find list of some of such places (not in any specific order):
- Valentia Island – Knight’s Town and Skellig Boat tours
- Kerry Cliffs (After Skellig Ring)
- Ross Castle
- Muckross House / Abbey
- Staigue Stone Fort
- Cove Beach
- Derrynane Beach
- Coomakista viewpoint
- Geokaun Mountain and Cliffs
- Killarney National Park
- Staigue Stone Fort
- Skellings Chocolate Factory
- Rossmore Island
- Eightercua Stone Row
- Ballaghabeama Gap
- Staigue Fort
- Loher Stone Fort
- Eightercua Stones
- Cahergall & Leacanabuaile Stone Forts
- Ballycarbery Castle
- Gap of Dunloe
- Beara Peninsula
- Garnish Island
