We said goodbye to Kinsale early on a dreary morning, having heard horror stories of how long it could take to complete the full Ring of Kerry, based on weather, traffic and other factors beyond our control (think farm animals).
What we got was the exact opposite. The rain and clouds soon departed and we were left with nothing but beautiful views of the lush Irish countryside. After rolling through the lovely town of Glengariff and stopping for the beautiful vistas from the vantage point at Caha Pass, our first stop was for a late breakfast at Maison Gourmet in the lovely town of Kenmare.
Fully fueled for the day ahead, we struck out for the Ring of Kerry, and the roughly 150 kilometers of stunning coastal roads round the Iveragh Peninsula. Many tour companies start and end this trip out of Killarney, with tour buses required to go counterclockwise.
Our route would take us clockwise, so as not to get stuck behind a string of busses on the narrow roadways. And since the weather had cleared, we decided to add the Skellig Ring, with the Kerry Cliffs beckoning at the end.
Boy are we glad we did. Lesser known than the Cliffs of Moher, thanks in part to their somewhat off the beaten path location and the fact that they are on private land, the Kerry Cliffs somehow fly under the radar for most folks. Turns out most folks are wrong. Checking in at 100 meters taller than Moher and way more dramatic (IMHO), the Kerry Cliffs are not to be missed. Especially if you like to enjoy the view with a couple hundred people versus a couple of thousand.
After taking in the unbelievable vistas (including the video at the end of the post), it was back into the car with Dingle set firmly in our sights.
The beautiful Dingle harbor was a welcome sight at the end of our longest day in the car. So was a lovely dinner at Solas, a couple of delicious scoops at Murphy’s Ice Cream and a night cap at Dick Mack’s. Today was an extremely rewarding one, but we’re definitely looking forward to sleeping in a little tomorrow.
For the next time we visit: Killarney National Park, Glengariff & Kenmare
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