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Ireland (IRE)

If you drive the Ring of Kerry in a day, how much can you really see?

 

Take our road trip guide and see the top things to do in a day. The Drive starts in Killarney National Park at Ross Castle, moving on to Muck Ross House and then the short walk from there to Torc Waterfall. Driving out of the Park we head up into the hills and see Panoramic views of the lakes and National park at Ladies View, stopping for an early lunch. Hugging the coastline along Kenmare Bay, there are plenty of places to pull over and take in the views. Arriving at one of the furthest points Park Plaza we can see Skellig Michael (even though overcast) this was a famous filming location for Star Wars The Last Jedi Continuing round the route Ballycarberry Castle now derelict and sadly not accessible close-up, but you can still get some good pictures from 100 metres away. It is also near to the Leacanabuaile Stone Fort. On top of the hill, you get panoramic views of area and Castle. It took us about 9 hours to do the drive, before starting to head for Dingle our stop for the night. From there we will tour the Slea Head Drive, and see how it compares to the Ring of Kerry. There is so much to see and do. We have shown you just a small amount of things and really stuck to the road route. You need a few days to explore all the attractions in the centre of the Peninsula.

Which one is more stunning Slea Head Drive or Ring of Kerry? Spending the night in Dingle town, we got to feel the charm and tradition of Ireland. Colourful shops, pubs and B&B's make this an exciting and delightful place to stay over. Join as we have a few drinks in Dick Mack's, the Dingle pub and end the night in An Droichead Beag for some toe-tapping accordion music and Guinness. Starting our drive in a clockwise route the next morning, we hug the coastline and soon arrive at Fahan and the Beehive Huts. There are two places to stop, the second is larger and has better facilities if you need the toilet on route. (Probably the last stop before you have completed the Slea Head Drive) The road starts cutting into the cliff face and the narrow winding roads start to become challenging, especially if you meet a car coming in the other direction. There are various stopping points where a few cars at a time can pull in safely. The Slea Head Cross is one of those. Dunquin, near the ferries entrance, has some stunning walks along the rugged coast. Take a detour off the Slea Head route follow the signs for the ferries and you will soon arrive! In all, you could drive round in about an hour but with all the stops you need to do expect to spend at least 3 or 4 hours on this amazing drive. Back in Dingle, there is a second attraction that many forget or don’t see it on a tour. Conor Pass. Heading out of Dingle north you start to climb the hills quickly and your ears soon pop as you rise over 2000 ft. Conor Pass on a good day ( we had a bad wet day) offers panoramic views across Ireland. Top tip: don’t just stop at the top and come back into Dingle, carry on the drive all the way back down before it re-joins the N86 near Camp. You won’t regret it! 

Blarney Castle in Blarney village is probably the most famous of Ireland's great castles. Myths and legends surround the Castle and the Blarney Stone. In this video, we'll share its history and past and find out why so many come to Blarney to kiss the famous stone. We'll give you helpful tips and transport information to get the most out of your visit. There is much more to do in Blarney than just visit the castle and we'll take a walk around this charming village and see some of the sights. You certainly can make a day of it! If you want to book tickets for Blarney Castle this can be done in advance here: https://blarneycastle.ie/ Note that we visited in winter (December) During peak season the queue to kiss the Blarney Stone can be up to 90 minutes!

Ireland has some amazing scenic drives and in this video, we share 3 wonderful scenic drives in County Kerry you won't want to miss when you visit. Scenic Drive 1 Gap of Dunloe, and incredible winding mountain pass in the heart of the Ring of Kerry. Scenic Drive 2 Slea Head Drive on the Dingle Peninsula, a wonderful narrow coastal route providing great views of the Atlantic Ocean and islands off the west coast of Ireland. Scenic Drive 3 Conor Pass, is the highest mountain pass in Ireland with incredible panoramic views and a waterfall to visit.

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