This weekend my roommate, with whom I lived in Mexico together, came to visit me. We decided to go on a day trip from Cork in order to explore West Ireland. We chose to drive the Ring of Kerry.
What is the Ring of Kerry?
Ring of Kerry is a long, circle shape road. It is around 180km long and gives you plenty of opportunities to see some amazing landscapes. This road will lead you to the most beautiful sceneries of West Ireland.
The Ring of Kerry can easily be done in one day. I’d like to call it a do it yourself trip, meaning that you hit the road and then make stops whenever it suits you. I think in total we made around 6-7 stops, including a tasty lunch with a nice view.
Possible stops could be anywhere on the ring. Upfront we decided to stop in Killarney, Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Sneem, the Ladies View and Torc Waterfall. But, if I am honest, most of the times the best sceneries were somewhere in between those villages/cities. The best thing is to watch out for something, you can’t take your eyes off, and then stop. Usually, there are always bays on the side to park the car, without being in the way of other cars passing by.
I promise you will see a mix of beautiful coastlines, beaches, mountains, cliffs, valleys, farms, small villages and so on. Each scenery is so beautiful in its own that I can’t even find words to describe them. You will have to go yourself and see them with your own eyes.
Useful Tips
Tip 1: Drive the ring against the clock. This way, chances are very low that a slow tour bus will be in front of you than if you would go clockwise.
Tip 2: Make sure to stop at “Ladies View”. A beautiful place with a spectacular view. It definitely deserves its name and is a highlight on the Ring of Kerry. If you manage to be there while the sun goes down, I promise you, it will be a sunset you will never forget.
Tip 3: Drive carefully. At some points, the road gets very narrow, curvy and unclear. Make sure to slow down and take it easy. Don’t rush when being on this trip!
Tip 4: Do it on a sunny day. Since you will be spending most time outside taking beautiful pictures, the Ring of Kerry is most enjoyable on a sunny (or at least dry) day. I know it is hard to predict the weather in Ireland but make sure it is rather cloudy than rainy. Otherwise, you won’t have much pleasure.
Tip 5: Guided Tour. If you don’t want to drive yourself (left side traffic) you can also book a Ring of Kerry tour from Cork with Paddy Wagon.
Should you not be so lucky with the weather, you can find 14 activities to do in Cork on a rainy day.
