Ring of Kerry

The classic loop of roughly 179 km around the Iveragh Peninsula in Ireland, linking Killarney National Park, coastal villages and the Skellig Islands.

The Ring of Kerry is Ireland's most famous self-drive loop. It starts and ends in Killarney and goes around the Iveragh Peninsula on the N70 and N71 roads, covering about 179 km. It is also part of the Wild Atlantic Way. Driving anticlockwise, you leave Killarney and pass Killorglin, the Kerry Bog Village Museum and Rossbeigh Beach, then reach Cahersiveen to see Ballycarbery Castle and an Iron Age stone fort. You can take a detour to Valentia Island and the Skellig Ring, and in summer you can take a boat from Portmagee to Skellig Michael. The route then continues through Waterville, Derrynane, Staigue Fort, Sneem and Kenmare. Finally it crosses Moll's Gap and the Ladies View, then passes Torc Waterfall and Muckross House in Killarney National Park before returning to Killarney. Without stops the drive takes about four hours, but in practice you should allow a full day. Adding the Skellig Ring and the boat trip to Skellig Michael makes it a two- to three-day trip. The roads are narrow and winding. In summer, tour buses travel anticlockwise, so many self-drivers choose to go clockwise to avoid meeting buses on narrow roads. In winter, daylight is short, and some cafés and boat tours close.

Ring of Kerry

Along the route