Kerry

Most people drive the Ring of Kerry as a day trip from the town of Killarney, and it is best done in a clockwise direction to go the opposite way of tour buses. From Killarney take the N-71 through Killarney National Park, making short stops at the scenic Muckross House, Ross Castle, and Torc Waterfall on your way out of town. Continue on to Kenmare and from here take the N-70 to begin your loo...

Ireland's Killarney National Park provides world-class views and adventures. Immediately upon entering the park, you will find yourself in a green forest with lots of options for exploration. There are designated hiking trails that lead you deep into the forest, where you might stumble upon elk, deer, and mountain goats. It's also not a bad idea to simply pull over on the side of the road and m...

From the Dinis car park just off N-71, follow the flat Muckross Lake Loop trail towards Dinis Cottage. The path skirts around Muckross Lake until you arrive at Dinis Cottage, which is a tea room open during the summer season that has hundreds of rhododendron of different colors blooming in early summer. Just before the cottage, there is a sign marking a trail that goes back to the Old Weir Brid...

Starting at the Torc Waterfall parking lot off of the N71 road, follow the trail to the waterfall, which is only about a 4-5 minute walk from the road. This 70+ waterfall is surrounded by lush green vegetation as it tumbles over a few cascades. Continuing up the stairs to the side of the waterfall, you will walk through the forest until you come to a view of Muckross Lake in the middle of a swi...

Hiking this renowned trail can be done in several ways, extending this journey into an out-and-back route or shortening it to only a portion of the trail. The route I can suggest begins at Lord Brandon's Tea Room on the shores of the Upper Lake, and ends at Kate Kearney's Cottage just over 7 miles later. But preceding the hike, you'll ride across an expansive landscape of mountainous lakes for ...

Caherconree is the second-highest mountain on the Dingle Peninsula. The ruins of an ancient fort near the summit give the mountain its name, and a place in Irish fokelore. It's hard to not to imagine the stories unfolding as you hike up the steep hillside. To reach the summit of Caherconree, you'll be left mainly to your own devices. Finding the mountain is your first task. The trailhead is fo...

Along the famous Ring of Kerry drive, you’ll come across the extremely underrated Kerry Cliffs.  They are over 400 million years old and stand 1,000 feet above The Wild Atlantic.   Like so much of our trip to Ireland it was a torrential downpour when we were here.  We were the only people at the cliffs.  We walked around for less than an hour as we had literally never been more wet in our live...

The sleepy village of Kilcrohane almost at the tip of the Sheep's Head peninsula in Southwestern Ireland is the  perfect starting point for this little 12k hike through the stunning scenery between the Bays of Bantry and Dunmanus. After a luscious Irish breakfast you might want to tie you boots and start walking. Be sure to pack a wind-proof jacket and a neck warmer...you'll be happy to carry t...