See The Magnificient Views On The Dingle Peninsula Scenic Drive
The Dingle Peninsula is strung along a backbone formed by the Slieve Mish Mountains and terminates opposite the Blasket Islands. The most westerly land in Europe is The Dingle Peninsula. The Dingle Peninsula, in the far most part of County Kerry, is the ultimate road test: If you can keep from driving your car off a cliff while admiring its spectacular precipices, dramatic surf and soft green hills dotted with strategically placed sheep, you can drive anywhere. The scenic 8.6-mile Slea Head Drive feels more like 30 -- in a good way. We will start our drive from the Mall in the centre of Tralee. Turn left into Bridge Street and follow the signposts to Dingle (T68). Drive along Princess Quay for about ¼ of a mile to an island at the end where the Aqua Dome is built. Turn right towards Dingle between the ship canal on your right and the River Lee. Blennerville Windmill is right in front of you with the Slieve Mish Mountains in the background. Carry on driving along the T68 with Tralee Bay on your right and four mountains on your left: the Glanbrack Mountain, the Baurtregaum, Caherconree and the Gearhane. Continue for about 7Km until the Stradbally Mountains can be seen ahead And Fenit Harbour can be made out across the Bay to your right. You will soon reach the edge of Camp village; you will know you are there when you see a bar called The Railway, well worth a visit, great character and a great landlord. There are two ways you could go from here, the first following the original Tralee-Dingle Railway towards Anascaul or towards Stradbally and over the famous Connor Pass, I think we will choose Connor Pass. So follow the signs for Stradbally, a sudden bearing to the right off the main road. In about 8km you will see a road to the right signposted Castlegregory, if you have plenty of time, and I do urge you to take this detour. Turn right and have a look at Castle Gregory and the Magharee Peninsula between the bays of Tralee and Brandon, you won’t regret it. After an enjoyable detour, the first but not the last, get back on the Stradbally road for the best is yet to come. As you drive along there are views of Lough Gill to the right and Stradbally Mountain to your left. Proceed through Stradbally village and drive towards Brandon Peak, in a short distance you will see Brandon Bay to your right and Brandon point with the exquisite strand extending along the west side of the Magharee peninsula. After 3Km from Stradbally village bear left signposted Dingle, Connor Pass and in about 2Km you will cross the end of the deep Glennahoo Valley Below and the high peak of Coumbaun rising to your left. From here you start to rise rapidly and the road starts to narrow dramatically. Brandon Peak and Brandon Mountain are visible to your right, also to your right and beside the harbour you will see Cloughane Village. Continue forward and shortly enjoy fabulous views of numerous small Loughs, then you will meet a sharp bend where a small waterfall provides a high outlet for a tiny Lough above you called Lough Doon. This is a perfect place to stop and take in the scenery; I usually enjoy a massage of my face from the cold, cold, exhilarating waterfall.(Great to cure a hangover) Take a walk to the Lough above, and another Lough above that. Dingle and the Dingle Peninsula is the place, whether, alone or in company, you can slow the pace of the world down, enjoy beautiful beaches, inviting bays and majestic mountains. The true magic of Ireland and County Kerry can be found in Dingle and the peninsula. In the Irish language it is called “Daingean Ui Chuis” “Daingean” means Fortress, “Ui Chuis” means Hussey. Therefore it is The Fortress of The Hussey`s, a Flemish family that came to the area in the 13th century. You can take ferries from Dunquin to The Blasket Islands, now uninhabited. Take a trip around Slea Head, see Beehive huts in breathtaking scenery, easily in a day, but more relaxing, as the Dingle people do just take your time. Horse drawn caravan is one way to take this spectacular trip, about 350 Euros (but worth every penny, or Euro) One of Dingle’s main attractions is Fungie, the well-known Dingle Dolphin. Hourly trips available to see this bottle–nose dolphin who is known to leap over small vessels and swim with anyone who is brave enough to take a dip into the sea. Dingle’s other water sports is a fair size fishing fleet, Dingle is one of Ireland’s largest fishing harbours, an Ocean-world displaying the several type of local aquatic species and if you rather your fish on a plate there are several incredible seafood eating outlets in and around Dingle Town. If you are lucky enough to be here in August you will enjoy the Dingle Regatta, an extremely enjoyable boat and sea extravaganza, with accommodation food and drink to suit everyone’s pocket. Other interests in and around Dingle and Dingle peninsula include horse riding, horse races (Dingle Races every August) scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, the craic and the scenery, yes!! you have to see the scenery. Have you any news or oppinions on The Dingle Peninsula? If so I would love to hear of them. Email me any information you may have and I will include it on this page.
Dingle, Dingle Peninsula: Celtic and Prehistoric Museum: “Best museum in Ireland”A visitor from Oakland, California. On a whim, my wife, 3 kids and myself stopped in at this museum. We all considered it to be the most bizarre and best thing we saw on our whole trip around Ireland! This place has everything; the largest Woolly Mammoth skull and tusks in the whole world, a large and beautiful Celtic jewellery collection, stone age bronze age fossils, etc. The gift shop also sells fossils antiques and weird/cool stuff that we didn’t see anywhere else. The guy who runs the place is also a real character, ask to see his goat Sally. Gorman`s Clifftop House Hotel: "The Best Ever"!!From a visitor of Milan in Italy. If your in Kerry at all then this is definately the place to stay!! Hard to pick out what was the best as everything was just perfect. From the moment we stepped in we immediately felt relaxed and at home. The rooms where beautiful and so comfy, we had a jacuzzi in ours. Only bettered by the fantastic ocean view. Dinner is a treat and everything from the breads to begin right through the fantastic fresh fish and scrumptious deserts were the best we had in Ireland. The host Sile and her staff were chatty and made us feel so welcome in this home from home. Planning our next visit already.
If you enjoy the freedom of driving and discover your own hidden scenic gems, why not try a A Self Drive Vacation around the Scottish Highlands. Would you love an original oil painting on canvas of something or someone you cherish? A painting especially created for your pleasure. It could be an oil painting of your favourite Kerry Landscape, your old family home in Kerry, a portrait of an ancestor of yours, your Kerry Blue dog, infact anything and any size from a photograph of yours. Just email me at the link below: Oil Paintings From Photographs Have You Seen Our Kerry Brass |
