Tips for holidays in Kenmare

LeoB

Hello folks, to try and help boost tourism in Ireland we have decided to stay at home this year and have booked a house in Kenmare for 10 days in July.

My main interest outside G.A.A. is photography and I would appreciate if you could tell me what you would consider "Must visit" sites within an hour of Kenmare, I have a car so could go a little further.

Obviously the reeks but I want to have a plan to use my time well. Any tips would be very much appreciated.

Thanks
LeoB

clare82

hi leob

a trip to the skelligs would be well worth the visit. just over an hours drive to portmagee and then get a boat out to the islands. you'd have to book the boat in advance (costs around €20 i think).
http://www.skelligislands.com/index.html
it's class...lots of puffins to take pics of as well as the beehive huts and the view is great.

skippy2

Ring of Beara - take the coastal route through Kilmacillogue, Glengarriff and boat trip to the Island only 5 minutes on the boat, +1 on the Skelligs bring good gear etc but a great trip to remember if you get the weather on the day, Day trip to Dingle and do the Slea Head drive, Killarney National Park via Molls Gap road. Caherdaniel and walk on the beach at Daniel O'Connells house.
Star Outdoors for activities on Kenmare Bay. But do the Seafari Cruise from the pier in Kenmare

LeoB

Thanks for the replies SKIPPY2 AND CLARE82.

I am browsing flickr for some good spots. Have seen so many beautiful sights its mind boggling. A plan will come together slowly in the next few weeks.

So far what has caught my eye is
Killarney National park
Torc waterfall
Gap of Dungloe
Reeks via Cronin's yard, ( would this be the more scenic route?) depending on weather of course!! I dont intend climbing to far but hopefully I will get a few nice images
Slea Head
Didn't have either Ring of Bear or Skelligs so thanks for that. Nor Caherdaniel..... Now I have to start working on the brownie points and research a decent shopping center;):)

Will post up my must visit sites when I have them

The old road from Kenmare to Killarney is a lovely walking route, in the summer if its dry there would be no need for any specialised walking gear like boots, and its a great place for views over the National park and the Kenmare Bay. As for the Reeks, the Gap of Dunloe and the Black Valley is possibly the more scenic side but unless you are pretty used to hiking and climbing its trickier to ascend the Eastern Reeks from that side apart from the long way around via a road up Strickeen. A trip out to Dursey Island on the cable car at the end of the Ring of Beara is fantastic too, well worth seeing, can hike the 3 or so miles to the far end of the island, being a picnic.

LeoB

Well I have been browsing flickr and there are some stunning shots.

Winestrand, Kinard, Dunquin, Annuscaul lake, Connor pass, Glentenassig, Dingle and at the rate Im discovering places on Google maps I will need an extra week.

Thank you for all advice and tips folks. Im very grateful

Stinicker

Drive from nearby Kilgarvan to Bantry through the Borlin and Rusheen valleys or alternatively drive from Kilgarvan to Borlin and then come back to Kenmare via the Priests Leap into Bonane. It is very much off the beaten track and offers far better unspoilt scenery than the Molls Gap road. The roads are narrow but with hardly any traffic so it would be a nice spin on a nice clear day.

Stinicker

Stinicker wrote: »

Drive from nearby Kilgarvan to Bantry through the Borlin and Rusheen valleys or alternatively drive from Kilgarvan to Borlin and then come back to Kenmare via the Priests Leap into Bonane. It is very much off the beaten track and offers far better unspoilt scenery than the Molls Gap road. The roads are narrow but with hardly any traffic so it would be a nice spin on a nice clear day.

Oh, I dunno, while I prefer the Priests Leap to the Borlin route and there is a lovely view down over Bantry Bay, its hard to beat the views across to the Reeks and the Gap of Dunloe from Molls Gap, or the view over the Lakes of Killarney from Ladies View.

Leo - Dunquin, Connor Pass, Glenteenassig etc. all lovely. But figure on the bones of 2 hours driving from Kenmare just to get to those places, 4 hour round trip. The Dingle Peninsula is great...but Kenmare is not a great base from which to explore it at all.

LeoB

WOW!!

Just back for one of the most enjoyable weeks I have had in this country, would go back down tomorrow. Got in a fair bit and walked more than I had in previous couple of years. There is no doubting it with any type of decent weather we live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Gods playground as it was described to me. I enjoyed listening to the great turn of phrase of people on the streets and in the shops. Magical way with words.

My favourite spots were Valentia Island and the walk from Torc to Dinis cottage. Gap of Dunloe was beautiful and there were many other spots I will have to go back and visit on a "solo" mission.

One very positive thing was we were not ripped off which is often a common complaint when people holiday at home. (the last time we holidayed at home it was off putting to say the least with the prices of eating out) Kerry was Fairly good value all around and just beautiful.

And to top it all off I was home in time to see Dublin win Leinster Hurling championship