Page 54 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Ireland

52 BACK ROADS IRELAND

The Majestic Ring of Kerry

The Ring of Kerry is on the Iveragh Peninsula, the largest of five peninsulas jutting out
into the Atlantic from the southwest of Ireland. The scenic promontory is famed for its
vistas of sea and mountains – visitors have been coming here for centuries, drawn by the
sheer abundance of natural beauty. It is a popular tourist route, so don’t expect splendid
isolation, but this drive offers plenty of opportunities to veer off the beaten track into a
dramatic landscape of coves, cliffs, broad bays and rugged countryside, all set against the
Macgillycuddy Reeks, Ireland’s highest mountain range. This ancient landscape is richly
endowed with remnants of early Christian settlements and megalithic sites.

ACTIVITIES Inch Inch
Kilmurry
Kilmurry
Minard Minard
Visit Iron Age Staigue Fort, the Ballyvirrane
Ballyvirrane
best-preserved in Ireland, set in a Minard TulligTullig Killorglin
Killorglin
Minard
D i n g l e B a
Knockaunaglashy
beautiful valley Bull’s Bull’s PointPoint Knockaunaglashy Faha Faha
HeadHead
Take a boat trip out to the island of D i n g l e B a y y Rossbehy Meanus Laune Laune
Rossbehy
Meanus
Skellig Michael, a UNESCO World Creek Creek
Caragh Caragh
Church
Heritage Site, to see the superb Lough Lough Churchtowntown Beaufort
Beaufort
Glenbeigh
Ross Behy
Caragh
monastic ruins Ross Behy Glenbeigh Caragh Kilgobnet KILLARNEY
Kilgobnet
KILLARNEY
Beach Beach
Walk around Muckross Lough Leane
Lake, through ancient
Lough Leane
KILLARNEY
forests, and have tea in Shanacashel KILLARNEY Muckross
Muckross
NATIONAL P
Shanacashel
an 18th-century Blackstone Bridge NATIONAL PARKARK
Blackstone Bridge
M a c g i l l y c u d
Muckross
hunting lodge M a c g i l l y c u d d y ’ s d y ’ s Muckross Lough Lough
R e e k s e e k s
Lake Lake
Guitane
Purple Mt
Canglass
Canglass Coomasaharn Caragh Caragh Carrantuohill R Purple Mt Guitane
Carrantuohill
Coomasaharn
PointPoint 1041m 1041m 834m834m
Go for an invigorating Dooneen Lough Lough Stoompa
Stoompa
Dooneen
swim in the blue waters Coomacarrea Upper Upper 695m695m
Coomacarrea
Lake Lake
774m774m
Mangerton Mt
of Castlecove Bay, Kimego Mangerton Mt
Kimego
840m840m
KERR
and canoe in nearby Doulus Head Moneyduff KERR Y Y BALLAGHBEAMA LADIES’ VIEW
LADIES’ VIEW
Moneyduff
Doulus Head
BALLAGHBEAMA
Garrane
Derrynane Harbour Renard CAHERSIVEEN Garrane GAPGAP
CAHERSIVEEN
Renard
Knockbrack
Geokaun PointPoint Cloon Cloon Knockbrack
Geokaun
611m611m
MOLL’S GAP
Mountain
Mountain Lough Lough Mullaghanattin Boughil MOLL’S GAP
Mullaghanattin
Boughil
Lissatinnig
Knightstown
Knightstown Tooreenmore Lissatinnig 773m773m 629m629m
Tooreenmore
VALENTIA ISLAND (Lios an tSonnaig) Cappamore
VALENTIA ISLAND
Cappamore
(Lios an tSonnaig)
Oghermong
Oghermong
Kilmackerrin
Coarhabeg Donnybrook Kilmackerrin Derriana Cleady Cleady
Coarhabeg
Derriana
Donnybrook
(Cill Mhic Iarainn)
Kilpearan
Skellig Experience Centre
Skellig Experience Centre Kilpearan (Cill Mhic Iarainn) Lough Lough Gearha Gearha
KENMARE
Portmagee
Bray Head Portmagee Inny Inny Mastergeehy Cloonaghlin KENMARE
Bray Head
Mastergeehy
Cloonaghlin
(Máistir Gaoithe)
Teeranearagh (Máistir Gaoithe)
Teeranearagh
Templenoe
Coonanaspig (Trian Iarthach) Sallahig Lough Lough Templenoe
Sallahig
Coonanaspig
(Trian Iarthach)
Pass Pass
Keel Keel
New Chapel Cross r r
New Chapel Cross
SNEEM
BALLINSKELLIGS
Puffin Island BALLINSKELLIGS SNEEM v e v e
Puffin Island
Ballinsk
(Oileán na gCánóg) SCENIC DRIVE Ballinskelligselligs WATERVILLE R i R i
SCENIC DRIVE
(Oileán na gCánóg)
Beach Beach
WATERVILLE
St Finan’s
St Finan’s Ballinskelligs Lough Lough
Currane
Currane
Ballinskelligs
Rossmore
BayBay (Baile an Sceilg)ceilg) Parknasilla Tahilla Tahilla Rossmore

(Baile an S
Parknasilla
Island Island
STAIGUE FORT
Ballinskelligs
Ballinskelligs STAIGUE FORT Ardea Ardea
Ardkearagh
Bolus Mountain
Ducalla Head Bolus Mountain BayBay Ardkearagh Rossdohan
Ducalla Head
Rossdohan
411m411m
Coomakesta
Coomakesta Island Island
Pass Pass
K e n m a r e
Little Skellig
Little Skellig Bolus Head Bridge Ville Sherky Sherky Bunaw Bunaw
Bridge Ville
Bolus Head
(Sceilg Bheag) Hogs Head West Cove Island Island
(Sceilg Bheag)
Hogs Head
West Cove
Skellig St Michael
Skellig St Michael Derrynane K e n m a r e
Caherdaniel CASTLEC
Derrynane
(Sceilg Mhichíl)
(Sceilg Mhichíl) Caherdaniel CASTLECOVEOVE
DERRYNANE
DERRYNANE
BAYBAY
Scariff Scariff Lamb’s Lamb’s
Deenish
Deenish
HeadHead
KEY 0 kilometres 5
Drive route
0 miles 5
052-053_Back_Roads_Ireland.indd 52 11/09/17 12:29 pm
Back Roads LAYERS PRINTED:
Tour Map Spread template “UK” LAYER
(OpenType)
Date 03rd March 2009
Size 145mm x 217mm
Font Frutiger Pro, Myriad Pro