Till Mueller
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IoM Aug 7-9, Belfast Aug 9-10, all WAW dates shift 1 day earlier. New 06i-wicklow.md: Glendalough, upper lake walk, Powerscourt on drive to Dublin. Cork Aug 27, Wicklow Aug 28-29, Dublin Aug 30 morning. Updated all section date headers, WAW overview table, README.
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Kerry
Type: WAW Section 7 of 7 Dates: ~Aug 23–24 Dingle, Aug 25–26 Killarney (2 nights each) Recommended stay: 2 nights Dingle + 2 nights Killarney Best for: Dingle Peninsula, Ring of Kerry, Skellig Michael, the best seafood in Ireland
Why Visit
Kerry is the final section before Dublin and the one most people picture when they think of Ireland: dramatic mountain-backed peninsulas, ring roads past ancient stone forts, and the Skellig rocks rising from the Atlantic 12km offshore. Don't compress it. Three days is the minimum to do it justice.
Must-See
- ⭐ Dingle Peninsula — More intimate than the Ring of Kerry, less touristy, arguably more beautiful. The Slea Head Drive (55km loop from Dingle town) passes 6th-century beehive huts (clochán), ruined Gallarus Oratory, the Blasket Islands viewpoint across the water, and Connor Pass — the highest mountain pass in Ireland driveable by road, with views down to both coasts. Dingle town has the best seafood restaurants and traditional music on the peninsula. Fungie the dolphin has been replaced by an actual thriving harbour.
- Ring of Kerry — The classic 180km circuit of the Iveragh Peninsula: Killarney National Park, Kenmare, Waterville (Charlie Chaplin's favourite holiday spot), Cahersiveen, Portmagee. Busy with tourist coaches — drive counterclockwise (opposite to coach direction) to avoid head-on traffic on the narrow sections.
- ⭐ Skellig Michael — UNESCO World Heritage Site; early Christian monastery built on a sea stack 12km offshore. 618 stone steps to the beehive huts at the summit, puffins everywhere in August, otherworldly. Also a Star Wars filming location. Boats from Portmagee and Ballinskelligs — book months in advance. If you haven't booked, check now.
- Killarney National Park — The three Lakes of Killarney, Torc Waterfall (15 min walk from the road), Muckross House (Victorian mansion, free grounds), and the Gap of Dunloe (glacial valley; walk it or hire a jaunting car). Ireland's oldest national park and genuinely beautiful.
- Kenmare — Elegant small town on the estuary between the Iveragh and Beara peninsulas. Good food, good pubs, stone circle just outside town.
Itinerary
Day 1 — Dingle Peninsula: Slea Head Drive
Drive from Clare to Dingle town (~2h via Tralee). Charge in Tralee or Dingle. Afternoon: Slea Head loop — beehive huts, Gallarus Oratory, Connor Pass. Evening in Dingle town: seafood dinner at Out of the Blue or Ashe's, music session at An Droichead Beag.
Day 2 — Skellig Michael (if booked) OR Ring of Kerry, then drive to Cork
If you have a Skellig boat trip: Portmagee departure ~9–10am. ~2.5h on the island; return early afternoon. Drive to Cork (~1.5h via N22) in the evening.
If no Skellig booking: Ring of Kerry counterclockwise — Killarney → Kenmare → Waterville → Cahersiveen → Killorglin. Kenmare for lunch. Drive to Cork (~1.5h) after. Arrive Cork by evening.
Note: With 2 days in Kerry, Killarney National Park doesn't get its own day. Torc Waterfall is a 30-min stop off the N71 on the way to Portmagee or while driving the Ring — worth the detour.
EV Charging
Situation: Good in the main towns. Long gaps on ring road circuits — start each with a full battery.
- Killarney — ESB ecars fast + Tesla Supercharger. The hub for all of Kerry. Full recharge here.
- Tralee — ESB charger; good on the approach from Clare
- Dingle — ESB 22kW charger in the town. Sufficient for overnight or a top-up.
- Kenmare — ESB charger; useful on Ring of Kerry circuit
- Portmagee — No rapid charger. Charge in Killarney or Cahersiveen before heading for Skelligs.
- Ring of Kerry circuit — No chargers between Waterville and Cahersiveen on the Atlantic side. Start the circuit from Killarney with a full battery.
Practical Info
- Skellig Michael: Book at skelligexperience.com or via licensed boat operators. If fully booked, the Skellig Experience visitor centre in Portmagee is a reasonable alternative.
- Slea Head cycling: Excellent — quiet roads, clear signposting, manageable gradients. Allow 4–5h at a comfortable pace with stops.
- Ring of Kerry driving direction: Counterclockwise (Killarney → Kenmare → Waterville → back to Killarney) avoids head-on encounters with the coach tours which run clockwise.
- Workation: Good in Killarney (town cafés, hotel wifi). Dingle has 2–3 decent spots. Fine for regular remote work days.
- Currency: Euro