Ring of Kerry

Today is Monday, I find on holidays it is important to remind yourself of that fact every so often. The forecast calls for intermittent rain. We look forward to the intermittent parts as we leave Killarney at 7:30AM.

We are driving the Ring of Kerry today. We are following the Rick Steeves method - leave early and go the opposite direction of the big tour buses. By doing so, Rick asserts we will avoid encountering any of them; as they cannot travel on the lower loop - the Skellig Ring.

Much of the Ring of Kerry is amazing seascapes but the first part takes you through Killarney national park up and through Mol’s gap - lakes and mountains. We stop in Kenmare for breakfast at the quaint Jam Cafe before venturing back out again.

As we drive along the south coast of the Iveragh Peninsula, the scenery is spectacular, the cloud ceiling is reasonably high and the rain is mostly stopped. As we head up the Coomakista Pass we encounter a flock of sheep grazing at the “side” of the road and since there are no real sides it means they are on the road, eating bits of grass, wandering along - where’s Tucker?

When we head over the mountain, we arrive in Waterville and stop for a coffee at the Butler Arms Hotel and gaze out at the Ballinskelligs bay. Charlie Chaplin made Waterville his home for a period of time and the statue commemorates that fact.

Shortly afterwards we leave the main ring - no tour buses encountered and hit the Skellig Ring. Skellig Michael is a remote shard of land seven miles off the coast where 6th century monks eked out an existence preserving civilization. They lived there for five hundred years in beehive stone buildings eating fish and sea birds, growing root vegetables and supporting a few goats for milk. Today it is a favourite of Star Wars fans as it is the scene of the latest Star Wars films. Ironically? fittingly? the last Jedi lives there. On a clear day, with much planning, you can take a tour of the island or around the island.

We head to the self proclaimed “best cliffs in Kerry” and are not disappointed. An enterprising family have opened up a section of their land and have created lovely pathways right up to the cliffs edges. The views really are spectacular, it is not raining thankfully but the winds are fierce. I can’t imagine what it is like here in winter - although it doesn’t get to minus 40.

A wee bit later we drive onto Valentia Island, visit the Skellig Experience, and have lunch at the Royal Valentia Hotel before catching a little ferry back to the main land. Shortly after that we hit the main ring, no buses - thanks Rick.

The ring fort of Cahergal is our last stop. The fort was built around 600AD, it is approximately 50 metres wide and 6 metres high with walls 3 metres thick. it is built without any mortar. They didn’t have the precision of the Incas but it is still an amazing structure. They dot the landscape throughout western Ireland and were used for defensive purposes.

We head on to Dingle and the Bambury Guest House. Dingle and Kinsale vie for the best food town in Ireland and we have a great meal at the Chart House. Some of our favourite food with artistic presentation - Laurie’s favourite meal of the trip so far.

It is Monday, and Monday after summer is over, the bars are much quieter. We can not find any music so we head home and go to bed.Read more