Discover :The Magic of The Ring of Kerry Experience
- The Kick Team
- Feb 25
- 7 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Morning Task : An Itinerary Plan
Kenmare is the kind of town that makes you want to linger. Colourful shopfronts, cosy cafés, mountains in the distance, and the sea sneaking up the bay.
Start slow:
Grab a coffee and a bite on Henry Street or Main Street.
Pick up a few snacks for the road, this is a day of “pull over when you see something pretty,” and you’ll be glad of them.
If you have time before you set off, wander up to the Kenmare Stone Circle, just a few minutes’ walk from town. It’s quiet in the morning, often with nobody else around, and there’s something grounding about standing among those ancient stones before a day on the road.
When you’re ready, hop in the car and follow the N70 out of town towards Sneem. You’ll be travelling clockwise - Kenmare - Sneem - Waterville - Cahersiveen - Glenbeigh - Killarney - Molls Gap - back to Kenmare.
Kenmare to Sneem: Easing into the Ring
The road hugs the water as you leave Kenmare, with views over what’s called the Kenmare River (it’s really a long sea inlet). This first stretch sets the tone: hedgerows, stone walls, sheep in unlikely places, and glimpses of the bay through the trees.
Soon you roll into Sneem, a small village full of colour and character.
Take a short break:
Stroll around the village square and down to the bridge.
Stretch your legs by the river.
Pop into a café if you didn’t get your caffeine fix in Kenmare.
It’s a gentle start, but that’s what this day is all about, no rush, just one beautiful stop after another.
Towards Staigue: Your First Ancient Fort
Leaving Sneem, continue along the N70, and the views start to open up. The land feels wilder and more exposed, with the sea widening out in front of you.
Watch for the small sign pointing up a side road for Staigue Stone Fort. The lane is narrow and a little bumpy, but that’s part of the charm. It feels like you’re slipping back in time.
At Staigue:
You’ll find a remarkably well preserved stone fort, built around 1,500–2,000 years ago.
The walls are thick and high, and you can climb up on the steps built into them.
On a quiet day, with the wind whipping over the hills and the sea in the distance, it’s easy to forget what century you’re in.
Stay as long as it feels right. This isn’t a place to rush—just wander, look, and maybe run your hand along the stone and think about how long it’s been there.
Derrynane & Caherdaniel: Beach, History, and Space
Back on the N70, you’ll soon come to Caherdaniel, a small village that acts as the gateway to one of the Ring’s real treasures: Derrynane.
Follow the signs down towards:
Derrynane House – once the home of Daniel O’Connell, “The Liberator.” The house is now a museum, surrounded by gardens and woodland, with his gigantic carriage in gold in a building attached.
Derrynane Beach – a wide, golden strand with dunes, rocky islands, and water that can glow turquoise on a bright day.
If the weather is decent, this is a place to slow right down:
Kick off your shoes and walk the length of the beach.
Sit in the dunes and just watch the waves.
Wander the paths through Derrynane National Historic Park.
You could easily spend half your day here and not regret it.
Above Caherdaniel is the Coomakista View Point and it's worth stopping to soak in the views.
Waterville: A Seaside Pause
From Derrynane, continue towards Waterville, a long, thin town pinned between lake and sea.
Here you’ll find:
A promenade perfect for a stroll.
Views straight out to the Atlantic.
Cafés, pubs, and restaurants for lunch.
Waterville has a quirky claim to fame: Charlie Chaplin used to holiday here, and there’s a statue of him on the seafront. It’s the kind of detail that makes the place feel human and lived‑in, not just a pretty stop on a driving route.
If you had more than a day, this is where you might branch off onto the Skellig Ring and explore Ballinskelligs and Portmagee. But for this loop, stay on the main Ring and keep meandering along the coast.
Cahersiveen & More Stone Forts (If You Love History)
As you follow the road north, you’ll pass near Cahersiveen, a busy little town with a striking church and views over towards Valentia Island.
Just outside town are two more stone forts, if ancient sites really speak to you:
Cahergal Stone Fort
Leacanabuaile Stone Fort
Both are beautifully situated, with mountains and sea all around. If you’ve already visited Staigue and feel content with one fort, you can keep going. If you’re hooked on that deep sense of time, make the detour and enjoy the quiet.
Glenbeigh & Rossbeigh Beach: Another Breath of Sea Air
Continuing on, the road bends towards Glenbeigh, a village that feels tucked between mountains and bay.
Nearby is Rossbeigh Beach:
A long sand spit stretching into Dingle Bay.
Perfect for another walk if you’re not “beached out” yet.
On a clear day you can see all the way across to the Dingle Peninsula.
This is a good place to reset before you head inland towards lakes and mountains.
Turning Inland: Towards Killarney
From Glenbeigh, the N70 leads you through Killorglin and then on towards Killarney. The mood of the landscape changes here - less Atlantic drama, more soft fields and rising mountains.
As you approach Killarney, you’re entering Killarney National Park, one of the real highlights of the day.
Killarney National Park: Lakes, Forests, and Old Stone
You could spend days in this park alone, but with an evening return to Kenmare in mind, just choose one or two stops that appeal most.
Some options:
Aghadoe Viewpoint (Short Detour)Before you drop fully into town, you can turn off to Aghadoe, a high viewpoint overlooking the Lakes of Killarney:
Wide views, especially at sunset.
Ruins of an old church and round tower.
A great way to take in the whole lake system in one sweep.
Ross Castle & Lough LeaneCloser to town:
Ross Castle sits right on the water, a 15th‑century tower house with a solid, storybook feel.
From here, you can walk along the lakeshore or just sit and watch the boats.
Muckross House & Gardens On the N71 out of Killarney (the road you’ll take back to Kenmare), you pass:
Muckross House, a grand old Victorian mansion.
Lovingly kept gardens, with paths down to the lake.
A lovely place for a quiet walk, even if you don’t go into the house itself.
Torc Waterfall Also just off the N71:
A short forest walk brings you to a waterfall that really roars after rain.
The surrounding woodland feels lush and almost otherworldly on a misty day.
You won’t have time to do everything in depth, so listen to your mood: lake, forest, history, or views? Pick what calls to you rather than trying to tick every box.
Ladies View: Looking Back Over the Day
Once you’ve had your fill of Killarney town and the park, drive south on the N71 towards Kenmare. This stretch is magnificent.
You’ll climb steadily into the mountains until you reach Ladies View, named after Queen Victoria’s ladies‑in‑waiting, who admired the scenery here in the 1800s.
From the viewpoint:
You look down on the layered Lakes of Killarney, framed by rolling mountains.
The light constantly shifts, with clouds casting shadows over the hills and water.
There’s often a stillness here in the evening that invites you to linger.
If you arrive close to sunset, it can feel like the whole day is gathering itself into one last, wide‑angle memory.
Molls Gap: The Last High Pass
A little further along is Molls Gap, a mountain pass where the landscape opens up again:
Views over the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, Ireland’s highest mountain range.
The Black Valley spilling away beneath you.
A sense of space and height that’s hard to shake off.
This is your final big scenic stop before the road begins its descent back to Kenmare.
As you wind down from Molls Gap, the mountains slowly soften, the trees thicken, and before you know it, you’re dropping back into the familiar streets of Kenmare.
Evening: Back in Kenmare
Arriving back in Kenmare in the evening feels like coming home, even if you’ve only been here a day or two.
Now’s the time to:
Find a pub. Peter Crowleys perhaps, or restaurant for dinner - Kenmare punches well above its weight for food. Mulcahys on Main Street is weel known far and wide.
If you have any energy left, seek out some live traditional music.
Take a short walk through town, looking up at the hills you drove through and thinking about the loop you’ve just done: stone circles to stone forts, beaches to mountain passes, lakes to sea and back again.
A Few Simple Tips
Time: Give yourself a full day—8–10 hours with stops. Leaving Kenmare by 8–9am keeps things relaxed.
Direction: The classic clockwise loop works well: Kenmare - Sneem - Waterville -Cahersiveen - Glenbeigh - Killarney - Ladies View - Molls Gap - Kenmare.
Pace: You won’t see everything, and that’s okay. Let yourself linger where it feels right.
Driving: Some roads are narrow and twisty. Take your time, pull in to let others pass, and enjoy the pace.
Weather: Layers, a rain jacket, and comfy shoes will make the day better, whatever the sky decides to do.
Cash: Keep a bit of cash for small parking fees or honesty boxes at some of the forts and sites.
Travelling the Ring of Kerry from Kenmare in a day isn’t about racing around a famous loop. Done right, it feels more like following a thread - through stories, landscapes, and centuries-before gently winding back to where you began, a little more full than when you set out.
You might also enjoy a roadtrip around Kinsale to the Beara Peninsulat through Kenmare to the Dingle Peninsula
The Beautiful Dingle Holiday Hom e
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