This week we’re taking you on one of the country’s most spectacular drives as we show you the way around The Ring of Kerry.
Ireland has to be one of the best places in Europe to go for a nice leisurely drive. There are plenty of scenic routes for you to enjoy and better yet, they’re all just a stone’s throw away. This week we’re looking at the beautiful Ring of Kerry.
The best place to start your journey around the Ring of Kerry is in the lovely village of Kenmare. This is easily reached by the taking the N71 from Cork heading towards Kerry. Stay on this, the N71, and head for the road marked Killarney.
On the first leg of your journey, you’ll make your way towards the Killarney National Park, which is a great spot to take a little break and to take in the sights and sounds.
However, take care as you drive down the decent towards the National Park. This road follows natural contours that were formed by glaciers during the last ice age (over 10,000 years ago). It’s seriously easy to get lost in the stunning scenery and these roads are certainly not for amateur drivers, so take it handy.
Once you’ve driven through the National Park you’ll leave the N71 and turn left for the N72. A short 20-minute drive later and you will reach the town of Killorglin. Again, following an anti-clockwise direction around the Ring, take the left onto the N70 heading for Gortnagree.
You’ll drive along the N70 passing through towns such as Tullig Beg, Ballynakilly Lower and Turret Field before you come to signs for Valencia Island. If you have the time we recommend that you take a detour out to the island, as it’s a beautiful little spot.
If however, you don’t feel like taking a detour then you can continue on the N70 for about an hour, before you reach your finsh point at Kenmare. This last section of the drive is easily the most beautiful, but it’s also fairly challenging as it’s all ‘back roads’.
In total, the drive will take you roughly three hours, but that’s only if you don’t take any breaks. In reality, the drive will take you the guts of four to five hours to complete, so it’s really a day out for the whole family and not just a quick spin.
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