The Ring of Kerry For those wanting to enjoy a holiday experiencing the great outdoors that Ireland has to offer, a trip to discover the mystical and unspoilt Ring of Kerry is highly recommended.
The best way to explore this beautiful part of the Emerald Isle is to hire a car and head for County Kerry in south-western Ireland. The popular tourist trail that encompasses the Ring of Kerry covers a 170km circular road starting from Killarney and travelling clockwise, passes through the stunning communities of Kenmare, Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen and Killorglin. In fact Waterville was a favourite holiday destination of Charlie Chaplin, whose statue proudly stands in the town to commemorate his love affair with the place.
'The Ring' is a popular area for day trippers, with bus companies offering numerous trips during the summer months to see the sights along this scenic route. The roads that make up this course are often very narrow and tour coaches find it difficult to pass along the thoroughfare so are asked to travel along the route in an anti-clockwise direction from Killarney, taking in Killorglin first. Car drivers, especially those new to the area including people who have taken advantage of some of the car rental deals on offer from Car Hire Ireland, are asked to travel in the opposite direction, via Kenmare, to avoid delays caused by the buses. For map users, the roads to look out for along the 'Ring' include the N70, N71 and R562.
There are a number of attractions along the route, including Muckross House, near Killarney, Staigue Stone Fort and Derrynane House, the home of Daniel O'Connell. South of Killarney further along the 'Ring' and located within Killarney National Park can be found Ross Castle, Lough Leane and a panoramic outlook known as Ladies view.
The area is not only popular with tourists for its spectacular beauty, but is also a favourite of those who enjoy outdoor pursuits including golf, water sports, riding and offers some fantastic freshwater fishing, sea fishing trips and some of the best beaches in Europe.
There is an established walking path known as The Kerry Way which takes a slightly alternative route to that of the road and a sign-posted Ring of Kerry cycling path which makes use of the quieter roads.
Primarily, the Ring of Kerry provides a wonderful insight into Ireland's ancient heritage and is a trip not to be missed.
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