I had been told that driving the “Ring of Kerry” was a must on a road trip through Ireland, so of course I added it to my itinerary. The Ring of Kerry is formed by the N70, N71, and N72 highways in County Kerry. You could easily drive the entire Ring of Kerry in one day, depending on how many stops you make. Driving the Ring of Kerry with no stops takes about 3.5 hours.
I highly suggest driving the Ring of Kerry clockwise for the following reasons:
- You will be driving along the oceanside.
- Since you’ll be driving on the left, you won’t have to cross traffic to pull over for the oceanside viewpoints.
- Tour buses drive counterclockwise, so you won’t be stuck behind them.
We chose to base ourselves in the adorable town of Kenmare for our Ring of Kerry and Killarney National Park adventures. Kenmare is not as touristy as Killarney – we loved it.
I hope you enjoy this guide to driving the Ring of Kerry!
Staigue Stone Fort
After leaving Kenmare early in the morning, our first stop along the Ring of Kerry was the Staigue Stone Fort. This stone ringfort is thought to have been built between 300 and 400 AD! It was most likely used as a defensive fortress for a local king or lord. Very cool.
View Towards Scarriff Island
Just after you pass Caherdaniel, there is an amazing viewpoint with Scarriff Island in the distance. This is my favourite view on the Ring of Kerry!
Ballinskelligs Beach
As an option, you can choose to veer off the N70 and take R566/Skellig Ring Road, which ends back at the N70.
We stopped for lunch at Cable O’Leary’s Pub and Restaurant, which overlooks the beautiful Ballinskelligs Beach and serves delicious fish and chips! Head down to the beach after lunch to get a closer look at Ballinskelligs Castle.
Kerry Cliffs
Although we did not continue down the Skellig Ring Road to the Kerry Cliffs, I wish we had! Stopping in the cute town of Portmagee is also a popular option and from there you can take a ferry to Skellig Michael island.
Killarney Riding Stables
The beautiful Killarney National Park was our next stop on the Ring of Kerry. There are lots of great things to do and see in and around Killarney National Park, so you may have to check out some of these attractions on another day (as we did). If you are short on time, you can at least drive through the park and admire the beautiful scenery!
On a whim, we decided to go horseback riding through Killarney National Park with Killarney Riding Stables. It was MAGICAL – I highly recommend trying it! You can find the stables on the N72 just before you would turn right onto the N71.
Ross Castle
Just off the N71 is beautiful Ross Castle.
Muckross House
Another amazing attraction in Killarney National Park is Muckross House.
Ladies’ View
Continue along the N71 and you will reach Ladies’ View, another amazing viewpoint. The name stems from the admiration of the view given by Queen Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting during Victoria’s 1861 visit to Ireland (in which she stayed at Muckross House!).
BONUS: Gap of Dunloe
If you have more time in County Kerry, I highly recommend driving through the Gap of Dunloe, a narrow mountain pass that runs parallel to the N71. If you are driving east on the N71, you would take a right on Coolmagort Avenue. The scenery on this part of the drive is incredible and you will see lots of animals!
I hope you enjoyed this guide to driving the Ring of Kerry!
To read my blog post, “A Road Trip Through Southern Ireland,” click here.
To read my blog post, “10 Amazing Castles in Southern Ireland,” click here.
