Kerry Way Hike

The Kerry Way from Glencar to Glenbeigh is a beautiful gentle hike, suitable for any hiker with reasonable fitness; a family outing; or visually impaired people, with sighted guides.
Start at the Climber’s Inn in Glencar, a useful place if you’ve forgotten to buy chocolate for your hike. From here follow the sign-posted Kerry Way along wooded green lanes and later the high banks of the clear Caragh River.
Looming in the distance is the Ballaghisheen Pass, named after Oisin from Tir na Og. At the crest of this mountain pass it’s told that Oisin fell from his horse, and perished as the 300 years of his departure from Ireland caught up with him.
I think the best part of the hike is as the little trail leaves the Caragh and winds through thick dark pine woods for over three kilometres, crossing deep quiet streams and occasional fallen trees, their roots torn up into the sky. The final section of woodland hiking feels like a secretive mass path as the trail descends and ascends winding stone steps and ducks under overhanging branches.
Emerging into the bright sunlight (or soft rain) of the open air, follow the Glencar road towards the base of Seefin. Here you’ll join a butter road which climbs steadily up to the Windy Gap. The narrow crest of the Windy Gap is a superb place to gaze back over the wooded and streamed landscape you’ve crossed and to look ahead over Dingle Bay, the beaches of Rossbeigh and Inch, Mount Brandon and the Blasket Islands. An hour’s descent from the Windy Gap takes you to Glenbeigh where the Towers Hotel offers welcome refreshments and on a wet day a warm open fire!
The distance is 14 km and the average time, including breaks, is about 4/5 hours.

If you’re interested in doing something a little more strenuous; this June summer solstice weekend Outdoors Ireland are running a guided night ascent of Carrauntoohil. We’ll be on Carrauntoohil’s summit just before dawn to enjoy the magical experience of sunrise on the longest day of the year, before descending to a tasty breakfast in Killarney. Most experiences and abilities would be able for this trip.