Ireland road trip - day by day

In one of my latests posts, which was a brief summary of my trip to Ireland, I promised to return with more details about this little stay. Perhaps the information contained here will help someone decide to go, as this beautiful island is absolutely worth it.

The goal of my trip was to explore a section of the Wild Atlantic Way, which stretches along the western coast of the island. Specifically, I wanted to drive through the southern peninsulas: Dingle, Kerry, and Beara.

4 day long road trip - southern Ireland

I had just under 4 days, a rented car, two cabins booked for a total of 3 nights, 3 packs of noodles, a few vegan cookies, 1 book and two cameras – a digital and an analog one. There was a lot of driving ahead, but I also wanted to find some time to rest. I did find a few moments, but overall, it was quite intense.

Dingle Peninsula

Right from the airport in Cork, I headed towards Dingle. With a few small stops along the way, it took me about 2.5 hours. As soon as I was entering the peninsula, I started drooling like a little child at the cookie.
A stop at Inch Beach and the road leading to the town promised 4 days full of photographic delights.

It was raining, but honestly, that’s exactly what I wanted. I had some image in my head, a little weather expectation of what this trip would be like, and full sunshine didn’t quite fit here. I wanted moody weather, fog, and rain. The universe listened me.

Initially, I planned to reach Cross at Slea Head that day, but once I got to Dingle, I knew that wasn’t going to happen. I didn’t want to rush, and I still had to get to my accommodation near Tralee.

Dingle is a very charming fishing town. It was the first place where I realized that Ireland (which I thought was just green) is actually full of vibrant colors. Every house is painted in vibrant hues. The small streets and harbor make for a wonderful playground for photographers.

Dingle, Connor Pass and Slea Head Drive

The next day, I returned to the Dingle Peninsula, this time heading towards Ballycurane, inspired by James Popsys in his YouTube video about Ireland.
This sleepy village at the end of the peninsula, with just a few houses, somehow captivated me.
It was here that I realized just how incredibly friendly and open the Irish people are.

The main goal for the day was to drive the Slea Head Drive loop, a roughly 50 km route around the western part of the peninsula. The best way to start this loop was through Connor Pass. I think during the peak season, I would avoid this place (it’s a narrow road), but at this time, it was a must-see.

The scenery was beautiful, with several stops along the way, and I was back in Dingle again.

This is where the Slea Head Drive begins and ends. Oh boy, I was driving, laughing, and talking to myself in sheer amazement. The road stretches along the ocean for a good part of the way, and I couldn’t resist stopping every few kilometers for photos, or just to gaze at the ocean and cliffs.

Along the way, I kept encountering Star Wars locations – some scenes were filmed here and on the nearby Skellig Islands.

After completing the loop, I made sure to grab some fries in Dingle and headed towards my second cabin, located on the Beara Peninsula.

Beara Peninsula, Dursey Island, and Kenmare

My host suggested that I should better change my plans and instead of the Ring of Kerry, drive the Ring of Beara the next day.
I had some doubts, because after all, the Ring of Kerry is the iconic route that I came here for. However, Ulrike’s arguments - such as less traffic, a more rugged landscape, the cable car to Dursey Island, and a few picturesque towns along the way, including Kenmare - won me over.
She was totally right.

The next day, I headed towards Dursey Island. The rain stopped when I parked at the cable car station. I was sure the cable car wouldn’t be running due to the stormy weather, but the gentleman operating it told me it was running and ready to take me to the island at any time.
Ten euros later, I was sitting alone in the little cabin.

It was quite a once-in-a-lifetime experience – being alone in a swaying little cabin above the ocean. The guy who operates the cable car must be used to seeing people on camera, unsure whether to laugh or cry - and I’m sure I added to his collection. It took about 10 minutes to get to the island.

Dursey Island is worth a little hike. I managed to walk as far as I could with dry foot.

After returning from the island, I drove through the southern part of the peninsula, stopping at a few picturesque spots. In Castletownbere, I had a coffee, wandered around the town, did some shopping, tanked the car at the coolest gas station I have ever seen, and then left.

Kenmare greeted me with golden light, the afternoon post-football match hustle and bustle on the streets, and here I decided to linger longer. I also wanted to eat something here (Kenmare is famous for its great food and Michelin-starred restaurants), but unfortunately, fish, seafood, and beef reign here. Vegan cuisine hasn’t quite made it yet.

So, I had noodles again at my cabin (the reality of photo trips on the budget) and went to bed, because the next day would start early with a postponed Ring of Kerry.

Ring of Kerry, Derrynane Beach, and Killarney

Derrynane Beach was actually the only location I badly wanted to see in Kerry. It is located about a third of the way around the Ring of Kerry.
It’s a very picturesque beach with turquoise water, nestled among rocks. It was empty, except for one man digging in the sand searching for something - I don’t know what, as I didn’t have the chance to ask before he disappeared.

After a short walk, I continued on, and to my surprise, on the way to Killarney, there weren’t many moments or places where I felt the need to stop.
I quickly drove through the entire Ring, bypassing the turnoff to Gap of Dunloe and Killarney National Park, and found myself in Killarney.
On a Sunday afternoon, the town was already buzzing with life and colors. I wandered around for a bit and then headed towards the airport.

Dingle, Beara, Kerry - Summary

These four days were very intense. I managed to check off almost all the points I had set for myself (except for the mentioned Gap of Dunloe, which I don’t really regret).

If I were to suggest something to anyone, it would be to explore this part of Ireland in this specific order: Dingle, Beara, and only then Kerry, if you have spare time.
Of the three, the Kerry Peninsula seemed the least picturesque to me, but maybe I should attribute that to having rushed through it a bit.

This trip, like any other solo photo trip, with all its variety of landscapes and circumstances, gave me 4 days full of intense photography, which brought me a lot of joy. Up to the next one!

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