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Our Kerry Tour encompasses some of the most beautiful countryside
to be found in all of Ireland. Kerry is renowned for its archaeological
treasures, breathtaking scenery and charming hospitality. These
wonderful routes take us along quiet country roads, passing through
colourful towns and villages along the way. 
The tour takes you on a journey of discovery around two of Kerry’s
dramatic peninsulas. To the interior there are natural wonderlands
of mountains (including Ireland’s highest peak Corrán
Tuathail), forests, blanket bogs, river and lakes. Framing this
is some of the most spectacular coastline you will ever behold!
For lovers of Irish traditional music, the town of Kenmare is great
for lively nightly sessions in the local pubs. As a special excursion
along the way there is the opportunity to visit the island of Skellig
Michael (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), site of a wonderfully-preserved
monastic outpost of the Early  Christian
period. Small Skellig, its diminutive neighbour, is the home of
some 27,000 pairs of gannets – the second largest colony of
such seabirds in the world.
Overall the terrain on the cycling routes can be described as
moderate - meaning generally undulating with some short steeper
climbs. The great majority of the cycling takes you along country
roads and lanes that carry minimal volumes of traffic. One or two
(unavoidable) stretches on the Ring of Kerry road are more heavily
trafficked – but if you are uncomfortable riding these stretches,
you can always hop into the van! The average daily mileage on the
core routes is 35 miles. Optional extensions of around 20 miles
are available on most days. The sag wagon is present at all times
allowing you to customise your own cycling distances.
The tour can be most conveniently combined with a stay in Dublin.
There are internal flights from Dublin to Kerry airport (at Fanore).
Alternatively there are trains to Killarney, start point for the
tour. Killorglin is a short journey from either Killarney (for the
train back to Dublin) or Kerry airport.
- Day 1 (Saturday)
We meet at the Victoria
House Hotel in Killarney in the afternoon (timing flexible).
After checking in, bikes and equipment can be fitted and then
tested during a short trip to visit Muckross Gardens by the shore
of Lough Leane. Over dinner, you can get to know your fellow travellers
and your guide will run through the itinerary for
the week ahead. Then you might just want to sample a Guinness
before retiring to prepare yourself for the first day of riding!
- Day 2 (Sunday)
The biking proper starts with a beautiful 30-mile ride
by the shores of a lake, then through forests and over moorland
to Gougane Barra, situated on the lake of same name deep in the
Derrynasaggart Mountains. St. Finbarr’s 7th century hermitage
overlooks the picturesque lake in this glaciated valley. We check
into Gougana
Barra Hotel.
- Day 3 (Monday)
We the leave the mountains behind and meet the Atlantic
Ocean north of Bantry heading to the colourful village of Glengarriff
with its subtropical flora. This makes for a perfect lunch stop.
We then follow the north shore of Bantry Bay along the Ring of
Beara route to Adrigole, and continue west to Castletownbere,
the Beara peninsula’s main town. Sheltered to the north
by the Slieve Miskish Mountains and protected to the south by
Bear Island, the town is an important fishing port – there
is a lively fish auction several evenings a week. We check into
Cametrigane
Hotel.
- Day 4 (Tuesday)
The route from Castletownbere to Kenmare starts by retracing
our steps to Adrigole before turning north to climb to Healy Pass
(287m), one of  the
most beautiful passes in Ireland. From the pass there are wonderful
views over lakes and rugged hills, to Kenmare Bay and the mountains
of the Iveragh Peninsula in the distance. Descending from the
pass, we follow scenic coast-hugging roads to Kenmare. A colourful
heritage town, Kenmare is famed for the traditional Irish music
played in its pubs. We stay the night in the centre of the town
in the Lansdowne
Arms Hotel.
- Day 5 (Wednesday)
The southern shore of the Ring of Kerry has some of
the best coastal scenery along the famous loop. Leaving Kenmare
we follow the north shore of the Kenmare River to Lackeen Point
where we turn inland to avoid a narrow, trafficked section of
the Ring of Kerry. The route picks up the Ring again at the village
of Sneem, a welcome refreshment halt. The scenery gets ever more
dramatic as we round successive headlands on the way to Waterville
and on to Caherciveen, birthplace of the Liberator Daniel O’Connell
(1775-1847). The area around Caherciveen is packed with interest
for the archaeologist, antiquarian, artist and botanist. The Ring
of Kerry Hotel provides accommodation for the next two nights.
- Day 6 (Thursday)
Today’s loop takes us south around the Skellig
Ring. We pass Ballinskelligs, with its Gaelic speaking population
and continue to Valencia Island (via Valentia Bridge). Features
of the island include tropical vegetation, a huge natural Grotto,
the Knight’s Memorial – and unbridled tranquillity.
An alternative for those who may prefer a day out of the saddle
is the highly recommended boat trip to the Skellig Rocks, 7 miles
off the Kerry coast. On Skellig Michael there are beehive dwellings
of an early Christian monastery, while Little Skellig is an important
sanctuary for sea birds, particularly for gannets and the rather
comical puffins.
- Day 7 (Friday)
Leaving Caherciveen, we ride inland away from the Ring
of Kerry. The interior of the Iveragh Peninsula is peacefully
quiet, with scenery dominated by mountains, rivers, farmland,
and bogs. A climb to Ballaghisheen Pass offers wonderful views
into the valleys beyond. Descending from here, the road skirts
the shores of Carragh Lake before we arrive in the town of Killorglin.
Our destination is the wonderful Ard
na Sidhe Hotel (4*), a fitting finale to what is certain to
have been a wonderful bicycle tour.
- Day 7 (Saturday)
Depart by train or bus to Dublin, or by bus to Shannon
– or to anywhere else in the country!
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(All tours start and finish on a Saturday)
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