You have arrived in the South West corner of the island of Ireland the extremely attractive county of Kerry, and you're packed and ready to go. However where to go and what to do? No traveller or visiting traveller should embark on a grand tour of the Dingle Headland without a plan and a good map; and the responsible traveller might want to include some convenient Gaelic phrases as this area of Eire is essentially Gaelic speaking. It's generally accepted as one of the best loved places of any tour in Ireland.
The Dingle Peninsula is a point of land jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean and with its back to the Slieve Mish mountains. Its views are continually changing and on your tour you'll see dramatic dark hilly moorland, unspoilt shore and bustling towns and villages. The population of this quite traditional area of County Kerry expands enormously in summer as visitors from the island of Eire, UK and further away travel to enjoy the sun and space of Dingle. Take your tour in spring or autumn and you'll be guaranteed peace, tranquillity and your own space probably the best way to see this gorgeous place.
There are three ways to tour the Headland "from the comfort of your vehicle, hiring a taxi to take you or through the hard graft of walking the Dingle Way "179km of lanes, trails and mountain trails. Most people will start their Dingle Tour at Tralee, the county town of Kerry. Famous the world over for the 'Rose of Tralee ' festival where younger women of Irish descent compete to be crowned The Rose, Tralee is a busy modern town but with a firm sense of history. It's the door to the Dingle Peninsula and an excellent place to stock up for your grand tour.
Setting out south west of Tralee you work your way towards Camp and Castlegregory. Whether you are driving or walking you can see the pretty Dingle cottages and homesteads that dot this area. When you've dipped your toes in the sea at Castlegregory it's time to go west towards Cloghane. Head westward and you come to Ballycurrane and Dunquin sitting close on the western tip of the Dingle Peninsula, both typical Irish coastal hamlets. Or if you're needing to 'cut corners ' you can take the Conor Pass out of Cloghane direct to Dingle, but this short-cut isn't for the feint hearted.
On the final leg you travel toward Anascaul. The scenery is monumental and you are not far away from the attractive Inch beach with its golden sands and dramatic views out to the Atlantic and the McGillcuddy Reeks. The 180km round tour can be done in one or two days but we might advocate that you plan some stop overs. Book into a self-catering cottage around Dingle "that way you will have the freedom to come and go as you please and experience living in this absolutely stunning region.
The Dingle Peninsula is a point of land jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean and with its back to the Slieve Mish mountains. Its views are continually changing and on your tour you'll see dramatic dark hilly moorland, unspoilt shore and bustling towns and villages. The population of this quite traditional area of County Kerry expands enormously in summer as visitors from the island of Eire, UK and further away travel to enjoy the sun and space of Dingle. Take your tour in spring or autumn and you'll be guaranteed peace, tranquillity and your own space probably the best way to see this gorgeous place.
There are three ways to tour the Headland "from the comfort of your vehicle, hiring a taxi to take you or through the hard graft of walking the Dingle Way "179km of lanes, trails and mountain trails. Most people will start their Dingle Tour at Tralee, the county town of Kerry. Famous the world over for the 'Rose of Tralee ' festival where younger women of Irish descent compete to be crowned The Rose, Tralee is a busy modern town but with a firm sense of history. It's the door to the Dingle Peninsula and an excellent place to stock up for your grand tour.
Setting out south west of Tralee you work your way towards Camp and Castlegregory. Whether you are driving or walking you can see the pretty Dingle cottages and homesteads that dot this area. When you've dipped your toes in the sea at Castlegregory it's time to go west towards Cloghane. Head westward and you come to Ballycurrane and Dunquin sitting close on the western tip of the Dingle Peninsula, both typical Irish coastal hamlets. Or if you're needing to 'cut corners ' you can take the Conor Pass out of Cloghane direct to Dingle, but this short-cut isn't for the feint hearted.
On the final leg you travel toward Anascaul. The scenery is monumental and you are not far away from the attractive Inch beach with its golden sands and dramatic views out to the Atlantic and the McGillcuddy Reeks. The 180km round tour can be done in one or two days but we might advocate that you plan some stop overs. Book into a self-catering cottage around Dingle "that way you will have the freedom to come and go as you please and experience living in this absolutely stunning region.
About the Author:
If you need to stay in one of over 1500 Irish Self-catering Cottages or even stay in a choice of 113 Kerry holiday cottages, Imagine Ireland offers the widest choice.Ian Bowland works with ImagineIreland.com in the United Kingdom - helping build sales for their web site.
