Off To Sw Ireland Tomorrow - Not Been There On The Bikes Before So Really Looking Forward To It!

I was out today and was reminded I should have warned you.

INDICATORS

Indicators are an optional extra on most cars in the West of Ireland and most, when purchasing the car, did not select the option. Hence be aware, very few will indicate their intentions.

Those that did tick the box and select the optional extra like to let everyone know they have working indicators by leaving them on all the time, thus still not indicating their true intentions.

This is a public safety announcement

 

Glad to be of service.
If you want additional routes, and as you're here until the weekend, then I can write out some routes for both the Dingle Peninsula (north of you) and the Sheep's Head Peninsula (south of where you were today), both equally as stunning.

If you fancy doing the Healy Pass again, then there's a route which is a mix of mountain hairpins (and bumpy roads) and fast, billiard smooth, wide, twisting roads.

From Kenmare go to Lauragh and over the Healy Pass as today, then when in Adrigole turn left rather than right, for Glengarriff. The Healy Pass gives you the mountain hairpins as you now know, the route from Adrigole to Glengarrif gives you what (it's up to you) can be an insanely fast run on, for the most part, newly resurfaced roads with a fantastic series of bends as you approach Glengarriff. In Glengarriff, turn left for Kenmare and over the Caha Pass. More twisty narrow roads through the woods and over the mountain above the tree-line, then once through the tunnel at the top another wide, twisty, newly surfaced road down the hill through Bonane and back into Kenmare.

Distance : 80km (50 miles)
Time : 1hr 40mins, (1hr 15 if you hack it), 4+hrs if you stop at Molly Gallivans Ancient Farmstead at the top of the hill (a bit touristy) plus Lorge Artisan Chocolatier in Bonane, plus the Bonane Heritage Park. Longer with a food stop in Glengarriff
Fuel : Kenmare
Food : Kenmare, Glengarriff.

In reality it's a nice 1/2 day ride out with stops for coffee, pics, POI's etc.

 

Sheep’s Head & Mizen Peninsulas (from the north)

From Kenmare, take the N71 south to Bantry, this will take you over the Caha Pass.

If you have the time the Ewe Garden, as you come down from the Caha Pass towards Glengarriff is well worth a visit. It’s not your typical ‘garden’ but is a series of sculptures set through throughout the woods and is full of surprises. It will take about 60 mins to fully appreciate it but is highly recommended.

From Bantry stay on the N71 towards Skibbereen, follow the road around past the harbour, up the hill and just after the West Lodge hotel (on your left) is a turning on the right signposted Sheep’s Head Way/Kilcrohane/Wild Atlantic Way(S). There are actually two turnings either one ends up on the same road so it matters not whether you take the first or the second one.

This road follows the north coast of the SHW, just stay on the road until you get to the highest point at the top of Mt Seefin where there is large white statue of Mary and Jesus. There is parking on the right and across the road on the other side of the hill. Walk from one to the other as you get fantastic views across the Atlantic north to the Beara and Iveagh peninsulas and south to the Mizen peninsula.

Follow the road down the Goat’s Path into Kilcrohane. At the T-junction, by the church you can either go right or left. Turning right will take you on a road, along which you must return, to the lighthouse at the very end of the peninsula. It’s 10km each way. There’s a cafe out there and a 30 min walk out to the lighthouse itself; that aside, the views from the cafe and parking area are amazing, real edge of the world stuff.

If you turn left, you’ll follow the coast road on the south side of the SHW back through the pretty (but tiny) fishing village of Ahakista and eventually back into Durrus.

In Durrus, turn right by the post office onto the R591. This is now a fast sweeping road for the next 16km until you reach the end of it.

At the T-junction turn right towards Goleen and Crookhaven. Stay on this road all the way to the pretty natural harbour of Crookhaven and into Crookhaven itself. I highly recommend you stop and get some refreshments in O’Sullivan’s on the pier in Crookhaven. If the basket of shrimps are available, we’re just coming into the season now, have some. They are fresh, would have been caught that morning by Billy, who’s family pub it is.

After Crookhaven retrace your steps back along the causeway but turn left at the end of it towards Barleycove, one of the best beaches in Ireland, you’ll see why when you see it.

When you cross over the bridge and at the T-Junction you can either turn left or right (again). Left will take you (follow the signs) past the Barleycove Hotel to Mizen Head, one of the WAW signature points, from where Marconi sent some of his first radio messages across the Atlantic. There’s an excellent visitor centre there, and it’s possible to go out to the very end where the old telegraph building has been refurbished. This visit will take c.90 mins. Once done, retrace your route back past the Barleycove Hotel to the bridge and follow the signs back to Goleen.

Go through Goleen village and stay on the road through Toormore, Lowertown, Schull (where I live), to Ballydehob. In Ballydehob, after the bridge, turn left onto the N71 and take the road over the mountain and all the way to Bantry and on to Kenmare and then Kilgarvan.

Distance : 240km (150 miles) excluding Kilgarvan leg.
Time : 4hrs 30mins (non-stop), realistically more like a 7-8hr day.
Fuel : Kenmare, Ballylickey, Bantry, Goleen, Lowertown, Ballydehob
Food/Drink : Ballylickey (Manning’s - recommended), Bantry, Durrus, Kilcrohane, Akakista (Arundel’s by the Pier - recommended), Goleen, Crookhaven (O’Sullivan’s - recommended), Mizen Visitor Centre, Barleycove Hotel, Schull, Ballydehob.

 

Dingle Peninsula.

From Kenmare take the N71 to Killarney, via Moll’s Gap, Ladies View, The Lakes of Killarney, Torc Waterfall and Muckross House.

Killarney can be quite confusing as far as road signs go but you want the N71 to Killorglin. There is a ring road which avoids the town centre which, if you follow signs for Killorglin, you’ll end up going around.

Once clear of Killarney you’ll pass 3 golf courses on your left and a cafe/bar called the 19th Hole on the right, turn right here onto the R563 for Milltown. This avoids most of the tourist traffic, avoids Killorglin and is a dead straight road all the way to Milltown.

In Milltown, at the end of the road turn right onto the N70 signposted Tralee and/or Castlemaine.

In Castlemaine, turn left onto the R561 (it’s a very sharp left hand turn, easy to miss), signposted Dingle. Another dead straight road running between Castelmain Harbour and Slieve Mish Mountains to Inch Beach (stunning views) then alongside the cliffs until the road turns inland through the hills to the meet the N86. Turn left at the T-Junction, signposted Dingle.

Dingle town is quite a large town and is worth spending a couple hours exploring. Apart from numerous bars and restaurants it also has it’s own brewery and distillery, both of which provide tours and both of which are worthwhile going on.

From Dingle take the R559 for Slea Head, marked Slea Head Drive this will take you out through Ventry to the Blasket Island Visitor Centre, then around Slea Head through Ballyferriter, Murragh and back into Dingle. Whilst on this loop stop to check out the Bee-Hive early settlements and the Blasket Island Visitor Centre is worth stopping for.

This time when you leave Dingle look for signs for the Conor Pass/Stradbally/Castle Gregory. This route will take you over the mountains and onto the north side of the peninsula. Once you drop down off the mountains you’ll see Brandon Bay in front of you and ‘The Gold Coast’ probably Ireland’s longest beach, 12 miles (20km) long. It’s with taking a detour off the ‘main’ road into Castle Gregory and out to Fahamore for wonderful views of the entire beach and back across Brandon Bay to Mt. Brandon.

Once back on the ‘main’ road you’ll be on the R560 which joins the N86 at Camp and heading for Tralee (big town, apart from the Wildbird Sanctuary and the Windmill, best avoided).

In Tralee, follow signs for Castleisland this will put you onto the N21. Do not go to Castleisland but you need the N21 which will lead you onto the N22 signposted Killarney. You’ll now be travelling inland, away from the coast but for the main part a good fast road. The N22 will take you to Killarney, around the ring road where you pick up signs for Cork and then through Glenfesk and at Clonkeen you’ll turn right for Kilgarvan.

Distance : 250km (155 miles)
Time : 4hrs 30mins (non-stop), realistically 7-8hrs
Fuel : Kenmare, Killarney, Dingle, Tralee.
Food/Drink : Kenmare, Killarney, Inch Beach, Dingle, Tralee.

 

You have to do the Conor Pass anyway, unless you re-trace your routes out of Dingle and take the N86 all the way to Tralee.

Slea Head Drive is worth it, stunning views along the way but time wise its at least 1 hour of my suggested route, more if you stop at the Blasket Islands Visitor Centre.

If you do Slea Head and miss the Conor Pass heading to Tralee on the N86 you'll save about 40mins.

It's a long route (with stops) but fast back from Tralee to Kilgarvan (1hr) so most of your time will be getting out to Dingle and around the end of the peninsula.

The weather may prevent you doing Conor as it depends on the cloud base. It could be foggy up there, so best to decide on the day or when in the area.

 

Wusses!
Yes, it can rain and I agree with what @firecat0_0 says above, when it’s ‘soft’ it’s perhaps worse than if it were full on rain.

The best time to visit the West of Ireland, for the driest weather, is May/June/July. The further we get into August the more the possibility of soft days. FYI summer here is May/June/July, autumn is August/Sept/Oct and so on. This may seem at odds with the general consensus in the UK but that’s just the way it is.

On the bright side, as global warming turns Central Europe and the S & SE of the UK into the Sahara desert our climate will become more Mediterranean. Every cloud has a silver lining