Itinerary

Day 1 / Arrive Annascaul

Day 2 / Annascaul to Dingle

Walking on minor roads starts in earnest today, as you skirt Acres Hill to the remains of 16th century Minard Castle before turning inland again to the railway village of Lispole. All the way you are within scent of the seas of Dingle Bay and encircled by the Kerry Mountains. From Lispole, the Way follows mostly sheep farming country before climbing An Cnoc Maol Mór and descending the old green road into Dingle town. Distance: 22 km/13.7 miles, Ascent: 568 m/1704 ft Approximate walking time: 6/7 hrs

Day 3 / Dingle to Dunquin

The Dingle Way is mostly on minor roads and beaches today, but beyond the village of Ventry, is some of the most spectacular scenery you could hope to find. The Way weaves through fuchsia hedges and climbs an old track on the foothill of Mount Eagle past the early Christian beehive huts at Fahan. Behind are views of Ventry Harbour and south to the Ring of Kerry and Valentia Island. Ahead the Way opens up to Slea Head and the Blasket Islands. Beyond this is America! Distance: 25.3 km/15.8 miles, Ascent: 683 m/2050 ft Approximate walking time: 7/8 hrs

Day 4 / Dunquin to Boherboy

A visit to the Blasket Island Interpretive Centre is recommended, to grasp the harshness of life on the islands, until the last inhabitants resettled on the mainland in 1953. Other than fishing, and sheep farming on the windblown hills, there is little else to maintain the local communities. The route follows the Norse named Smerwick Harbour and a detour takes you to Dun an Oir, the Fort of Gold where Italian and Spaniard soldiers were besieged by troops of Elizabeth I in 1580. Feohanagh is a thriving fishing harbour and a Gaelic-speaking community. Distance: 22 km/15 miles, Ascent: 429 m/1287 ft Approximate walking time: 5/6 hrs

Day 5 / Boherboy to Cloghane

You are in the cradle of early Christian civilisation here, with as many as sixty notable sites of cultural and religious development from the 5th to 9th centuries. Today’s hike takes you up; up to the saddle of Mas a Tiompain, (the Pass of the Drum) below Brandon, Ireland’s second highest mountain at 950m. The scenery is superb, Tralee Bay, the Magharees against the hues of the Slieve Mish mountains. The descent to Cloghane is nothing short of thrilling on a clear day, and well-earned respite is available in the village! Distance: 28 km/17.5 miles, Ascent: 750 m/2250 ft Approximate walking time: 8/9 hrs

Day 6 / Depart

Depart Cloghane.