Ring of Kerry

The Ring of Kerry ( Irish Mórchuaird Chiarraí ) is a 179.0 km long panoramic coastal road in County Kerry in southwest Ireland . Buses and trucks are only allowed to enter the ring in one direction (counterclockwise) on Irish National Road 70 due to the narrowness of the roads. The N70 leads around the Iveragh Peninsula either close to the coast or directly along the coast from Kenmare via Waterville to Killorglin ; then inland via Killarney and back to Kenmare. A hiking version of this road is the Kerry Way long-distance hiking trail .

Attractions

Apart from the coastal landscape and the region around Killarney, the restored stone forts of Cahergall , Leacanabuaile (near Cahersiveen) and the Staigue Fort are particularly worth seeing. Ogam stones are in Derrynane, Dunloe, Kilcoolagh. The row of stones at Eightercua near Waterville is one of the largest rows of stones in Ireland.

In Caherciveen the Heritage Center is located with a museum in a former British fort. It is said that the construction plans of the fort were confused with those for a British fort in India, which experts can tell.

On the Ring of Kerry is the Ladies' View , a lookout point with a view of the Upper Lake of the Killarney National Park . In addition to the busy road in the high season, there is a Ring of Kerry hiking trail, which takes a different route, and a bike path through the Black Valley , which leads over quiet paths.

Additional side routes are signposted at St. Finian's Bay and on Valentia Island , about 40 km long, which are not included in the official part of the route, but are just as interesting and, above all, more secluded. A trip to Skellig Michael can also be recommended.

South of the Ring of Kerry are the Ring of Beara on the Beara Peninsula of the same name and the Mizenring on the Mizen Peninsula . To the north is the Dingle Peninsula .

The Kerry Woolen Mills are witnesses to the textile industry.