Blarney Castle was magical, but the biggest part of my trip was yet to come. I jumped into my right-hand-drive car and headed toward the west coast. After a few hours of driving, I arrived in Killarney. It was kind of scary driving there. The roads were small and not in the best condition. I was happy when I finally made it there.
When I was planning my trip, Killarney sounded really familiar. Then, I learned it was because the Ireland part of Busch Gardens is “Killarney”! I must say, though, the real Killarney is not much like the Busch Gardens version. That wasn’t the main reason for going there, though. I really wanted to drive the Ring of Kerry.
You can find a thousand blogs about the best sights you should see along the Ring of Kerry. Instead, I’m going to give you some tips for driving it, which I really think you should do.
1. Drive the Ring of Kerry in winter.
This one might be a bit controversial because there are two things that aren’t so great about driving the Ring at this time. First, it’s not as green as it probably is in the summer. Also, the sun starts to set around 3 PM, so really, you only have about six hours to drive it. However, I was quite happy to drive the Ring at this time. Still another thing is that some attractions are closed for winter.
For one thing, it’s much cheaper during this time. I paid the lowest amount for my hotel because I came during the winter. In the summer, the prices sky rocket. Also, it’s much easier to find a place to stay during this time. Another great thing is that there aren’t as many people driving around. It may say 100 km/hr, but I never came close to that. The roads swerve and curve, there are some one-land roads, and there are no tour buses. I really enjoyed the feeling of being around few people. Maybe it’s because I’m an introvert that I enjoyed it so much like this.
2. Take the optional Ring of Skellig detour.
No matter if you go in the winter or summer, it’s a must-see. In the summer, the tour buses aren’t allowed through. Thank goodness, because the roads are horrifying. There were times I was glad no one else was on the road because there were some steep uphill climbs. However, it is definitely worth it.
I stopped at the Cliffs of Kerry. It was super windy, but I got to see some spectacular views. You can get a great view of Skellig Michael (where they filmed The Last Jedi). If you go during the summer, be sure to book a ferry tour here! Also, the cliffs are awesome. They were formed millions of years ago by underwater volcanoes when Ireland was located near the equator.
You can also stop off in Portmagee and Valentia. I was disappointed because I wanted to see the fossilized footprints of an ancient quadruped. This shows evolutionary proof that animals evolved out of the ocean. The path was closed. What a disappointment! There are still some great sights to see on this island.
3. Take a while to go through Killarney National Park.
I was lucky to stay right next to the National Park. My first time driving the ring, I kind of just drove through. But it was so cool! I saw goats and other cool sights. At the far edge of the park is Ladies’ View, so named because Queen Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting were amazed by the view. There’s also a nice little café to stop for a coffee and take in the views.
At the beginning of the park, there’s also some things to see. There’s a very beautiful waterfall that you can see. If the weather is nice and you have some exercise clothes, you can walk from the waterfall to the Muckross House. I would have loved to have done it, but I was alone and just exhausted by the end of my trip.
Another awesome thing to see is Muckross Abbey. It’s known for having a giant tree growing in the middle of the abbey. I visited this right before I left to go back to Dublin. It was really freaky because I was there with no one else around. There are graves everywhere, and there are small corridors in the abbey to see the tree. Creepy.
4. Take a minimum of one day to drive the ring.
I started my journey at 8:30 or 9, right as the sun was coming up. I finished at 4 when the sun was going down, but I was a little rushed. If you want to stop at the different towns along the way, you need at least one or two days. If you want to do the Skellig Michael tour, you will pretty much have to stay the night nearby.
There are so many small and cute towns along the way, so if you are someone who is not content with seeing a drive-by tour, really consider taking two days along the ring and finding lodging halfway.
5. Watch out for wild animals!
I had to go slowly to make sure I didn’t hit any goats. Sometimes I had to stop completely to let them pass. At one point, I had to stop because a herd of cows was walking down the street. The main road. It was amazing.
6. Stop wherever your heart tells you.
Like I said, there are so many small towns. There were some things I didn’t care about, while others I went out of my way to see it. I really enjoyed seeing the things out of the way because I was often alone, or just another few people. One amazing place was this beach that felt nearly empty. Only on the other side could I see people walking around. They were probably locals.
7. Make sure you’re good on gas.
It’s probably best to fill up before you go. You don’t want to run out of gas in the middle of nowhere. I was personally afraid I was going to get a blow out and would have to wait for someone to come rescue me. Really, be prepared with food, gas, and lots of patience.
8. Enjoy the ride.
