Kerry is one of the most beautiful and scenic locations in all of Ireland, and by extension, the whole world. The Emerald Isle is without doubt one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and no doubt Kerry features some of its most beautiful spots. There’s nothing like a good walk through the Irish countryside to nourish your soul, so today we’re going to look at a few of the best walking routes in Kerry and what you can expect from them.
Let’s take a look.
- The Kerry Way
One of the longest signed walking routes in the whole country, the entirety of the Kerry way is around 215km long. Don’t let that put you off, though—you don’t have to walk the whole thing! The Kerry Way is assuredly the way to see Kerry in all her glory. Some of the highest peaks in Ireland are found in Kerry, though the Kerry Way is a gentler, cross-country route.
You really can’t beat the Kerry Way, so this is definitely in the running for the best walking route in the County.
- Lomanagh Loop
From the longest to one of the shortest—the Lomanagh Loop is an entirely manageable and some might say easy walk of only 10km. But don’t let its easiness fool you, it’s still one of the most stunning and beautiful walks in Kerry. A good deal of the trail consists of forest trails or even tarmac roads, so you might even be able to do it in your trainers.
The route starts in Sneem and offers fantastic views of woodland and the countryside. If you’re looking for something that isn’t too demanding, the Lomanagh Loop is definitely a great choice for you.
- Mount Brandon
Not quite as easy as the Lomanagh Loop nor as long as the Kerry Way, Mount Brandon is an excellent hike for the intermediate walker. It will challenge you a bit and push you but make it more than worth it with the stunning mountain views. At 10km, it isn’t longer than the Lomanagh Loop, but naturally the uphill incline makes the terrain and walk considerably more challenging.
You’ll be treated to spectacular vistas including glacial valleys, the waterfalls of Kerry and stunning cliffs. On a clear day, you’ll be able to glimpse even the Aran islands off the coast, making this one of the best walks in Kerry.
- The Dingle Way
To finish we have another long-distance walk, The Dingle Way is widely considered to feature the best views in all of Irish walks. The route takes you along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, with the rolling hills on one side and the mountain peaks of the islands on the other. The route is also steeped in a great deal of local history, and so there is all sorts to learn about and see on your way.
The entire route is around 180km, meaning you’ve got a variety of choices in terms of which part of the route you wanted to do. But this walk is so good that it could make up an entire holiday if you wanted to walk the whole route.
If you’re out for a good walk, then, you can’t do much better than the routes we’ve looked at today. The list, frankly, could go on and on, as Kerry is one of the most stunning walking locations in the world. But there’s only so many hours in the day and days in the week, so even if you only chose one of these walks to do, you’ll have a lifetime memory to hold on to.