The Gap of Dunloe, Killarney: Walk It Rather Than Drive It

The Gap of Dunloe is a narrow glacial pass running between the MacGillycuddy's Reeks and the Purple Mountain range, just outside Killarney in County Kerry.

It is about eleven kilometres through, and the way you cross it decides whether it is a photograph or a day.

Four ways through, and only one worth it

You can go through on foot, by bike, by pony and trap, or by car.

Driving is technically possible and comprehensively misses the point. The road is single-track, frequently blocked by walkers and ponies, and you will spend the crossing managing the vehicle.

Walking takes roughly three to four hours at an unhurried pace. You pass small lakes, stone bridges, the ruins of abandoned cottages, and a great many sheep who have right of way and know it.

Cycling is a good compromise if the day is short, though the surface is rough in places. We would not send anyone with mobility limits through on foot, and the pony and trap exists for exactly that reason.

The Gap of Dunloe, Killarney, in one day

The classic full-day itinerary combines the pass with a boat.

Cross the Gap from Kate Kearney's Cottage at the northern end, continue down into the Black Valley, then take a boat back through the Lakes of Killarney, Upper Lake to Muckross Lake to Lough Leane, finishing near Ross Castle on the edge of town.

That combination of mountain pass and lake crossing is why this is the standout day in Kerry. Book the boat leg ahead in season, because it is a fixed departure and not a turn-up.

The town, and the park around it

Killarney is small, walkable and built for visitors, with pubs, food and music in a compact centre.

Killarney National Park surrounds it: Muckross House and gardens, Torc Waterfall, and the lakes. Much of it is reachable on foot or by bike from the town, which is unusual and useful.

Dingle or the Ring, if you have one day

Killarney is the natural base for the Ring of Kerry and is within reach of the Dingle Peninsula.

If you only have time for one of those two drives, Dingle is shorter, quieter and for most people the better road. The Ring is longer and carries more coach traffic, and if you drive it, go anticlockwise so you are not meeting coaches head-on.

Three nights in Killarney covers the Gap, the park and one of the two peninsulas.

Waterproofs regardless of the forecast

Weather changes fast and the pass is exposed. Waterproofs whatever the forecast says, and proper footwear, because the surface is uneven throughout.

Start in the morning. The pass is quietest early and the boat timings work better in that direction.

Our Ireland travel guide covers how Kerry fits with the rest of the country, and the Cliffs of Moher from Galway is the west coast equivalent of this day.

Call Exquisite Travel Group on (916) 757-6300 and we will book the Gap and the boat as one day, in the right order.