Driving the Dingle
- Globepouncing
- Feb 24, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: May 21, 2021
If you have a sunny day and a car in Ireland's southwest and you've already hiked to your heart's content through Killarney National Park, a drive around the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry is the perfect day trip.
A heap of stunning coastal views can be found toward the end of the Dingle Peninsula along Slea Head Drive, and the crown jewel among all these beaches and cliffs is Dunmore Head, Europe's most westerly point (aside from Iceland, I suppose). You can also find rustic stone churches, local watering holes, and several charming clusters of old cottages.
Out on the tip of the peninsula, you can stop and park pretty much anywhere. Beware: parking can be crowded near Dunmore Head. Everywhere else is pretty relaxed.
Speaking of relaxed, we enjoyed a brief stop at the Dingle Distillery and a more extended visit to the West Kerry Brewery. The local brews at West Kerry were impressive overall. The best ones according to my Untapped log were the Porter (Béal Bán) and the Old Dark Ale (Cúl Dorcha, pictured). We also enjoyed some good seafood in Dingle town. So did the kitties...good times.
All the views along Slea Head Drive are gorgeous, but heading out on foot to the far-reaches of Dunmore Head was truly breathtaking. The wind can be intense and chilly, and sheep poop is everywhere - absolutely everywhere - but out there you feel as though you could reach out and touch the Blasket Islands.
We were out on Dunmore Head in the afternoon, which gave us a great view of the cliffs looking back toward the peninsula because of the position of the sun. I would imagine, however, that you'd have a better view of the Blasket Islands in the morning. There's something to consider for you photographers: perhaps a Dunmore-Distillery-Dunmore day?
Here's an exciting tidbit: Luke Skywalker used to hang out on Dingle. Ha! Apparently, Dunmore Head is a great place to hide from every single person in the entire universe. Except Rey.
Enjoy the Dingle, everyone!
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