Walking The Dingle Way Ireland
– Kerry Camino

The Dingle way Ireland is a self-guided long trail walk on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry in the South West of Ireland. The trail is 183Km (114 miles) in length and is normally walked in a clockwise direction starting from the town of Tralee. The Dingle Way Ireland trail passes through many small beautiful towns and villages along the way as well as some of Ireland’s most stunning beaches and countryside.

The Kerry Camino takes in the first 3 days walking on the Dingle Way from Tralee to Dingle town. You can get yourself a Kerry Camino passport and collect stamps as you make your way along.

Myself and my wife Angela traveled from Dublin to the town of Tralee in mid Sept 2021. I would be doing the walking The Dingle Way Ireland, while she did some work and would bring along the luggage and meet at the next location. When we arrived into Tralee and booked into our accommodation with Mary at the Derreen Tighue B&B, which is very nice and quite central. We had some time to look about the town before going for a bite to eat at the Ole Brogue Inn, 

Then it was back to the B&B to organise ourselves for the morning. After breakfast and a nice chat with Mary who let Angela stay to do her work, I left to go to the National Kerry Museum (Thomas Ashe Hall) where The Dingle Way Ireland trail starts from. I had a look about the museum before I started the walk and it is well worth a visit with some great displays and rooms about Kerry and its part in Irish history. The Roger Casement section is fantastic as is the Tom Crean section about his Antarctic explorations with Scott and Shackelton.

Stamping station on the Kerry Camino

HilltopTreks Offer Packages for Self-Guided walks in Ireland

Walking Tralee to Camp: Approx. 19Km, ascent 370m – Right so, back to the Dingle Way Ireland and the Kerry Camino. The starting point is right next to the museum with a billboard of the route. I walked through the park with a section in it to Neil Armstrong.  Then on-wards towards Blennerville and it’s wonderful windmill which is approx. 2Km outside Tralee. I had a quick stop here to check out the windmill and the model railway with some interesting facts about the old railway that once ran between here and Dingle.

The Dingle Way Ireland trail is mainly on small minor roads between here and the foot of the hills. It is very well marked and leaves the main road just shortly after the windmill onto a minor road. This is a much quieter road with very little traffic. It then almost reaches the main road again briefly before taking a sharp left and brings you up hill gently towards a car park at the foot of Tonavane. The Dingle Way Ireland trail from here travels in a westerly direction along the foot of the Mish Mountains for approx. 9km. There are great little stamp stations along the way to stamp your Kerry Camino passport. The views across Tralee Bay are stunning.

A great place to stop and have a snack is at the Kerry Camino Iron Celtic cross which also has a bench to sit on and take in the views. The trail continues on crossing some bridges and can be wet in parts with some inclines and declines along the way. Eventually it starts to decline towards the road but turns left before it and onto another grassy trail and small lane-way towards the ruins of Kilelton village and old church. From here you continue straight until you come to a junction with options to go to Camp Upper or Lower. I was staying at Teach Tae BB  so mine was the lower road, towards the N86 and taking a left. Angela was already at the accommodation but feeling very hungry, so I had time for a quick wash and back out the door to the Junction Bar for some lovely food and a well-earned pint of Guinness or maybe two. It was raining heavy so the barman gave a lift back to our accommodation.

The Kerry Camino Iron Cross

Camp to Annascaul: Approx. 18Km, Ascent 376m- The following morning, we were up early for breakfast and a chat with our host Kathleen. Angela stayed here to work while I headed of on my 2nd stage of the Dingle Way Ireland towards Annascaul. So, it was back up the hill I came down yesterday to re-join the trail. The trail continued on a small road and out towards the River Finglas, which I was just about able to cross with the help of a rope someone had placed here.

There is a warning here that says if the river is too high then you can go back around by Camp village. The trail today is mainly on small minor roads, old turf roads and lane-ways. This part of the Dingle Way Ireland brings you from the northern part of the Peninsula to the southern part. The lane-way just past the Finglas river was full of Blackberries due to the time of year and I helped myself to a few.

There were some small showers of rain but not enough to put on leggings and then it cleared later in the day. Once I left this lane-way it was onto a minor road that continued upwards for quite a bit, so I took a few breaks to enjoy the scenery. Then just after the brow of the hill the Dingle Way Ireland trail turned of the road left and into an open area at the foot of Knockmore hill. This is a very nice quite section of the trail when all you can hear is the distant traffic from the road to your right. There were quite a few sheep on this section also who all seemed to enjoy sitting on the centre of the track.

From here there is a nice forested area you pass through with a tap at one of markers to refill your water bottle. You eventually come out onto to the road for a short while and back onto another small lane-way which travels around the side of a hill towards Inch beach. This was great news for me as I had arranged to meet Angela here for a bite to eat and a swim. The views coming towards inch and across the Atlantic where incredible.

Angela was just a few minutes away when I arrived and we went to Sammy’s on the beach front for a bite to eat. Delicious Peri Peri chicken and scampi Goujans with chips. Then it was time for a dip, which was quite cold but lovely for my feet after a lot of walking. The sea was a bit choppy so I didn’t stay in too long.

Angela then drove on towards our accommodation The Old Anchor Inn in Annascaul, while I made my way back onto the trail and onto Annascaul. I had walked most of the way before my swim and it only took 1.5hrs to get into Annascaul. From Inch to Annascaul the Dingle Way Ireland trail was mostly old quite roads and some boreens. When you reach Maum you can see Annascaul straight in front of you down a very straight long road. Angela had called into the wrong accommodation and scared the life out of the poor woman who thought she had over booked. It was all cleared up though when Brian from our accommodation explained things.

When I arrived, I had another quick wash and then it was down to the South Pole Inn for some fish n chips and Angela had the fresh hake. The South Pole inn is the pub of Tom Crean and really worth popping into to see some of the artifacts from his incredible voyages.

Annascaul to Dingle:Approx. 23Km, Ascent 465m – The following morning after some breakfast, I arranged my luggage and travel pack for the day. Brian had talked about great beaches for swimming on the Peninsula and so I packed my togs again for a swim at Minard Castle. The Dingle Way Ireland trail starts on the busy road towards Dingle but turns left very shortly after the bridge at Annascaul onto a quitter road. This road then starts to rise gently and after approx. 4Km of walking along wonderful hedgerow you reach Minard Castle.

Hedgerows – Annascual Devil's Bite – Wild Flower in Ireland

September and the starlings start to gather on the cables for their annual chatter and organise their long journey ahead. What they say or how they say it is a wonder, how they organise this epic voyage is another.

Fuschia is wild in red and wine with the rowan tree berries alive and bright. The songbirds are chirpy because the berries are plenty. The hum of the bees as they gather the fruits from the flowers.

Old twisted hawthorn, battered by the winds from the Atlantic with old man beards along their branches as they twist to shelter themselves.

Purples and yellows of the gorse and heathers, orange and purple of the Montbretia and Devil’s bite among the greens of the ferns. The odd holly tree and the bark of a farmyard dog in the distance protecting its quarters from some unknown stranger.

The blackberries are rip and delicious sit among the ruins of a family home from a time long ago, hidden by the undergrowth. The stone wall travels uphill with sheep on the hillside – Hedgerows are wonderful.

Finally, I reach the shore where a castle once stood and its ruins now remain, rocky stones and a sandy beach, the tide is out. With not much to do today but walk hedgerows and scribble, into the ocean now I went for a dip.

So, it was onto the sea for a dip and the water was not too cold – (Irish cold). Sat for a while had a cup of tea and started on with the walking. From the beach I was making my way towards Lios Pol to meet Angela for lunch again. The trail is a mix of small roads and old farm lane-ways, some of them were quite mucky. I had reached Lios Pol and left the trail for a bit to go to Kate’s Cross Shop, a great place to grab a coffee or snack along the way. It started to rain just before Angela arrived so we sat in the car and had some lunch. Then Angela headed for Dingle and the rain didn’t stop for the rest of the day. I had all my rain gear on but it was warm although raining so I was getting wet either way.

The Dingle Way Ireland trail continues along the back roads of Lios Pol before crossing the road and then up another minor road, this road then turns left for a bit. The trail then goes into a field and out onto some old boreens that are used for getting cattle to and from fields safely but they do a lot dunging.

Hello all! It’s been a while since I’ve posted an update from the Dingle Peninsula. Things got busy all of a sudden and I found it difficult to find the time to sit down and write something worthwhile! Things are still the same here on the Dingle Peninsula…It’s quiet, we’re missing our visitors, we’re still in lockdown! Not much changes…However, there seems to be a small glimmer of hope emerging lately (finally!) – mainly a combination of the days getting longer and brighter, the dry, sunny spell of weather we’ve had recently, the continuous decline in Covid case numbers and the vaccine rollout. All these things combined make it a little bit easier to be positive about what’s to come.

As we’ve been saying for almost a year now, without a doubt, the biggest thing we miss about pre-Covid life are our visitors. The Dingle Peninsula isn’t the same without all the wonderful people who visit us every year. So, a few weeks ago, I decided to ask our followers to send us their memories, stories, pictures, videos of trips they took to the Dingle Peninsula in the past. We were absolutely blown away by the response! Memories of the Dingle Peninsula came flooding in from all directions! There are so many lovely stories that have been shared with us over the past few weeks, and it would be impossible to share them all on social media, so I’ve decided to put them together in a blog post, and probably next week’s blog post too! There’s A LOT of them. It’s been so lovely to hear the memories people have made here, why the Dingle Peninsula is special to them, and the experiences they’ve had in the area. Below are a few of the stories we received. Enjoy!

Stephanie Kinney: "Like so many before and beside us, Dingle is a love of ours, too. The shorelines, ruins, birds of prey, the Distillery, the people, the pubs, the music, the charm, the history, meeting other travellers…There is no better place to us on earth!’" (Pictured left enjoying her time on the Dingle Peninsula) 

Heidi Ramsey Fecteau: "Dingle is one of our favourite places, starting with Pax House! Awesome, friendliest place ever. We were so lucky to see a world champion dancer in town! How wonderful is that! Miss Dingle, so much and cannot wait to come back to Ireland!!"

Janet McCullough McLaughlin: "My Mom and I only had a few hours in Dingle in December 2019…we walked, shopped and had a lovely lunch. It was just such a gorgeous day with my favourite person. It felt like home and like I belonged there."

Rodney O’Callaghan: "Missing the Dingle Peninsula so much. The power of the sea and the wonderful coastline is captivating. From the moment you enter the peninsula at Castlemaine or Tralee you know you are in one of the most spectacular parts of Ireland. I have been running my photography tours and workshops for a number of years in the area and made so many friends. I can’t wait to get back…" (Photo on right taken by Rodney of waves on the Dingle Peninsula) 

Bridget Haley: "Dingle Peninsula was my favourite part of the trip. Coumeenole Beach!" (Pictured) 

Sharon Wallace: "I spent a week in Dingle 20 years ago. Every day, I have longed to return. The beauty of the land, the warm welcoming people and the culture they hold dear all made my time in Dingle an unforgettable experience."

Philip Garvin: "In 2004 my wife and I visited Dingle. We went to An Droichead Beag to hear some traditional Irish music. An older gentleman sang “The Town I Loved So Well”. His version brought tears to the eyes of my wife. I will never forget it. My favourite place in Ireland."

Justin Mason: "I visited for 2 days in 2019 for the Dingle Marathon. Changed my life. Beautiful place, I never wanted to leave. I cannot wait to go back and make more beautiful memories there."

Scott Love: "As a writer visiting Dingle, I enjoyed a visit to the library. I even included a fictitious Dingle as a setting for a short story."

So, there we are! Some wonderful memories of the Dingle Peninsula, and some fantastic pictures to go with them. By now, a lot of us are itching to get travelling again, so it's nice to take a moment to think back on all the memories we've created in the past to keep us going until we can once again step onto a plane! And just know, that while so many of you are dying to return to the Dingle Peninsula, we are just as eager to have you back! We are missing our visitors so very much! Continue to stay connected with us here, through the blog and on our social media. We'll wait it out together.... 

Have a lovely week everyone! Talk to you soon, 

Fallon. 

Hello to you all! It’s been a while – As always, I hope everyone is keeping safe and well. Hard to believe it’s been one full year since our lives changed beyond recognition! The first lockdown in Ireland started this week last year…Not that there’s any need to mark the day, I’m sure everyone remembers well! Anyway, as I’m sure most of you are aware, St. Patrick’s Day is this Wednesday. So, what better topic for the ‘Tales of a Tourism Officer’ blog this week!

St. Patrick’s Day is usually the first event of the year on the Dingle Peninsula, and essentially marks the beginning of the season. There are many things the communities of the Dingle Peninsula do well, however St. Patrick’s Day really is one of the best! The festivities kick off with a parade at 12am on the 17^th in Ballydavid, followed by the 6am parade in Dingle town – a longstanding tradition that is one of few around the country. There are then the daytime parades which take place in Dingle town, Castlegregory and Ballyferriter. The day brings with it such a wonderful atmosphere across the entire peninsula, and everyone gets involved in the festivities in some way or another. We’ll miss the celebrations dearly this year. The pubs are usually packed with the sound of laughter and craic, and the streets are filled with green decorations and happy children taking it all in. It’s the second year in a row we’ll have a quiet St. Patrick’s Day on the Dingle Peninsula, but I’m sure that will only make its return all the sweeter – fingers crossed that will be next year! Either way, I’m sure we’ll all be celebrating at home this year in our own way.

So, given the week that’s in it, here’s a little bit about the man himself! Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, and the 17^th of March marks the day of his death, which is now observed as his feast day. The day commemorates both Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity to Ireland, and as well as the parades, going to mass is a traditional part of St. Patrick’s Day. Traditionally, it was custom to wear green on the day and that is still heavily apparent in the parades. Many people also wear shamrocks, pinning small bunches of them to their clothing as a homage to St. Patrick. The day is a celebration for Irish people everywhere, and as it usually falls during Lent, it is permitted to break your Lenten restrictions and enjoy the day.

However, it’s not just our small island that celebrates St. Patrick’s Day. The day has evolved to have a global standing, with many countries celebrating in some way or another. Tourism Ireland have an initiative called ‘Global Greening’, where they encourage countries to light up their iconic buildings, statues, etc. in green to mark the day. What started out with a few cities participating has now grown to over 66 countries taking part this year and over 600 sites being lit up green! This particular element of St. Patrick’s Day never ceases to amaze me. It’s incredible that our small little island can have such a global influence for a day every year, with everyone celebrating our patron saint along with us!

This year, it will be particularly special to see countries connect with Ireland through the Global Greening initiative when we are missing all our international visitors so much. It’s the perfect time to send the message that Ireland is here, patiently awaiting the day when we can once again open our doors and welcome each and every one of you back.

On behalf of everyone here on the Dingle Peninsula, I would like to wish you all a very happy St. Patrick’s Day. Wear your green, get your shamrocks out, light a green candle, and celebrate with us in spirit. Until we can welcome you back to our beautiful peninsula, know that we are here, we are waiting for you, and we miss you.

Beannachtaí Lá Fhéile Pádraig daoibh go léir,

Fallon.

Dia Dhaoibh a cairde agus fáilte thar n-ais ar feadh seachtain eile don mblog ‘Tales of a Tourism Officer’ – Welcome back to yet another week of ‘Tales of a Tourism Officer’. I hope you are all keeping well in the current climate, I find that simply taking it day by day is the best way to handle it all at this time! There is certainly enough doom and gloom in the world at the moment, so this week I have decided to write a blog post full of hope! Having had a few weeks now to settle back into work and start looking at the year ahead, I’ve found in the past week or so that I am feeling more hopeful about things to come….

While the 2021 tourism season will undoubtedly once again be very different, as it looks like we’ll still be unable to welcome our international visitors back, I am looking towards the year ahead with optimism at welcoming many Irish visitors to our beautiful Dingle Peninsula. There are several reasons for my newfound optimism, however! For one, there days are finally beginning to get longer. As we say here in Ireland, there’s ‘a grand stretch’ in the evenings! It makes such a difference when it doesn’t get dark so early – we now have daylight until 6 o clock in the evening, and that is a guaranteed mood booster! I felt that with the arrival of spring on the 1^st of February last week, there was a new lease of life to things….The daffodils are out, the days are longer, the weather is getting better (subject to interpretation!!). Either way, I think there is a feeling of hope in the air, but perhaps I’m the only one that feels it at the moment!!

Aside from all the little things that are making the days more pleasant, from a tourism point of view I am also optimistic. Though we are still in lockdown, and the chances of international travel are still non-existent, I am hopeful that with the combination of lower case numbers and ever-increasing vaccinations in the country, the Coronavirus situation can only get better. If we persevere for a little while longer, fingers crossed, when everything is allowed to open once again, it will be for good. I hope that this time, when the doors of our local businesses open, they are allowed to stay open.

But most of all, I am hopeful that before long, we will have visitors back on our beautiful Dingle Peninsula, experiencing all it has to offer. To have people back making the nerve-wracking drive over the Conor Pass, or taking in the unique sights that are only along Slea Head Drive. I can’t wait for people to once again walk the Dingle Way, or explore Glanteenasig Forest. To swim in the Atlantic Ocean and walk along the soft sand at Ventry Beach, Fermoyle Beach or Inch Beach. I look forward to hearing the screams of delight as children and adults alike experience sea life up close with Dingle Sea Safari, or stand in awe as they set foot on the Great Blasket Island.

I can’t wait for people to sit down to a meal of the freshest fish, in one of the Dingle Peninsula’s many fantastic restaurants. I look forward to pints of local beer being poured as visitors sit around in a cosy pub and listen to traditional Irish music, performed only as it can be, by a local musician and friends. To see the glint in the eyes of an old group of friends as they squash into a snug. I look forward to seeing groups of people touring the Dingle Distillery and experiencing the product right at its root. To seeing golf balls fly high in the air at Ceann Sibéal, and surf boards hit the waves in the Maharees. I can’t wait for the streets to be full of people, taking in the colourful buildings, and for the hills and mountains along the Dingle Peninsula to once again welcome hikers and guide them on their way. It is often said that the true magic of the Dingle Peninsula is in its people, however, a lot of those people are our visitors. Without our visitors, there is a missing element of what makes the Dingle Peninsula the very special place it has become. I can’t wait for the day where the Dingle Peninsula is alive again with the sounds of laughter, happiness, discovery, awe, magic, appreciation, exploration, experience, enjoyment, fun and lots of craic! Though we may not be close to that day just yet, knowing that times like these will return provides its own comfort.

Though there are lots of bad things to get caught up in at the moment, if we chose to, we can also look at all the reasons we have to be hopeful. There are certainly lots of them.

I saw a saying last week that went ‘More days behind us than ahead of us’…We’ll get there. As my favourite Irish saying goes ‘Ní bhíonn in aon rud ach seal’ (nothing is permanent).

Have a wonderful week filled with hope and happiness.

Until next time,

Fallon.