Inch - An Inse

"Dear Inch must I leave you I have promises to keep 
Perhaps miles to go before I sleep..."

Inch or An Inse is best known for its impressive Blue Flag beach. A wild and wind swept dune system stretches along this amazing sand spit as it reaches out into Dingle Bay towards Rossbeigh Beach and the northern shores of the Iveragh Peninsula creating a majestic panorama. Rising up behind Inch are the Slieve Mish Mountains which form the backbone of the Dingle Peninsula. Popular with adventure sports enthusiasts such as wind, wave and land surfers, anglers and swimmers there are life guards during summer season with Surf schools, water sports equipment and wetsuit hire available on the beach.

Inch as a village is linear and dispersed with a small population. There is a small car park with public toilets adjacent to the beach with a café, accommodation and a tourist shop nearby. Along the road are two public houses, a Church and a Community Centre. At low tide a wet Inch beach creates magical mirror reflections of clouds, sky and mountains on this vast expanse of sand. During the day Inch is a favourite stopping place for passing day trippers but by evening Inch returns to nature. If you are lucky enough to stay here it is a true escape from the modern world with dramatic expanses of windswept beach, ocean and mountains at their most beautiful by sunset and dawn. 

 

Inch sand spit and dunes dingle peninsula ireland

Inch Dune System

Inch sand spit is the largest and one of the best remaining ‘intact’ dune systems in the country. A highly dynamic, naturally functioning system with some of the finest natural transitional zones between sand dunes and saltmarsh habitats, Inch has a high diversity of vegetation communities.
 
The dunes are of significant ornithological, zoological, geomorphological and archaeological interest and have been designated a special area of conservation SAC.Inch dunes are an important habitat for the chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), the natterjack toad (Bufo calamita), Ireland’s only toad and rarest amphibian and the rare petalwort (Petalophyllum ralfsii).  

A number of kitchen middens, which give the site an added archaeological interest, have been found towards the southern tip of the spit.

sea angler at inch beach

Angling and Sea Fishing

Inch Beach is popular with bass anglers.  Both ends of Inch beach yield bass and flatfish. Children can search  the shallow rock pools for crabs, periwinkles and other shellfish.

Inch Beach as a FIlm Location

David Lean used Inch beach as a location for Ryan's Daughter and Playboy of the Western World was filmed here in 1961.

Surfing at Inch Beach

Inch is a very popular spot for surfing. The long sandy beach at Inch is exposed and is a good all year round surf spot with a mixture of groundswells and windswells. Local surf schools offer lessons, wetsuit and board hire.

How to get to Inch

Directions: Inch village is located in the centre of the Dingle Peninsula, Co Kerry. From Tralee take the N86 to Dingle making sure to take a left turn at Camp Junction. Turn left just after Annascaul.

From Dingle - 25km and 30mins drive. Take the N86 towards Tralee. Before Annascaul turn right on to the R561.

From Killarney - 40km and 40 mins drive take the R561 through Castlemaine

Bus Eireann has a service route 275 from Tralee to Dingle which stops at Annascaul 6km away.

Inch - Directory

Directory links to Inch businesses and providers. Click on category below STAY, SEE & DO or EAT & DRINK 

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