Ring of Kerry, a coastal circuit around Ireland’s Iveragh Peninsula

The Ring of Kerry near Killarney is a circular touring route that traces roads around the Iveragh Peninsula in southwest Ireland, linking Atlantic coastline, mountain passes and long-settled valleys in a single continuous drive.

A circular route shaped by peninsula and sea

The Ring of Kerry is a circular tourist route in County Kerry that runs around the Iveragh Peninsula, a broad spur of land reaching into the Atlantic from southwest Irelandcircular tourist route. From Killarney the loop follows national roads that swing through inland passes and out to bays and headlands before returning again to the townroute traditionally starts and ends. It keeps to County Kerry throughout, tying together settlements and landscapes that sit between the mountains of the interior and the Atlantic shore.

The drive runs on the N71, N70 and N72 roads, forming a loop that road signs and maps mark clearly as the Ring of Kerryofficial Ring of Kerry route. As the circuit swings south and west it passes through towns and villages such as Kenmare, Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen, Glenbeigh and Killorglin before closing the circle back in Killarneypassing through Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen. The shape of the peninsula dictates the character of the drive: stretches of inland road cut across saddle-like passes, while others run close to bays and inlets where the land drops to the sea.

Towns, viewpoints and side routes along the loop

Killarney serves as the usual starting and finishing point, a town at the northeastern edge of the Iveragh Peninsula where the loop connects with wider routes through County Kerrystart and end point Killarney. From here the road reaches Kenmare by crossing a high pass, then continues to Sneem, where houses cluster near the water and bridges cross fast-flowing streamspasses through Kenmare and Sneem. West of Sneem, the route threads its way through Caherdaniel and Waterville, settlements that look out towards Atlantic headlands and offshore islands.

Beyond Waterville, turnoffs lead to the Skellig Ring, a spur route that branches from the main circuit near Ballinskelligs and Portmagee before meeting it again near CahersiveenSkellig Ring branches off. This side loop gives access to Valentia Island and coastal cliffs above the ocean, extending the range of landscapes reachable from the Ring. When the circuit turns north, it passes Killorglin and Glenbeigh, where views open over Dingle Bay, and then returns inland along the N72 past viewpoints such as Ladies View and Molls Gap before completing the loop near KillarneyLadies View and Molls Gap.

Driving, cycling and walking the Kerry circuits

The Ring of Kerry is best known as a road circuit, but the same landscape carries parallel routes for walkers and cyclists that follow related lines through County Kerry. A dedicated cycle route extends the circuit to roughly 216 km (134 miles), shifting sections away from busy roads onto quieter minor ways while preserving the overall shape between Killarney, Kenmare, Sneem, Waterville, Portmagee, Cahersiveen, Killorglin and back to Killarneycycle route is 216km. Elevation along this route varies between near sea level at coastal stretches and modest heights on inland sections where the road rises above rivers and lakes.

For walkers, the Kerry Way provides a much longer footpath that starts in Killarney, crosses the Muckross Estate and Torc Waterfall area, then runs anticlockwise around the Iveragh Peninsula with offshoots to Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville and CaherdanielKerry Way circular footpath. While the Kerry Way and the Ring of Kerry are distinct routes, they share many of the same valleys, bays and passes, and together they frame how travellers experience this peninsula: by road close to the shore, by path across the hills and by tracks that link small communities.

Visiting Ring of Kerry: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Ring of Kerry sits in southwest Ireland in County Kerry, with the circuit usually begun and ended in Killarney, a town linked to wider road and rail routes across the country.
• The terrain along the route varies from low-lying coastal stretches close to sea level to higher inland passes, with sections that include bends, gradients and occasional narrow carriageways.
• The Skellig Ring side route near Waterville and Portmagee adds further coastal roads and viewpoints, including access to Valentia Island by bridge and ferry connections, extending the range of landscapes along the drive.
• The Kerry Way long-distance footpath shares the peninsula with the Ring of Kerry and passes through places such as Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Caherdaniel, Sneem and Kenmare, giving walkers a separate but related circuit.
• The official language is English and the currency is the euro, as in the rest of Ireland, which sits within the European Union.

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Frequently asked questions about Ring of Kerry

Where is Ring of Kerry located?

Ring of Kerry is a circular touring route in County Kerry on the Iveragh Peninsula in southwest Ireland, with Killarney as its usual starting and ending point.

What should travellers expect on a visit?

Travellers encounter coastal roads, inland passes and towns such as Kenmare, Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen, Glenbeigh and Killorglin linked by the loop, with side routes reaching Valentia Island and other Atlantic viewpoints.

What makes Ring of Kerry distinctive compared with other Irish routes?

Ring of Kerry combines a complete road circuit around a single peninsula with linked walking and cycling routes, connecting Killarney to a sequence of bays, mountains and long-established communities within one continuous journey.