Touring with my Dad: The Emerald Isle and the Wild Atlantic Way
through the gateway we needed fuel... but not the unleaded type.
Two portions of Irish stew and a cuppa for my old man later, we headed north to Killarney, which we used as our ‘basecamp’ to explore more of the Wild Atlantic Way. At this point I thanked my lucky stars for the internet because in typical style we had made no booking and I can testify that Killarney is a busy place in August. However, for a very reasonable £35 per head you can get a good room in a small hotel or guesthouse (we stayed in three different places in Killarney) that include a full cooked breakfast and buffet to set you up for the day.
Killarney is a vibrant, pretty little town overflowing with history and heritage. There is no city hustle or bustle here and it is a good place to feast on local food or kick back in the endless number of pubs where you will always find someone singing or playing an instrument. I can’t stress enough how easy it is to be a visitor in this town and you can see why people come back time and time again.
Geographically, Killarney is a great base to explore. Nestled about 10 miles west of Killarney is the Gap of Dunloe, a must-see for any visitor. Imagine a scene out of The Hobbit. The trail is a narrow mountain pass that cuts between MacGillycuddy’s Reeks and Purple Mountain. The Gap is a popular tourist attraction and you will have to give way to horse-drawn traps but the views are worth it. On the day we trundled through the Gap we deliberately went at a leisurely pace to take in the scenery and a cream tea at a café.
Over the course of the next few days we feasted on a full Irish in the morning and went out exploring during the days. I would recommend riding the whole of the ‘Ring of Kerry’ but a lot of the highlights are usually found in getting off the main N70 road, away from the tourist traffic and losing yourself on the mountain passes and back roads. In short, you can’t go wrong for views if you are happy hitting the bumpy stuff in places.
Next on our hit list was the Dingle