We are staying in Kenmare versus Kilarney as we are not fans of big cities, and Kenmare is definitely not a big city! Quite nice actually. We are staying at the Sheen Falls Lodge, which is an excellent hotel right on Kenmare Bay. The hotel is situated directly adjacent to Sheen Falls. I’d suggest it was more of a “rapids” than a “falls”. Maybe these folks haven’t been to Yosemite?
The primary attraction in this region is the Ring of Kerry, a 179km circular route around the Iveragh Peninsula. The below shot is from “Molls Gap”
You are met with incredible views at pretty much every turn of the road. You enter Killarney National Park shortly before arriving at the Ladies View.
There is a sign posted advising why it’s called that.
Queen Victoria’s visit in 1861 features prominently in numerous locations on the Ring.
We’ve kept our eyes open on this trip and have yet to see any Leprechaun’s, but we still have a few weeks to go!
The Torc Waterfall is just a short stroll off the main road.
A “must see” site is Muckross House, a historical house set amidst the Killarney Lakes.
The house has been preserved to show how it looked back in 1932, when it was gifted to the Irish People.
Queen Victoria visited here in 1861, and no expense was spared in fixing the place up for her visit. Finally a reason to use the “good china”! Did anybody else have a mother that saved the “good china” in case the Queen visited?
The below photos were the Queen’s quarters for her visit. They have set the rooms up to duplicate how it would have looked during her visit.
A lot of the place reminded us of Downton Abbey. If you’ve not watched Downton Abbey, you really should, and that’s coming from a guy who mostly hates Period Pieces.
The view from the back of the house is exceptional. I wouldn’t want to mow that lawn though!
The Muckross Abbey is a short distance away. This was a Franciscan friary built in 1448.
It’s in remarkable condition for it’s age. You can explore up on the second floor in many portions of the Abbey. This ancient yew tree is growing out of the center of the Abbey, and is said to be as old as the building.
A tile display indicates the age of portions of the Abbey.
Another 10 minutes along the road brings you to Ross Castle, built in 1520. They offer guided tours of the castle but there is only so much you can do in one day. It’s still worth a stop just for a walk around, and there is a free museum inside.
The castle is built right on the edge of Lough Leane.
We took a short-cut on our way back to the hotel via the Gap of Dunloe. The below photo is from the north side of Black Lake, and the “Gap” is directly ahead, due south.
The road is extremely narrow, but they at least have little cut-outs along the way so cars can pass. It still makes for a rather stressful drive.
Here is a shot of the w-i-d-e portion of the road. Not kidding!
The topography on the south side of the Gap is entirely different than the north.
Interesting to note that in 2005, private horse-drawn carriages called Jaunting Cars prevented tourists from driving the road, and there is currently a sign on the southern entrance advising tourists that the road is for locals only.
Despite the sign, the road is open to the public. While the drive may stress you out, it’s well worth it for the views alone! In my defense, I was driving the road for “Access to Accommodation”.
Up next, more Ring of Kerry!