Cork and the ring of Kerry itinerary (4 days)
Why go?
Cork is one of Ireland’s main tourist destinations, situated in the South-West. The city and surrounding areas are great to explore, and they mark the start of the Wild Atlantic Way coastal driving route, of which some will be covered in this itinerary. The Ring of Kerry is a beautiful scenic coastal drive allowing you to experience the dramatic wilderness of South West Ireland.
Need to know
Cork airport is one of the largest international airports in Ireland, second only to Dublin. It is a short flight from other UK airports.
We chose a late evening flight and picked up the hire car at the airport before driving to our hotel. This meant that we could maximise the time available for exploring. Driving is on the left-hand side in Ireland, as in the rest of the UK.
Note that in this itinerary, we took the return flight from Kerry Airport, a tiny airport which, whilst conveniently located, only has direct flights to a small number of destinations (London included). Therefore, bear in mind it may be worth returning to Cork airport depending on where you’re going. This also affects car hire as many companies add an additional charge to the price if you are returning the car to a different location to where you picked it up!
Summary
Day 1 – Exploring Cork City
- Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral
- Many churches
- The English Market
- University of Cork campus
- The Shakey Bridge
- Cork City Gaol
- The Butter Museum!
- Shandon Bells and Tower
Day 2 – Around Cork
- Blarney Castle ft kissing stone!
- Cobh – Spike Island
- Cobh – Titantic Experience and town
Day 3 – Ring of Kerry Road Trip
- Killarney National Park
- Ladies View
- Cliffs of Kerry and Beehive huts
- Dingle
Day 4 – Slea Head drive, Dingle peninsula
- Beehive huts
- Dunmore Head – Europe’s most westerly point!
- Return (Kerry Airport)
Day One – Cork City
Leave the hire car parked safe today, as Cork is a great city to explore on foot. This is aided by the provision of 4 fairly well signposted city walks which all start in Daunt’s Square, with a map on a board. From then on, you’ll be looking for the appropriately-coloured small arrow signs, with larger information boards at the stop-off points. In this itinerary we loosely follow the blue and green walking routes – the stops are brief but interesting and it is a good way of covering ground.
Blue walking route (I’ve just mentioned the key stops, but there are a couple more enroute).
- Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral
Why go?
This is an impressive gothic church dedicated to Finbarr of Cork, the patron saint of the city. The small grounds are also nice to explore, featuring a “labyrinth” (admittedly probably not what you are picturing, but fun to stop by none-the-less).
Need to know
The cathedral is approx. 10 minutes walk, following the blue signs.
2. Elizabeth Fort
Why go?
It is a 17th-century star-shaped fort initially built for defence, but it has had many varying functions since. It is one of Cork’s oldest and most historic sites, offering great views over the city from its walls.
Need to know
It’s approximately 5 minutes’ walk from Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral.
Opening times vary depending on season – it’s best to check the website. General admission is free.
3. Saint Nicholas’ Church
Why go?
This is another pretty gothic church, this time built in 1850.
Need to know
The church is a 5 minute walk from Elizabeth Fort.
4. Holy Trinity Church
Why go?
This imposing gothic church is on the river side and is interesting to have a quick peek inside.
Need to know
It is approx. 10 minutes walk from Saint Nicholas’ Church, if you’re following the blue route. The blue route also takes you past a couple of other stop-offs between these locations, including the Red Abbey and South Chapel. This church marks the end of the blue route trail!
The English Market
Why go?
This is a cool 18th-century covered market, selling a range of different foods and snacks. It is a fun place to explore and experience the hustle and bustle.
Need to know
It’s approximately 5 minutes’ walk from the Holy Trinity Church. Since you are now near the centre of Cork and perhaps hungry from perusing the market, it is a good time to grab lunch!
Green walking route (loosely followed – again, I’ve just mentioned the key stops!)
- University College Cork (UCC) campus
Why go?
The UCC campus is very pretty, with a river running through and carefully maintained gardens. Some of the older university building themselves are also photogenic and worth an explore around.
Need to know
It’s approximately 20 minutes walk from the city centre (Daunt’s Square). Once you’re here, the green walking route signs get a bit lost in places. Aim back towards the River Lee when you’re done exploring the campus, towards Fitzgerald’s Park.
2. Daly’s Bridge “The Shakey Bridge”
Why go?
This is a cool, well maintained/restored old suspension bridge which slightly shakes when walking on it. It is pedestrian only and you can get some great pictures.
Need to know
It is approximately 10 minutes’ walk down from the University campus.
Cork City Gaol
Why go?
This former prison is now an interesting museum that’s worth an hour or so of exploration. There are different exhibits, including jail cells and torture rooms.
Need to know
Its approximately 10 minutes’ walk from the Shakey Bridge.
From March – October, it is open Monday to Sunday 10:00-17:00, and from November to February it’s open Monday-Sunday 10:00-16:00.
Admission is €10/adult, which includes a guidebook for a self-guided tour, and a map. However, you can buy audio guides for an additional €2, or join a guided tour (once daily at 14:00, except July and August when they are every hour on the hour).
Butter Museum
Why go?
To finish your Cork tour, what better than to visit a small and unusual museum centred on Ireland’s most important food export – butter. This country is home to the world’s largest butter market. The museum is interactive and informative, whilst also being likely one of the more unique places you have visited!
Need to know
The museum is a 20-25 minute walk from the Gaol, down back into town.
Opening times depend on the season – generally it is open 10-4, Wednesday-Saturday, and 11-4 on Sundays. However, in peak season (June-September), it is also open 10-4 on Mondays and Tuesdays. Make sure to check the website before you go.
Admission is €5/adult.
Bonus: Shandon Bells and Tower (St Anne’s Church)
Why go?
This is one of the oldest churches in the city, and it is possible to climb the tower (and potentially ring the bells on the way up) to gain amazing views right over Cork. This was initially on my plans for the day but unfortunately we ran out of time to visit. However, the beautiful views of the city you get from Cork Gaol meant I didn’t feel too disappointed! We also walked to the base of the church to get a feel for it.
Need to know
The church is very close to the Butter Museum (1 minute walk), or approx. 20-25 minute walk from the Gaol if you decide to skip the museum, or swap them round.
Generally, it is open Monday-Saturday from 10:00, and Sundays from 11:30. Closing times vary by season so I recommend checking before you go. In the winter months it is earlier (15:00) and the peak summer months later (17:00). Please note however, that last entry to the tower is a half-hour before closing, so don’t get caught out!
Classic Irish pub +/- Guinness
The final necessary stop whilst in Cork – this could be after going back to your hotel to relax or as a reward after your busy sight-seeing day.
Why go?
Guinness is Ireland’s most famous beer, if not just one of the most famous Irish things in general! I must admit I’m personally not a fan, but it’s a major attraction for a lot of tourists and also some of the classic little pubs have great character and atmosphere to spend time in after a long day.
Need to know
These pubs get busy. We arrived 18:30-19:00 on a Friday in April (so not peak season!) and lots of places we tried were rammed! Bear in mind it may be worth trying to book a table or arriving earlier, especially if you’re in a bigger group.
Day Two – Blarney Castle and Cobh
Today we make use of the car, to travel to two popular and nearby destinations.
Blarney Castle
Why go?
The Castle
Have you even been to Cork if you haven’t visited Blarney Castle? This medieval castle is set in beautiful gardens, but is perhaps most famously known as the home of the Blarney stone. It is said that if you kiss this stone, you get the “gift of the gab” – speaking easily and confidently in any situation. Or perhaps you could call it “speaking blarney”, although that is a less appealing prospect. To “kiss” the stone (yes, it’s an actual thing you can do!), you are essentially lent backwards off the top of the tower to kiss it upside down! Meanwhile, someone snaps an unflattering photo of you which you can later buy as a souvenir. It admittedly sounds scarier than it is – you can’t fall – but be aware when deciding what to wear and if you’re scared of heights I’d recommend giving it a miss! However, you can still climb the tower without kissing the stone if you’d like.
The Gardens
As I mentioned, the beautiful gardens are spread over a vast area with different themed sections – you could spend hours exploring. Next to the castle are the Poison Garden and the Carnivorous plant garden, but I’ll list a couple of my favourites:
- The Fern Garden: huge tree ferns growing outdoors in the forest give this place a peaceful and ancient vibe, like you have been transported back to the times of the dinosaurs.
- The Rock Close: this site is said to be the location of an ancient druidic settlement. The ancient trees contribute to the mystical feel of the place, and there are varying stone features to look out for, including the witch’s staircase (make a wish!), the druid’s altar, and the witch’s stone.
- The Board Walk and Water Garden: this board walk is surrounded by ponds, waterfalls and lush vegetation, creating beautiful scenery.
Need to know
The castle is approximately 20-25 minutes’ drive from Cork. There is a large car park which charges €2/day.
As with a lot of places, opening times vary according to season so it is best to check the website in advance of your visit. Generally, it is open daily from 09:00-17:00 (later in peak season), with last entry an hour before closing. I’d recommend visiting first thing – arrive for 09:00 if you can. This is key if you’re planning on kissing the stone at the top of the tower as for starters, the tower is maybe 5 minutes’ walk into the gardens, and it is also an extremely popular attraction. Thankfully when we visited, we were some of the only people there and could climb straight up the tower without queuing, but we passed many marker points in the queue stating the queue length could be over an hour (like with theme park rides!).
Admission is €20/adult, and you can buy tickets online or at the ticket office. Personally, I recommend buying online to reduce queue times.
I’d recommend spending all morning here – there is a café and toilets if you’d like to have lunch too.
Cobh
Why go?
Cobh is an extremely pretty coastal town with a range of attractions. It’s famous for being the last port of call for the Titanic in 1912. There are also many islands in the harbour which can be visited, as we will cover in today’s plan.
Need to know
It’s approximately 40 minutes’ drive from Blarney Castle, or 30 minutes from the centre of Cork. We parked in the Cathedral Car Park, though it was fairly busy.
If you haven’t already had lunch, I’d recommend eating here, or you can wait for the trip to Spike Island below!
Spike Island
Why go?
Spike Island was used as an island prison several occasions over 400 years. It has also been a monastery and a fortress – making it an interesting island full of Irish history. It’s accessible via a short and pleasant boat trip from the harbour at Cobh.
Need to know
I’d recommend booking this trip as a tour from Cobh, where you get picked up and taken by ferry to Spike Island to spend a few hours, followed by the return journey. This also gets you a guide to explain what you’re seeing on the 10-15 minute walk up to the main fortress/prison from the dock.
Prices are €24/adult, via Spike Island website, where you can choose a day and time slot. Make sure to give yourself enough time to get from Blarney Castle/Cork, parked and down to the harbour though!
There is a café and toilets in the large fortess/prison complex – we had lunch here. It is the only café though, so the queues were quite long, but the food was good.
Titanic Experience Cobh
Why go?
As mentioned, Cobh was the last port of call for the doomed Titanic ship. The Titanic Experience Cobh is a small museum that focuses on the passengers that joined the ship on that day in April 1912, immersing you in the feel of the harbour and the tragedy over 100 years ago.
Need to know
The museum is a few minutes’ walk along the harbour from the drop-off point for the Spike Island ferry.
Once again, the museum operates on seasonal opening hours so it best to check prior to visiting. Summer months it is open daily 09:00-18:00, and winter months 10:00-17:30. Last admission is an hour before closing.
It is best to book tickets via their website as they have limited spaces on their tours. You will need to select a date and time, so bear in mind if you want to do this after the Spike Island tour. It costs €12/adult.
“Deck of Cards” Houses and Cobh Cathedral
Why go?
Walk up this residential street for the picture-perfect view of colourful slanting houses with the beautifully intricate Cathedral Church of St Colman (Cobh Cathedral) in the background. Great for photos!
Need to know
The street in question (West View) is a steep road a couple minutes’ walk from the harbour. The best photo viewpoint is probably West View Park, a small grassy area about half-way up. If you go to the top of the street it is slightly too high and walls/buildings can block your view.
After this you can continue to explore the town or head back to Cork for some relaxing after an adventurous day!
Day Three – Ring of Kerry road trip
For the final couple of days, we branch out from Cork to experience some of the beautiful Irish countryside. The Ring of Kerry is a scenic 179 km loop in County Kerry, in the southwest of Ireland. There are many stop-off points to pick and choose throughout the trip, which hosts some dramatic scenery including part of the Wild Atlantic Way. Note that its suggested online to drive the Ring of Kerry in a clockwise direction (to avoid being stuck behind tour buses which complete the route anti-clockwise). However, I didn’t see many buses so not sure how much of an issue it would be in the other direction!
Killarney National Park (Torc waterfall and circular walk)
Why go?
This is a stunning national park with views of mountains, forests, and lakes. Torc Waterfall is a pretty impressive cascading waterfall and is set a short but steep walk from the car park, on several circular trails. There are three circular trails on a board map at the carpark; we chose the yellow route which is marked as 35-40 minutes but it didn’t take that long. If you are after more, there are longer and more strenuous routes, including climbing Torc mountain.
Need to know
It is approximately 1h20-1h30 minutes’ drive from Cork. We parked in what looked like a large layby off the Ring of Kerry road (N71), but there is a more official marked carpark in Google maps near Torc Waterfall.
Ladies View (viewpoint)
Why go?
This is a scenic viewpoint with amazing views over the national park, complete with lakes and mountains.
Need to know
It’s approximately 15 minutes’ drive from the Torc Waterfall car park.
Lunch stop
I’d recommend stopping for lunch at some point along the southern coast – see if there’s a cute town that takes your fancy. Unfortunately, it had begun pouring with rain for us by this point, but we stopped in a small beach-side village (ironically named Waterville) just after Caherdaniel for a pub lunch. This place was apparently the favourite holiday spot of the actor Charlie Chaplin, so it is complete with a random statue of him too!
For reference, Waterville is approximately 1h10 from Ladies Viewpoint.
Kerry Cliffs (viewpoint and “Beehive” village)
Why go?
Embarking on a smaller additional ring road (Skellig ring) brings you to the edge of the peninsula, with the chance to see some properly wild coastline. We followed some small tourist signs to visit the Beehive-style huts built here, and then took a short walk to the coastal point, to admire the crashing waves and dramatic cliffs. It was still pouring of rain so it was deserted but it would be lovely in the sun! At certain times of year it is also good for birdwatching here.
Need to know
There was a large muddy/gravelly car park with some basic toilets in what looked like a farmyard. There was a small fee for access.
Dingle
Why go?
This is a small port town on the south of the Dingle peninsula. It’s a pretty village surrounded by dramatic coastline and beaches as part of the Wild Atlantic Way. This is our destination for the night.
Need to know
Dingle is almost 2 hours’ drive from the Kerry cliffs, but there are plenty of stop-offs for viewpoints you can make along the route.
Slea Head drive
This is another coastal ring road drive, which also forms part of the Wild Atlantic Way. I’ll mention a few of the stops worthwhile. Look out for “Cross at Slea Head” on the corner of the peninsula for a random, bright white statue of Jesus on the cross.
Beehive forts
Why go?
These mysterious huts are interesting to explore for a brief visit.
Need to know
It’s about 25 minutes’ drive from Dingle. Look out for signs about holding baby lambs! Note there are a few beehive huts along this route to choose from.
Dunmore Head
Why go?
Dunmore Head claims to be the most westerly point in Europe, and whilst I’m not sure how true that is (Iceland? Greenland?), it makes for a great little hike out into the wild coastal cliffs with views stretching into the Atlantic towards the Blasket islands.
Need to know
The small carpark (Slea Head Parking) is easy to find and is approximately 10 minutes’ drive from the Beehive forts. The hike itself is about 25 minutes one way. Wrap up warm – it is windy and exposed.
Kerry Airport
In this itinerary, we return the hire car and depart from the tiny Kerry Airport. The airport is approximately 1h15 drive from Dunmore Head. Allow plenty of time to return the car. It’s worth noting the airport is very small so if possible finding a lunch location on your route back could be a good idea.
This marks the end of the Cork and Ring of Kerry itinerary – I hope you enjoyed and managed to see all of these great sights!