Map your way through Kerry’s waymarked trails

The area’s stupendous scenery has made it one of Ireland’s top destinations. It’s home to the famous Ring of Kerry, the idyllic Killarney Lakes, the imposing mountains of MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, charming seaside towns such as Dingle and Portmagee, as well as ancient monuments and a spectacular Wild Atlantic Way coastline.

Little wonder that Kerry attracts thousands of walking enthusiasts every year who are keen to experience the variety of terrain and stunning views afforded by the county’s excellent waymarked trails.

The walking experience in Kerry has recently been enhanced with the launch of an interactive map and hard copy brochure that features information about 20 loop walks in South Kerry as well as all stages of the famous Kerry Way.

Enabling walkers to choose a route that suits their fitness levels and the time they have available, the map provides information about the terrain, expected duration and level of difficulty of each trail. An innovative 3D interactive feature allows walkers to see the route they will take before they set off.

Many of the shorter loop walks follow stunning coastal routes along the Wild Atlantic Way, taking in cliff-top trails, skirting golden beaches and delivering magnificent ocean views. 

Inland, the Cronin’s Yard Loop provides fantastic views of the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks while the Rossacroo Wood Loop is a short but enchanting walk through oak birch and hazel scrub. 

Other South Kerry trails, such as the Cailleach Béara Loop, Bonane, pass ancient sites. This, more strenuous 12km trail, passes a Mass rock, copper mines and Neolithic field systems. 

For those who want longer distances, the Kerry Way, at 200km, is one of Ireland’s lengthiest waymarked trails. It is broken down into nine stages, beginning and ending in the bustling town of Killarney and looping around the scenic Iveragh Peninsula.

The trail passes through a myriad of different landscapes immersing the walker in Kerry’s dramatic scenery and providing first-class walking experiences. 

Winter walkers in County Kerry will also be able to appreciate the wonders of the night sky as the county is the location of a Dark Sky Reserve. One of only three Gold Tier Dark Sky Reserves in the world, it is a place where aurora, airglow, Milky Way, zodiacal light and faint meteors can be viewed.

Another stellar reason to get out and about on the trails in gorgeous County Kerry.  

www.ireland.com
www.southkerry.ie/trails