Dingle Way
Annual Closure Notice:
Some of the property traversed by the Dingle Way is private property. Access is available by kind permission of all the landowners/holders on the route. It is understood that persons entering do so by permission with the consent of the landowner and no matter how often they enter, or in what numbers, they do not do so as of right. As further evidence of the permissive nature of the access, the route will be closed for one day on the 28th February each year in agreement with the landowners. Nothing in this notice shall impact or address any pre-existing public rights of way.
Fógra:
Is maoin phríobháideach é cuid den mhaoin a thrasnaíonn Slí Chorca Dhuibhne. Tá rochtain ar fáil de réir cead dea-mhéine ó na húinéirí/sealbhóirí talún go léir ar an mbealach. Tuigtear go ndéanann daoine a théann isteach amhlaidh trí chead le toiliú an úinéara talún agus is cuma cé chomh minic a théann siad isteach, nó cén líon daoine, nach ndéanann siad amhlaidh ó cheart. Mar fhianaise bhreise ar chineál ceadaitheach na rochtana, dúnfar an bealach ar feadh lá amháin ar an 28ú Feabhra gach bliain i gcomhaontú leis na húinéirí talún. Ní dhéanfaidh aon ní san fhógra seo tionchar ná aghaidh a thabhairt ar aon chearta slí poiblí atá ann cheana.
The Dingle peninsula, the northernmost of County Kerry's peninsulas, stretches nearly 50 kilometres into the Atlantic, and is 21 kilometres wide at its broadest. It is a dramatic and varied landscape of coastal plains, sandy beaches, mountains and lakes. The Dingle Way is a circular route beginning and ending in the town of Tralee that takes in all of these wonderments along the route. Leaving Tralee the route climbs onto the flanks of the Slieve Mish and contours westwards before crossing the peninsula to the scenic Inch beach on Dingle Bay. The route then meanders westwards by the villages of Anascaul and Lispole to the famed town of Dingle, where many walkers will want to stay a while and enjoy the good food, good music and craic. West of Dingle is the most dramatic part of the Way, an exciting coastal trek around the westernmost point of Ireland and a return leg over a saddle below Kerry's holy mountain, Brandon, and on to Tralee by the shore. Terrain consists mainly of quiet tarmac roads, mountain, field and cliff paths, and over 20km of good beach walking. The aggregate ascent over the route is 2480m, and although there are some short steep ascents, there are no significant steep climbs. Overnight accommodation is plentiful. The route is steeped in history and scattered with the ruins of ancient dwellings, forts, churches, and castles, and because of its circular layout, can be easily sampled in sections.
Maps and other information
External Links
Trail Management
The Dingle Way, Páirc Ghnó Údarás na Gaeltachta, An Daingean, Co Chiarraí. Phone: 085 8212835 Email: hello@thedingleway.ie.
Facilities
Car parking
At Start/Finish - in Prince's Street car park in Tralee (charge)
76 kms or 47% of the Way follows local roads. There are trail surface quality issues at some points along the trail and there may also be some waymarking issues.
Between Lispole and Dingle walkers may encounter loose dogs at the house before Devane's Guest House.
***Dogs not permitted on the Dingle Way***
Map Guides
EastWest Mapping - Dingle Way 1:40,000 | Email: info@eastwestmapping.ie
The Dingle Way Companion (by Tony O'Callaghan). The Dingle Way (by Rucksack Readers) - available from Rucksack Readers, Landrick Lodge, Dunblane, FK15 Ohy, UK +44 (0) 1786 824 696
OSI Maps
Public Transportation
At Start: Extensive bus service Check with Bus Eireann.
Rail Check with Iarnrod Eireann.
At End: Daily bus service Check with Bus Eireann.
David from Galway
Day 1: Tralee to Derrymore
The start point was right beside St. John's church and I picked up my Camino passport. The day was overcast and I was to make it to my b&b in Derrymore.
I got a little confused on where to go from St. John's church but eventually got going with some pleasant surprises on the way during the initial departure from Tralee. Firstly, a Ross of Tralee statue and with the names of all past winners listed on glass plaques encircling the statue. The next being Neil Armstrong Way! How did I miss that the First Man was an honorary visitor to Tralee in 1997?! An Chead Fearr.
After that I made my way to Blennerville and walked through the town without going up to the windmill. It wasn't operating and the visitor was closed. The trail turns on to back roads, passing a GAA pitch and a rural residential area before it steps up into the mountainside.
I was impressed with the condition of the trail. It reminded me of the Maumeen trail in Connemara. It started snowing but the snow was directed at my back. I came upon my first wild stamping station but unfortunately it was empty. On the bench beside the stamping station somebody had scratched out "God" from "God be with you" in the translation of the Irish Dia duit. I found this act of vandalism disrespectful as, after all, it is a pilgrim path.
The going was good and I was making good progress. I could see a very large and snow capped mountain on my left hand side. I met a hillwalking group and we exchanged pleasantries. I remarked on how good the trail was but they warned me about how mucky it would get at Killelton and advised me to " go up on the field".
There were many streams and rivers to cross and luckily there was great infrastructure provided by way of bridges big and small. I eventually made it to my B&B whereby I was greeted by a very friendly Estonian lady. She dropped me to Fitzgerald's pub whereby I could get something to eat and a great pint of Guinness with an amazing view of Tralee bay!
The pub owner very kindly dropped me home. I was taken back by the friendliness of the Kerry people.
Day 2: I had been woken up by howling gales and lashing rain during the night and I knew that it was promised a wet day. I set off at 10am from Derrymore to Inch beach.
Returning to the trail from Derrymore I made it to the oratory at Killelton without much trouble. That wasn't to last. From the Killelton church ruins to crossing the Finglas river must be the toughest and most mentally and physically challenging stretch of walking I have ever done. If it had been dry, I think it would have been more reasonable, but I was dealing with the aftermath of the torrential rain the night before. The trail was like a river and initially I was coping well, even self motivating myself by playing that game "the floor is lava" by challenging myself to find stepping stone paths to maintain my dry state.
At one point I took the advice of the hill walkers the day before by going up on a farm field instead of traversing a muddy drove path.
However, I eventually hit a very unpassable situation. I crossed a style by a farm gate on the cattle drove path and it was completely flooded, perhaps a foot deep in water. I decided to try and create a way by going up on the verge which meant climbing over a tree. This turned out to be folly as I fell backwards off the tree and into flooded path.
I let out a big scream in anguish at this point and got up quickly and fast tracked myself through the unpassable passage of water.
There was a pattern to the challenges that the trail would present, demanding me to go into creative problem solving mode followed by rewarding relatively dry patches.
On the approach to the river crossing at Finglas river, I met a local man out walking. He was holding an umbrella and we got chatting. I told him I was from Galway, he told me he was from Clare originally. I spoke about my Clare ancestry. He said that I probably wouldn't be able to cross as the "river was high" and the stepping stones were under water. With no bridge option, I asked him what the alternative was. He told me, going around by Camp "but it would be a very long walk". I wasn't in the mood for extra road kilometers so I made a quick assessment of the stepping stones situation and decided to just go for it. I would not recommend it! Had it not been for the support guide rope, I probably would have ended up in the river. It took me 10 seconds, but I got across with the penalty being soaked boots. Had I been with another person, I would not have crossed for I would have been advocating on behalf of their safety. Alot of drama had happened and I hadn't even reached the end of day 1 yet!
After resting and squeezing my socks, I proceeded up the narrow gauntlet which reached a tarmac road. I was never so glad to see a road! Shortly after that, I got to the end of day 1 point with a sign directing either to Camp Upper or Camp Lower. I took Camp Upper and the trail continued on bohreens which gave the gore tex in my boots ample opportunity to push the water out.
The trail swings left and then down a long farm in an area known as Slieve East. I could see a big Slieve on my left covered in snow. I also got my first view of the direction to Inch.
This section was straightforward but monotonous and my mind was wandering elsewhere. After passing through a forest plantation, I eventually emerge down a back road and then cross the main road to Inch, taking another bohreen above the main road.
The bohreen eventually gives was to the last stretch of farm land walking after which I emerge from and can see Inch beach in all it's glory! I finish the day in the B&B at 2pm before the afternoon wind and rain batters the peninsula.
Day 3: Inch to Annascaul
I awake to a very tranquil morning and looking out the window at Inch beach, I see the MacGillycuddy reeks, snow capped and perfectly visible. So that was the view I was missing yesterday! After breakfast I go down to the beach to take some photos and then start my journey to Annascaul.
Annascaul is only less than 6kms away and the track is mainly bohreen and green road and I don't face any obstacles that I did the day before. In fact I enjoy it, mainly due to the amazing views that I am treated to. On the approach to Annascaul there are different mountains to view and I suspect I see Mount Brandon far out in the distance. I arrive at Annascaul within 1hr and a half after leaving Inch; I visit the park with Tom Crean statues, the South Pole Inn and get a coffee in a pottery cafe before getting the bus back to Tralee.
Overall, I was glad I did the hike. Better weather would have made it more enjoyable but tougher weather and conditions make you a better, more resilient hiker. I will definitely come back and do more days on the Dingle Way now that I know the lay of the land.