Travel Ireland! Part 2

 Kerry

In this blog I will be walking you through the best of what Kerry has to offer, from the spectacular views from the Ring of Kerry to Torc Waterfall. I you are going to travel Ireland then Kerry has to be on your list, you won't regret it! 

Dingle

Dingle is a small town located at the Southwest of Ireland. It is well know for its rugged scenery, trails and fabulous sandy beaches. And once you go, it'll be very hard to leave. Dingles mighty mountain is one of its main attraction points. The peninsulas spine is formed by a range of mountains, running from the Slieve Miss range to Conor Pass and Mount Mount Brandon. The glorious coastline is made of up several dramatic headlands broken by sandy beaches. 

 One of Dingles main attraction is one of its long time residents, Fungie the Dolphin. In this picturesque holiday town feel free to book a harbour cruise with Dingle Dolphin Tours and spot the local landmarks, sea brands, and incredible views of Valentia island and Carrauntoohill, Ireland highest mountain. This amazing 3 hour boat experience will no disappoint. It will cost 30 euro for children ages 2-12, and 50 euro for adults ages 13+. These tours are available every Saturday so make sure you go online to dingleboattours.com to get your tickets. 

It is also home to Dingle Oceanworld aquarium that has penguins, otters and sharks. A great place to bring the kids for some family fun. Here you can come face to face with these underwater creatures and get unclose and personal. At the touch tank, visitors can stroke friendly rays and even hold a starfish. Kids and adults will both enjoy this experience as you learn about the wanders of the sea. Pre booking is recommended although you can just walk in. Children under the age will go free, 4-16 year olds ticket will be 11.50 euro and an adult ticket is 16.50 euro. There is also a family ticket including 2 adults and 2 children for 52.00 euro. You can  go to dinglewolrdocean.ie to get your tickets and any other information you need. 

Ring of Kerry 

This adventure needs little introduction, the infamous Ring of Kerry is why so many people love to come to here. For those of you that don't know, the Ring of Kerry is a 180 kilometre long scenic drive that takes you along the rugged coastal landscapes and rural seaside villages. One of the top attractions around the Ring of Kerry is Killarney National Park. It covers 26,000 acres of County Kerry. The vast natural wonderland boasts some of the most spectacular scenery on the Emerald Isle. We're talking a mixture of sparkling lakes, towering mountains, thundering waterfalls, and dense forests. Along the way, why not visit Torc waterfall which tumbles about 20 meters to its base. There is also Muckross House and Gardens which boast a Victorian mansion dating back to the 19th century. With idyllic shores of Muckross Lake, it is one of the best places to visit on the Ring of Kerry.

Gap of Dunloe 

This is another one of Kerrys must sees (there's a lot of them) This is a 2 million year old marvel has been thrilling tourists and locals alike with its winding trails. The stunning glacial lakes, which are all connected by the River Loe, these were all created when a huge glacier broke off. You'll find the most popular start-point for the Gap of Dunloe at Kate Kearney's cottage which is a 15 minute drive from Killarney. At Kates cottage there is also free parking. I would although aim to do the Gap of Dunloe in the morning time, due to the small winding roads it would be wise to go at a quieter time of day to get around it easier. If you would rather do it with some guidance, there are many different Gap of Dunloe tours on offer where you can get a 7 mile jaunt on a pony and trap through the gap. 

Travel Ireland! Part 1

 Want to travel Ireland? Well here is your guide...

The North Coast

Explore the rugged beauty of Irelands North Coast along with some amazing food and drink, you'll want more than one day to take in such glorious surroundings. From an iconic site such as the Giants Causeway to the historic Dunluce Castle, ill walk you through some of the best spots this place has to offer. 

The Giants Causeway...

This is the North of Irelands most popular tourist attraction, it comprises of around 40,000 of mostly hexagonal columns descending gently into the sea. This large stretch of staircase shaped rocks in the result of cooled lava from volcanic eruptions that took place over 65 million years ago. Or, you can choose to believe the more interesting tale that the causeway was built by an Irish giant called Fionn Mac Cool. When challenged by the Scottish giant Benandonner, Finn built the causeway as a bridge to join Ireland and Scotland. After Finn outwitted Benandonner, Benandonner fled back to Scotland, destroying the causeway so Finn could not follow.   

The Giants Causeway itself is free to visit if you're walking, but if your driving and you want to park your car at the visitor centre, you need to pay for each person in your car. Now, not to worry there are ways that you can visit the giants causeway for free. But, if you do want to park in the visitor centre it £13 for an adult, £6.50 for a child and £32.50 for a family. A cheaper option although is to park at the Causeway Coastal car park and this will only cost you £5 to park here and then a 10 minute walk up the pathway to the visitor centre. 

The Giants Causeway is completely exposed so be prepared if the weather takes a turn for the worst and wrap up warm. The Giants Causeway is full of uneven surfaces so make sure that you are wearing comfortable footwear. Don't forget to stop into the visitor centre on your way. Inside they have a canteen, a souvenir shop and of course plenty of information in the Giants Causeway. Enjoy!

Mussenden Temple...

Mussenden Temple is located on the cliffs near Castlerock looking over the Atlantic Ocean. It is a small circular building looking over Castlerock beach with fabulous views that stretch over the whole of the North Coast of Ireland. The temple was built as a summer library in 1785 and it is dedicated to the memory of Frideswide Mussenden. Unfortunately you can not longer enter The Temple but, its surrounding views are among the most photographed scenes in Ireland and when you visit it will be very apparent why this is the case. 

The National Trust owns the Estate and they charge £7.20 for an adult, £3.60 for a child and £16.25 for a family, these can be got on the National Trust Website. There is a small car park at the start of the walk which is free. There is also toilets there that you can use and also a coffee hut in peek season. 

While you are there you can also visit The Devecote and Ice House. On the grounds there is also an enormous Manor House that the Earls once lived in, which you can walk around freely.  There is also the Walled garden  that once provided the fruit, vegetables, and herbs for the kitchen. It is a 2 mile walk all round an it is so worth it. You can even explore bit further and walk nearby Downhill beach and a short drive will also take you to beaches at Castlerock, Portrush or Portstewart.