At 230km, it’s the longest of the Irish Waymarked Trails

The Kerry Way, at 230km the longest of the Irish Waymarked Trails, is a circular route that circumnavigates the Iveragh peninsula, starting and finishing in Killarney, and also passing through the Skellig Coast towns of Cahersiveen and Waterville. The landscape the route passes through is very varied, from the lakes of Killarney to high and remote mountain moorland: Carrauntoohil and Caher tower over the route west of Black Valley and the return leg passes along the startlingly contrasting semi-tropical, palm-treed south coast.

Terrain consists mainly of quiet tarmac roads, open moorland, woodland and field paths and boreens. Some sections of the open moorland can be very isolated, and off-road sections can often be very wet and muddy. Aggregate ascent over the whole route is about 5400m, and there are some sustained and quite steep climbs. The highest point on the Way is 385m above sea-level, at Windy Gap between Glenmore and Caherdaniel There are some long stretches between overnight accommodation possibilities, and walkers should plan their days carefully to take these into consideration: public transport options are very good.

The Kerry Way is well signposted and well developed. The hike does not require any special knowledge and is therefore also suitable for beginners with good physical fitness. Nevertheless, rustic paths await you, which can be muddy and humid, especially after the frequent rains. Thanks to the mild climate, you can plan the long distance hike all year round, although it is particularly beautiful in spring and autumn

Download a brochure with all South Kerry Trails here: https://www.southkerry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/South-Kerry-Trails-Web-Standard.pdf