Mountains, lakes, and Atlantic edges around the Iveragh Peninsula
The Kerry Way is a long-distance self-guided travel route linking walking routes, landscapes, and places around the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, south-west Ireland, forming a continuous loop that begins and ends in Killarney. Following old drovers’ roads, mountain tracks, and coastal paths, the trail connects lakes, passes, valleys, and small towns through one of Ireland’s most varied upland and Atlantic landscapes.
Walking here is shaped by height and distance rather than technical ground. Paths climb gradually onto open hills, cross bog and pasture, then descend into sheltered glens where rivers and woodland gather around farms and villages. Progress follows the contours of the land, rising onto exposed ridges before easing back toward water and settlement.
Mountains define much of the interior. The MacGillycuddy’s Reeks form a constant presence to the west, their slopes and corries visible across wide valleys and lakes. Higher sections feel remote and windswept, with long views across peatland and stone, while lower stretches pass through oak woodland, fields, and quiet lanes.
As the route approaches the Atlantic, the character shifts again. Headlands and sandy bays appear between hills, and the walking alternates between inland tracks and shoreline sections shaped by tide and weather. Light changes quickly across the coast, and the sea remains visible for long stretches of the day.
Towns and villages sit at regular intervals around the peninsula. Glencar, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Sneem, Kenmare, and Killarney provide natural pauses between longer stages, their streets, bridges, and quays forming part of the route itself. These places offer continuity rather than interruption, woven into the rhythm of the walk.
Mountain, lake, and sea shape this circular journey — a steady passage around Kerry’s uplands and Atlantic edge, where the path follows the grain of the landscape back to its starting point.
Trail Overview
Distance
Approx. 133 miles / 214 km
Typical time on foot
9–11 days
Start / Finish
Killarney, County Kerry
Terrain
Mountain paths, bogland tracks, woodland trails, farmland lanes, valleys, and coastal sections
Waymarking
National Waymarked Trail symbols
