4 days in Ireland exploring the Dingle Peninsula

The wild scenery of Ireland make it a great destination for a scenic break hiking and kayaking. Get inspired for 4 days in Ireland exploring the Dingle Peninsula, Ring of Kerry, Gap of Dunloe, Killarney National Park and so much more. Enjoy Ireland’s wild coast, and of course the Irish pubs.

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I was in Ireland for one week – I spent 5 nights on the Dingle Peninsula and 3 nights in Connemara National Park and Killary Harbour. Read my blog on Connermara for travel tips for outdoor adventures there! Or if you fancy a trip to the capital city, read my blog on Dublin. I’d also recommend getting this great guide to help you plan your adventures in Ireland (affiliate).

 

Ireland – the ‘Emerald Isle’ as it’s known – is only an hour flight from the UK. To be honest, despite it being so close to the UK, Ireland had never been right at the top of my wish list. But the opportunity to go came one August, and the more I researched it, the more I loved the idea of going. My 4 days in Ireland exploring the Dingle Peninsula turned out to be amazing, and I’m so glad I went.

The weather in Ireland in August

First thing to point out – the weather was ok! I read a lot about how it rained in Ireland all the time, and yes there was some rain and not too many perfectly sunny days, but for what I wanted to do, the weather was nearly perfect. And being at the top of a mountain in a cloud just added to the experience and the views. As a skipper on a sailing trip once said, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad choice of clothing. So pack a rain coat and go!

Hiring a car in Ireland

Hiring a car is absolutely necessary to give you the freedom to explore the wilderness and fully enjoy your 4 days in Ireland exploring the Dingle Peninsula. There are lots of companies offering car rental from the airport. Just remember that Ireland drives on the left, like the UK, which might be a shock if you’re coming from mainland Europe or the USA!

Where to stay near Dingle

There are lots of different accommodation options for 4 days in Ireland exploring the Dingle Peninsula. There are small guesthouses and B&Bs, and you could hop around a couple of different ones. However, I chose to base myself in one cottage with amazing views across the bay, and it was lovely to have that to look forward to each evening, even if it meant some slightly longer driving days to get back to base. Here’s the view from the cottage – I think it’s safe to say when I first drove up here and saw the view that I’d have all to myself for 5 days, I was super excited and my camera got a lot of use that first evening…

And I was so excited by the view I went straight down to Inch Beach before unpacking.

Day 1: Dingle and the Dingle peninsula

Day 1, I decided to explore the Dingle Peninsula more. I drove down to Dingle, a cute village, and had time to explore the colourful streets and quirky shops.

Then I drove round to the end of the peninsula, for some amazing views.

The rain started coming in that afternoon, so what better to do when it starts raining than spend some time in a pub in Dingle. This was my first time trying Murphy’s, an Irish stout I’d seen around a lot. I wasn’t convinced by the slightly gravy-like texture of the first few sips, but quickly got used to it, and discovered I actually enjoy drinking stout ale.

Day 2: The Ring of Kerry

Day 2, I decided to drive around the Ring of Kerry.  The guidebooks all said this was easily do-able in a day. I did it in a day, and I took a few detours and spent time looking at viewpoints, but it was a long day of driving. I think in total I was out for about 8 hours, and struggling a bit by the end. The views were amazing and it was worth it, just be warned it’s a long day of driving.

Taking detours off the main road can be great, you can get to some really beautiful isolated areas and feel like you’re the only tourist who’s seen that place. And you never know who or what you’re going to see on one of your stops!

But be warned – the roads can get narrow. And on one of my detours, I literally got herded away, in my car, by two border collie sheep dogs. Don’t laugh, it literally happened. Here’s the picture to prove it.

Down a small narrow lane, these dogs would not let me pass their house, they just ran out barking and stood in front of the car. I ended up having to turn around (ever so slowly, as the dogs were constantly running around the car, and I didn’t want to run over any paws). Even when I was trying to drive back the way I came, I was surrounded and being barked at, and the tyres of the car were being nipped. So yes, in Ireland, two dogs win against a car…

This was my favourite viewpoint along the Ring of Kerry. One of those moments where you just turn the corner and your jaw drops, you say wow, then run out of the car with camera and selfie stick at the ready.

And more Ring of Kerry views, going through Killarney National Park.

Day 3: Killarney National Park and the Gap of Dunloe

Day 3, I went to Killarney National Park. First up, a walk to Torc Waterfall and around the forest.

Then over to Ross Castle on the edge of the lake.

Then one of my many highlights of the trip, kayaking on the lake. I booked a two-hour kayaking tour with Mor Active Tours and it was great, I highly recommend it. They provide wetsuits and all the equipment and take photos of your trip, the only thing you need to bring is swimming stuff to wear under the wetsuit, and trainers you don’t mind getting literally soaked (you need to walk in the lake up to your knees). Only thing I wish I’d known is that there aren’t any changing rooms, they just have a van full of wetsuits, so getting changed in the car was a bit interesting, but just added to the fun.

I probably had about 1 hour 30 on the water, which was a nice amount of time, and I was only in moderate pain by the end. I think a few more weeks (or months…or years…) at the gym are needed before I’d want to kayak for any longer!

After kayaking, I decided to go for a walk along the Gap of Dunloe to stretch out the aching muscles. I spent a lot of time before going researching the best way to see it (walk, car, or pony and cart). I decided to walk, and I’m glad I did. It was a fairly simple walk from the car park, it definitely wasn’t necessary to drive, and walking meant I got plenty of time to stop for many, many photos.

I probably walked for about an hour in each direction, and feel like I saw the best sights in that time. Definitely worth walking a bit further than the first bridge so you can see the lake view and reflections in the water.

Day 4: Inch Beach and the South Pole Inn

The weather was less good on day 4, but one of the advantages of having a cottage with amazing views is that you can still enjoy the views while spending time inside. I did have a trip down to the cold, rainy, windy Inch Beach, which was still lovely even in the rain. And then it seemed like the perfect weather for a refreshing swim in the sea… let’s just say it was cold and the waves were pretty big, but at least it doesn’t matter that it’s raining when you’re in the sea and wet anyway!

After a long, hot shower, I felt I needed to try my first Guinness. In a small village called Annascaul, there’s the South Pole Inn, a pub where the Antarctic explorer Tom Crean planned his expeditions with Scott and Shackleton. (It’s not the only pub in the area – I counted 7 pubs, and only around 11 houses in the village). The inside of the pub is decorated with pictures of South Pole expeditions, and it’s a great place to eat and drink surrounded by so much history (and yes I did order two beers…just in case I didn’t like the Guinness! But luckily I did so I got to drink both!)

And that was the end of my time on the Dingle Peninsula! Some really amazing scenery. But my trip wasn’t over yet. Day 5 was a long day of driving, and Day 6 I began my adventures in Connemara National Park.

Head over to my Connemara blog to read more about this amazing country! And make sure you check out this great guide to Ireland (affiliate), and check out my Dublin blog if you want an extra few days in the capital city.