Irelands Best National Park
In Killarney we stayed at the most quintessential Bed & Breakfast. For breakfast, we had the choice of an Irish Breakfast or porridge. Our host would chat with us and give us recommendations on the best things to do and sights to see. I enjoyed coming back to this Bed and Breakfast because it was cozy and comfortable, especially after walking and hiking so much.
Tip: Do yourself a favor and stay at as many Bed and Breakfast as you can while in Ireland. The Irish do Bed and Breakfast the best in my opinion. The Irish people are extremely nice and welcoming, and love to help.
Torc Waterfall
After breakfast, we started our first morning in Killarney going to Torc Waterfall. We hiked the Yellow Trail which brings you along the waterfall and to a higher vantage point that overlooks the surrounding landscape. The trail is about a mile long and will take you about 45 minutes to complete. Since it snowed a couple days prior, there was still snow on the surrounding mountain peaks. This made for some great photos and made the landscape that much more beautiful.
Muckross House & Gardens
After finishing our hike we made our way to Muckross House & Gardens. We decided to walk there from where our car was parked. I highly recommend walking to the Muckross as you will see some breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. Approaching the mansion was absolutely spectacular. The house is stunning and the gardens are extraordinary. We paid about 10 euros each to tour the house and gardens. Muckross House is a Victorian Mansion that was completed in 1843 and most notably in 1861 Queen Victoria visited the house. In preparation for her visit, they reworked the gardens extensively. The gardens at Muckross are to this day still one of the most beautiful gardens I have ever seen. Take your time wandering through the gardens and wonder at what life might have been like as the Lord or Lady of the house. After getting our fill of the gardens, we made our way back to the car to explore more of the National Park.
Ring of Kerry
We first made our way to Ladies View. Along the way we stopped numerous times to take pictures. Ladies View is one of the best known views in Killarney and for good reason, it is stunning. After soaking in the view, we made our way to Moll’s Gap. The road to Moll’s Gap can be dangerous as it is quite narrow, so be aware. Once you make it to the top though, the view is worth it. After Moll’s Gap we made our way back to Killarney and went to a local pub for some traditional Irish Stew and then settled down for the night.
Tip: Be prepared to stop a lot. You will spend more than a few hours driving along the N71 in the National Park. Bring a snack and take your time soaking in the views.
Muckross Abbey
We started the next day, much in the same way we started our first, being served breakfast by our Bed & Breakfast host and chatting about what to do and see. We started our day by visiting Muckross Abbey. Muckross Abbey is a Franciscan monastery founded in 1448. The abbey is well preserved and has a gorgeous cemetery with many of the graves being adorned with the traditional Celtic cross as a headstone. After spending the morning hours here, we made our way to Ross Castle.
Ross Castle
Ross castle was built in the 15 century and is a typical castle of what an Irish chieftain would have had in the middle ages. It sits right beside a lake and you can tour the grounds for free, it does cost to go inside the castle. Walk around the grounds and wonder at what life might have been like during the middle ages.
Gap of Dunloe
Our last stop before our next destination was the Gap of Dunloe. This place is an absolute must! We did about a 6-7 mile hike through the gap and it made for some incredible photos. There are stone bridges, old dilapidated buildings, beautiful lakes, and imposing mountains. Unfortunately, we were not able to finish the entire hike, because the rain started to dump on us. We made our way back to the car soaked, and changed before we went to a restaurant across the parking lot called Kate Kearney’s Cottage. There we ordered vegetable soup and brown bread to warm our bones. If you go to the Gap of Dunloe then make sure to finish here with a warm meal. From here we made our way to our next destination, the coast of Ireland.
