Dingle Peninsula

About Dingle Peninsula

The Dingle Peninsula (Corca Dhuibhne in Irish, meaning "seed or tribe of Duibhne”) is located in County Kerry, at the Western most point of Ireland. It stretches 48 km (~30 mi) into the Atlantic Ocean and is dominated by an unnamed range of peaks running from the Slieve Mish range to Mount Brandon, Ireland’s second highest mountain. The rugged coastline is dotted with sandy beaches.

Flora and Fauna

The area is great for bird watchers: there are extensive sea bird colonies of storm petrels, shearwaters, terns, gulls and puffins. You may also see peregrine falcons and choughs on cliffs. Inland, whooper and mute swans make their home on Lough Gill and there’s a wide variety of wading birds and wildfowl such as Brent geese in winter, curlew, redshank and widgeon.

Activities

As well as extensive lanes and pathways away from traffic, there are two way marked routes, the Pilgrims Route (18 km / ~11 mi) which passes many of the early Christian sites for which the peninsula is famous; and the Dingle Way, a 153 km (95 mi) circular walking trail around the peninsula through hills and via coastal  paths. Horse riding and cycling are also catered for.

Sandy beaches are safe for swimming and other water sports – the peninsula is said to have the best surfing conditions in Ireland.

The peninsula is also the location of many prehistoric and early medieval remains including Ferriter's Cove, and Gallarus Oratory. There is a museum which explains the archaeology and history of the peninsula.