The Kerry Way - 5 Days & 4 Nights

Trip Style:

Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent holiday.

Activity:

Multi Centre Walking | You will spend multiple nights in one or more of the locations on this walking holiday

Grade & Terrain

This Kerry Way walking trip is graded easy to moderate with the exception of a more moderate walk to Glencar on Day 2 (21km) which can be completed at your own pace. The last two walks a more gentle with distances between 12-14km. It is advisable to do several longer walks to build up your fitness before setting off on any section of the Kerry Way. If you would like to have some flexibility it is possible to add some additional rest days, please let us know if this is of interest.

The Kerry Way uses a variety of routes, from forest tracks, farm tracks, and paths across moorland and fields to historic old roads through villages. Overall about 35% of the Kerry Way follows tarmac roads (also known as bitumen) which is less than most Irish national trails. This reflects the fact that rights of way are almost non-existent in Ireland. The road walking is scenic and mostly along quiet lanes with little traffic, although a few short sections are along busier main roads where extra care and attention are needed. 

If you are thinking of travelling solo, please consider that mobile phone coverage may be patchy in remote areas along the trail. We also welcome small groups on the trail, ideally no bigger than 6-8 travellers due to accommodation limitations in remote areas along the Kerry Way. Booking in advance is a must!

Navigation

The Kerry Way is a low-level walk that is waymarked throughout. Our recommended route and the general best practice is walking the Kerry Way circuit anti-clockwise. This way you start with the stages that are of modest length and by the time you encounter longer walking days, you will be well into your stride. You will be supplied with the Rucksack Readers guidebook and you will have access to the GPX tracks via the Macs Adventure smartphone app so you should have no problems following the route each day.

Please note hat depending on the time of year and recent weather, the trail may be boggy in places which could reduce your average walking speed. 

• 5 Nights in en suite rooms
• Door-to-door baggage transfers
• Transfer from Killarney to Black Valley (Day 3)
• A detailed information pack with guidebook and maps
• Access to the GPS tracks via the Macs Adventure smartphone app
• 24/7 Emergency telephone support in the event of any issues

• Travel to the start or from the finish of the walk
• Lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks
• Travel Insurance
• Personal Equipment
• Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage

• Extra nights before, during and after your walk.

When To Go

You can start the Kerry Way on any day of the week between April and October. Wintry conditions may be experienced at the start and towards the end of the season. July and August are the busiest months and accommodations tend to fill up fast. The ideal months are May/June and September which offer a quieter experience. If you are interested in walking the Kerry Way, we recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.

Weather and Climate

Irish weather is typically unpredictable year-round so be prepared for any conditions and you will be pleasantly surprised. It is important that you check the local weather forecast before setting off each day.

Getting to the Start

The Kerry Way conveniently start and finishes in Killarney and there are a number of different ways to get there. 

Flights are available to Kerry Airport with Ryanair from London Luton, London Stansted and Frankfurt. If you can't fly into Kerry Airport directly, there is an Aer Lingus flight between Dublin and Kerry Airport. There is a bus (25 mins) from Kerry Airport to Killarney. For bus timetables, check the website of Bus Eireann. 

You could also fly into Cork Airport with Aer Lingus from Bristol, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham. From Cork Airport it is a short bus ride (20 mins) to Cork Kent train station, then a 1h30-2hr train ride to Killarney. For train timetables, check the website of Irish Rail.

Another option is flying into Shannon Airport with Aer Lingus from Dublin, Bristol, Manchester, London Heathrow and Birmingham, as well as Boston and New York JFK. Ryanair fly to Shannon from Liverpool and London Stansted. Air Transat fly from Toronto and US Airways fly from Philadelphia to Shannon. From Shannon Airport take a bus (approx. 2h50-3h40, via Limerick) to Killarney.

It is also possible to take a ferry from Holyhead to Dublin, please check Irish Ferries for more information.

Getting from the End

There is a direct bus connection by intercity coach between Glenbeigh (Towers Hotel) and Killarney Bus Station. Please find more information on tickets and timetables on the Bus Eireann website which has a handy travel planning tool. 

Baggage Transfer

Daily door-to-door baggage transfers are included in the price of your trip. We ask you to keep your baggage to a maximum weight of 20 kilograms per item.

Although most airlines have a standard baggage allowance of 23kg, we kindly ask you to distribute any excess weight over a separate bag. Please note that 2 bags per person are allowed, meaning 4 bags per couple.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jackets and pants), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking/cycling gear such as good walking shoes or boots, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Equipment

Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes, and a day pack.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.