Dingle Way Short Break
- Hike the best of Ireland’s Dingle Way staying in stylish hotels with great locations
- Learn about the rich local heritage visiting ancient archaeological sites
- Enjoy fresh seafood, traditional Irish music and a pint of Guinness in a local pub
- Listen to the locals in area where the Irish language is still widely spoken
- A chance to visit the Blasket Islands, the most westerly part of Ireland
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Dingle townBegin your Irish adventure on the Dingle Peninsula with a transfer from Kerry Airport to your first accommodation in Dingle. (duration: 60 min)
This town is renowned for its local music, seafood, and culture. With some 53 pubs you will be spoiled for choice on where to go for a pint of the “black stuff” (Guinness) tonight!
The Dingle Benners is a charming and elegant 3* hotel, offering you the best of two worlds; traditional Irish hospitality with comfort and modern facilities. Centrally located in Dingle town, this is the ideal place to set off and sample the Irish cuisine in the local restaurants and pubs. The rooms are all ensuite and have tea/coffee making facilities, as well as satellite TV.
The Dingle Bay Hotel is a comfortable and friendly family-run hotel in the heart of Dingle town next to the marina. Expect a traditional Irish family welcome combined with modern facilities and comfort. The spacious bedrooms include Wi-Fi, underfloor heating in the bathrooms, multichannel TV and tea and coffee making facilities. This is the perfect place to unwind after a day of exploring the Dingle Peninsula.
This morning after a hearty breakfast, a transfer (duration: 30 min) brings you to Slea Head, where you begin today’s walk. This walk is a true highlight of your trip starting with views of the Blasket Islands. Pass a collection of ‘beehive huts’ dating back to 6000 BC. This is just one example of a rich collection of ancient archaeological sites on the Dingle Peninsula. On your walks you will come across standing stones, pre-historic monuments, and beehive huts which are dry-stone huts with corbeled roofs.
This section of the Dingle Way also has you walking on one of the most beautiful sections of the coastline along the glorious golden sands of Ventry. With uninterrupted Atlantic views, you will find peace of mind here. It is possible to shorten your walk by getting a local bus from Ventry to Dingle town, reducing your day to 11km (7 mi).
Tonight why not try some traditional Irish stew or freshly-landed fish in one of the many local restaurants?
Slea Head to Dingle Town: 19.5km, Ascent/Descent: +303m/-353m
Slea Head to Ventry: 11km, Ascent/Descent: +182m/-228m
The Dingle Benners is a charming and elegant 3* hotel, offering you the best of two worlds; traditional Irish hospitality with comfort and modern facilities. Centrally located in Dingle town, this is the ideal place to set off and sample the Irish cuisine in the local restaurants and pubs. The rooms are all ensuite and have tea/coffee making facilities, as well as satellite TV.
The Dingle Bay Hotel is a comfortable and friendly family-run hotel in the heart of Dingle town next to the marina. Expect a traditional Irish family welcome combined with modern facilities and comfort. The spacious bedrooms include Wi-Fi, underfloor heating in the bathrooms, multichannel TV and tea and coffee making facilities. This is the perfect place to unwind after a day of exploring the Dingle Peninsula.
Charming Dingle town has long attracted artists, craftspeople, and musicians who can be found in little workshops, museums, and at unforgettable traditional music sessions throughout Dingle's local pub scene. Today can be spent exploring this thriving community and the heart of one of Ireland's most popular “Gaeltacht” areas. You can hear one of Europe's oldest languages in wide use.
Spend the day exploring the Blasket Islands, a short ferry ride from Dingle Marina. Or head to Inch Beach, one of Ireland's longest beaches, with its golden sands and windswept dunes. You may want to pick up some locally produced ice cream from Murphy's or a picnic lunch from artisan bakery Bácús. Explore some of Dingle's varied shops, such as The Weavers Shop, where you can find designer handwoven linen, woolen scarves, and throws. Whatever you decide to do, Dingle town does not disappoint!
If you are interested in exploring the Blasket Islands, there are a couple of options depending on your choice of activity. Passenger ferries and guided boat tours operate from the mainland to Great Blasket Island during Spring, Summer, and Autumn (weather permitting). You will receive further information upon booking.
Great Blasket Loop Walk (optional): 7.5km, ascent/descent: +275m/-275m
The Dingle Benners is a charming and elegant 3* hotel, offering you the best of two worlds; traditional Irish hospitality with comfort and modern facilities. Centrally located in Dingle town, this is the ideal place to set off and sample the Irish cuisine in the local restaurants and pubs. The rooms are all ensuite and have tea/coffee making facilities, as well as satellite TV.
The Dingle Bay Hotel is a comfortable and friendly family-run hotel in the heart of Dingle town next to the marina. Expect a traditional Irish family welcome combined with modern facilities and comfort. The spacious bedrooms include Wi-Fi, underfloor heating in the bathrooms, multichannel TV and tea and coffee making facilities. This is the perfect place to unwind after a day of exploring the Dingle Peninsula.
After a short transfer (duration: 25 min), you arrive in the delightful village of Dunquin situated at the most westerly tip of the Dingle Peninsula and the last stop before reaching America. The Blasket Islands can be seen 3 miles offshore and Dunquin itself is often referred to as "the next parish to America". It is also renowned for its scenery and its surviving Gaelic culture. Here there are rugged cliffs that make up the coastline.
A great, invigorating day’s walking along the coastal paths, with outstanding views of the wild Atlantic Ocean and secluded beaches. Perhaps stop at the workshop of renowned Irish potter Louis Mulcahy at Clothar, where you can enjoy coffee and cake in the café or even try your hand at the craft yourself (open July/August).
Ascent/Descent: +133m/-123m
The Ceann Sibeal Hotel is a family-run hotel in the small village of Ballyferriter. There are 26 comfortable bedrooms, of which many have great views over the surrounding area. The hotel has a bar and restaurant, where you can enjoy the Irish hospitality and live music at weekends and in peak season during the week. The rooms and hallways have been tastefully decorated with paintings from local artists from the area.
An included private transfer brings you to Kerry Airport or Tralee bus/train station for your onward journey.
This trip has a carbon score of 9kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 9kg is equivalent to 5.5 avocados. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information on how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?With the perfect balance of hiking, scenery and culture and stays in wonderful, hand-picked and friendly hotels, this is the perfect escape to Ireland’s Dingle Peninsula. This 5-day easy to moderately-rated tour may be combined with another tour if you have time, or be part of an extended trip to Ireland if you are coming from afar.
Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.
Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.
Solo Travellers
The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years
We have created this itinerary to showcase the best walks and to create the perfect balance of hiking and sightseeing. While the walks are less challenging than if you were to walk the whole of the Dingle Way, they still offer magnificent views and you will really get a feel for this stunning area of Ireland.
This itinerary is rated easy to moderate. On most days you will be walking on good terrain which may include forest tracks, boardwalks, beaches, and country roads. The route is mostly flat except for the longest day when walking from Slea Head to Dingle. This walk is one of the absolute highlights of this trip starting with far-reaching views of the Blasket Islands and passing the golden sands of Ventry. This walk can be reduced to 11km by taking a local bus from Ventry to Dingle town and cutting out the final stretch. Please view your day-by-day itinerary for more details.
This trail uses a variety of walking surfaces ranging from dirt trails, country roads, and sandy beaches. We have tried to avoid road walking as much as possible, however, some of the walks do have occasional walking on paved roads. Most of the road walking occurs between Tralee and Dingle, so on this itinerary, we have avoided most of it to enhance your experience. Walking on minor roads reflects the fact that public “rights of way” are almost non-existent in Ireland, like many other Irish trails. The road walking is scenic and mostly along quiet lanes, however, there are from time to time some busier stretches where you will need to be cautious with traffic.
You will be spending three nights in Dingle town and one night in Ballyferriter. We have carefully selected hotels that we know you're going to love. You can expect a warm welcome from friendly hosts, a good night's rest, traditional hospitality, and delicious full Irish breakfasts.
Additional Nights
Many of our clients choose to add extra nights along the walk to sample more of the wonderful walking and attractions available on the Dingle Peninsula. Please contact our team should you wish to add extra nights along the way. We can also arrange an extra night in Dublin before or after your tour should you wish to fly into or out of Dublin.
Single Rooms & Solo Walkers
We will be happy to accommodate your party with single rooms if requested, and a single supplement applies. This trip is also available to solo walkers, and a supplement is again payable (as some costs are not shared). Please note that singles may not be of the same standard as twins/doubles.
Meals
A hearty-cooked breakfast is served each morning. They are typically served family-style and range from eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, cheese, yogurt, and coffee/tea with traditional Irish favorites such as black pudding. Lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Most of your accommodations will be more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Alternatively, you can buy lunch at local shops or stop in a café if available.
The Dingle Way is well way marked throughout the route with a yellow symbol with a walker on it. Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure Smartphone App which has maps, GPS tracks, and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation will be simple, and you can’t get lost.
- Overnights in hand-picked hotels
- Breakfasts
- Luggage transfers
- Transfers to walks as listed in the itinerary
- Transfers to and from Kerry Airport or Tralee bus/train station
- A detailed Trip Information Pack
- Access to Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
- 24/7 telephone support from our UK office
- Travel insurance (required)
- Travel to and from Kerry Airport/Tralee
- Lunches, dinners, snacks, and drinks
- Ferry crossing or boat tours to the Blasket Islands
- Extra nights
This walking tour is best enjoyed between April and September. In our opinion, one of the best times to visit this region is in spring when colourful wildflowers are in bloom and the beaches look incredible at this time of year. July and August are the busiest months and accommodations tend to fill up fast, but you can appreciate long hours of daylight. For a quieter experience, September is an ideal month, and it has the advantage of the crowds beginning to thin.
Irish weather is typically unpredictable year-round so be prepared for any conditions and you will be pleasantly surprised. No matter what month you choose to travel, being near the coast means it can get wet and windy at any time of year. It is important that you check the local weather forecast before setting off each day.
Getting to Dingle
You can fly into either Dublin Airport or Shannon Airport from the United States. From Shannon Airport take a bus (approx. 2h50-3h15, via Cork) to Tralee
If you fly into Dublin you can get a connecting flight to Kerry Airport on Aer Lingus. From Kerry Airport a private transfer is included to your first accommodation in Dingle. You can also take a bus or train to Tralee from the center of Dublin. We can also offer a transfer from Tralee bus or train station to your accommodation in Dingle.
For more travel information regarding trains and other public transportation options please check the Transport for Ireland website. Another great website for checking out your travel options is rome2rio. This website gives you different ideas and you can choose which option works best for you and your travel plans.
From your last hotel a transfer is included to Kerry Airport or back to Tralee bus or train station.
From your last hotel a transfer is included to Kerry Airport or back to Tralee bus or train station.
Daily door-to-door luggage transfers are included in the price of your trip, allowing you to set off on each walk carrying a light backpack.
At Macs Adventure we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Ninety-nine percent of the time they will only transfer one bag per person, but the allowed weight ranges from anything between 15 and 20kg per bag, depending on the tour you are taking. We do not have control over the limits that these providers set. Therefore, it is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags (including shopping bags or boots) and if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees) which we must respect.
On this trip, we ask you to keep your luggage to a maximum weight of 18 kilograms per item. Please note that 1 bag per person is allowed.
The distances and descents / ascents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necesssary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking/ cycling gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
This itinerary is rated easy to moderate. On most days you will be walking on good terrain which may include forest tracks, board walks, beaches and on back country roads. The route is undulating and the most challenging day is the walk from Slea Head to Dingle when you have an elevation gain of 1200 ft. The other day’s elevation gains are anywhere between 170 ft and 550 ft
This trail uses a variety of walking surfaces ranging from dirt trails, country roads and sandy beaches. We have tried to avoid road walking as much as possible, however some of the walks do have occasional walking on paved roads. The most road walking occurs between Tralee and Dingle, so we have avoided most of this on this “best of” itinerary. Walking on minor roads reflects the fact that public “rights of way” are almost non-existent in Ireland, and this in common with other Irish trails. The road walking is scenic and mostly along quiet lanes, however there are from time to time some busier stretches where you will need to be cautious with traffic.
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