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My hiking holidays in Ireland. With my friend Theresa we surrounded the Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry, in the southwest of Ireland. We did a 5-day hiking tour, walking part of the Dingle-Way.

1st day: from Dingle to Dunquin

distance: about 20 km, 7 hours

First we followed a tarmac road. Then we followed this quite muddy way which led up a hill. Here we met a nude walker, only wearing hiking boots and his rucksack. He was very embarrased, he probably didn't expect to meet anybody, and apologised.

The way led us down the hill again and we reached Ventry where we had lunch.

After that we walked along Ventry Beach and later on tarmac roads again.

Along the road we had a very nice view of impressive cliffs.

The last part was up a hill again, walking over a sheep pasture.

We had the chance to see some ruins called Clocháns (or beehive huts). They were probably built from some pre-Christian shepherds or settlers.

We enjoyed a great view of the Blasket Islands and Slea Head.

We walked into Dunquin by the road, crossed a river and reached our Hostel (An Oige Hostel, 15-17€ in a dorm).

2nd day: from Dunquin to Feohanagh

distance: about 20 km, 7 hours

We started from the hostel walking a bit up the hill. Our way was very even, so we could relax a bit. ;-)

Soon we reached a small patch of beach with crystal clear water and fine white sand, surrounded by cliffs. The beaches of this part of Ireland are said to be the cleanest.

After we left the beach there was a way mark missing and we turned the wrong way, which lead us to a farm. This track seemed to be usually used by cows because we had to walk through some inches of cow excrements. Luckily noone of us fell into the shit. ;-)

The next part was a very dramatic and impressive one. We walked along great cliffs with sheep running around (well, ok, they were fleeing from us. But sheep are quite dumb anyway. ;-)).

Here we finally reached Feohanagh, which was more a gathering of houses than a town.

We stayed at a very small and neat B&B (25€ per person). The only problem was dinner. The pub only had food until 5 p.m. (despite the sign saying "food and snacks served all day"). So we went to a very posh and expensive restaurant we passed before. They didn't have a free table because it was saturday night. But they offered us to sit outside (in the "garden"). There they set a picnic table for us. We had a very nice view of the three sisters (see background of photo) and enjoyed the sunset.

3rd day: from Feohanagh to Cloghane

distance: about 20 km, 7 1/2 hours

We started off to climb Mt. Brandon. The first part was very even. We walked along sheep pastures again. It was quite muddy though.

The view from Mt. Brandon was great. We did not go up the top though (952m), but crossed it at some 700 metres.

At the top stands an Ogham stone. This stone is probably a memorial of someone. There are notches along the side which represent letters of the ancient Ogham alphabet and stand for a name. 20 letters of the Ogham alphabet have already been identified.

At the top of the pass there was a quite cold wind and it started to drizzle a bit. The way down was very steep and muddy and we had to be cautious not to slip (I did slip anyway). We reached Brandon Village and decided to hichhike the rest of the way, which were about 2 miles along tarmac roads.

Because the hostel in Cloghane had no vacancies we stayed at a B&B, the Mount Brandon Lodge. We paid 35€ each. The Breakfast was terrific there.

We had dinner at an Irish pub in Cloghane.

4th day: from Cloghane to Castlegregory

distance: about 13 km, 4 hours

We shortcutted the way and walked directly from Cloghane to Castlegregory. We didn't really want to do all the beach walking up to Fahamore and Kilshannig and another reason was that we wanted to visit the cheese dairy in Kilcummin. But there we met a guy who just left and told us there was noone in the cheese dairy. The day was quite boring though. We only walked along tarmac roads and our feet got real sore from the hard underground.

In Castlegregory we stayed at Fitzgerald's Euro Hostel (15€ p.P.). We were the only ones in the whole hostel. The light in the hallway didn't work either so it was a bit weird.

5th day: from Castlegregory to Camp

distance: 9 km, 2 3/4 hours

The first part of the way was along a small tarmac road and after that we reached the beach.

We actually planned to walk along the beach until Camp but someone told us there is a river which gets quite deep in places (probably up to 5 feet). So we had to walk back a bit to a bridge where we crossed the river and followed another tarmac road (this one was quite big and busy) again until we reached Camp.

In Camp we catched the bus to Tralee where we stayed at Finnegans Hostel (17€ p.P. incl. breakfast).

	1st day: from Dingle to Dunquin distance: about 20 km, 7 hours First we followed a tarmac road. Then we followed this quite muddy way which led up a hill. Here we met a nude walker, only wearing hiking boots and his rucksack. He was very embarrased, he probably didn't expect to meet anybody, and apologised.
The way led us down the hill again and we reached Ventry where we had lunch.

After that we walked along Ventry Beach and later on tarmac roads again.

	Along the road we had a very nice view of impressive cliffs.
	The last part was up a hill again, walking over a sheep pasture.
We had the chance to see some ruins called Clocháns (or beehive huts). They were probably built from some pre-Christian shepherds or settlers.
	We enjoyed a great view of the Blasket Islands and Slea Head.
We walked into Dunquin by the road, crossed a river and reached our Hostel (An Oige Hostel, 15-17€ in a dorm).
	2nd day: from Dunquin to Feohanagh distance: about 20 km, 7 hours We started from the hostel walking a bit up the hill. Our way was very even, so we could relax a bit. ;-)
Soon we reached a small patch of beach with crystal clear water and fine white sand, surrounded by cliffs. The beaches of this part of Ireland are said to be the cleanest.

	After we left the beach there was a way mark missing and we turned the wrong way, which lead us to a farm. This track seemed to be usually used by cows because we had to walk through some inches of cow excrements. Luckily noone of us fell into the shit. ;-)
The next part was a very dramatic and impressive one. We walked along great cliffs with sheep running around (well, ok, they were fleeing from us. But sheep are quite dumb anyway. ;-)).

	Here we finally reached Feohanagh, which was more a gathering of houses than a town.
We stayed at a very small and neat B&B (25€ per person). The only problem was dinner. The pub only had food until 5 p.m. (despite the sign saying "food and snacks served all day"). So we went to a very posh and expensive restaurant we passed before. They didn't have a free table because it was saturday night. But they offered us to sit outside (in the "garden"). There they set a picnic table for us. We had a very nice view of the three sisters (see background of photo) and enjoyed the sunset.
	3rd day: from Feohanagh to Cloghane distance: about 20 km, 7 1/2 hours We started off to climb Mt. Brandon. The first part was very even. We walked along sheep pastures again. It was quite muddy though.


The view from Mt. Brandon was great. We did not go up the top though (952m), but crossed it at some 700 metres.

	At the top stands an Ogham stone. This stone is probably a memorial of someone. There are notches along the side which represent letters of the ancient Ogham alphabet and stand for a name. 20 letters of the Ogham alphabet have already been identified.
At the top of the pass there was a quite cold wind and it started to drizzle a bit. The way down was very steep and muddy and we had to be cautious not to slip (I did slip anyway). We reached Brandon Village and decided to hichhike the rest of the way, which were about 2 miles along tarmac roads. Because the hostel in Cloghane had no vacancies we stayed at a B&B, the Mount Brandon Lodge. We paid 35€ each. The Breakfast was terrific there.
	We had dinner at an Irish pub in Cloghane.
4th day: from Cloghane to Castlegregory distance: about 13 km, 4 hours We shortcutted the way and walked directly from Cloghane to Castlegregory. We didn't really want to do all the beach walking up to Fahamore and Kilshannig and another reason was that we wanted to visit the cheese dairy in Kilcummin. But there we met a guy who just left and told us there was noone in the cheese dairy. The day was quite boring though. We only walked along tarmac roads and our feet got real sore from the hard underground.
In Castlegregory we stayed at Fitzgerald's Euro Hostel (15€ p.P.). We were the only ones in the whole hostel. The light in the hallway didn't work either so it was a bit weird.
	5th day: from Castlegregory to Camp distance: 9 km, 2 3/4 hours The first part of the way was along a small tarmac road and after that we reached the beach.
We actually planned to walk along the beach until Camp but someone told us there is a river which gets quite deep in places (probably up to 5 feet). So we had to walk back a bit to a bridge where we crossed the river and followed another tarmac road (this one was quite big and busy) again until we reached Camp. In Camp we catched the bus to Tralee where we stayed at Finnegans Hostel (17€ p.P. incl. breakfast).