Welcome to our very first OUTWEST blog post! We are keeping it simple at the start and sharing some of our favourite hikes right here on our doorstep!
Firstly, while on any adventures please be careful & respectful of the land, the landowners and any farm animals! Finally, make sure to leave no trace & keep our beautiful peninsula nice and clean!
So here we go & in no particular order or preference, our favourite Hikes & Trail Runs On The Dingle Peninsula! We love them all by the way! We have also provided an AllTrails link where possible!
Dingle Harbour & Lighthouse Trail
If you want to get away to somewhere quite it is the perfect spot!
Locally know as a run or walk out “The Banks” you can park at our near the Skellig Hotel! From there you will see the castle in the distance! This know as Husseys Folly, built in the year 1845 during the famine it is a prominent feature in Dingle Harbour!
Fungi the Dolphin was often seen around these parts! He spent much of his time around the mouth of the harbour!
After Husseys Folly you can head for Dingle lighthouse and follow the trail towards the beach! You will need to cross a few ditches but they are open and rocks have been put in place to help you up and over!
Keep your eye on the trail as it is easy to get distracted by the ocean to your right on the way out and the left on the way back in! Take your time, get some pictures and soak it in!
Being so close to Dingle Town this is a must-do in our opinion!
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/ireland/county-kerry/dingle-lighthouse-trail
Cruach Mharthain
Another gem! If you like a sunrise or a sunset you will love this one! Short and sweet but worth the steep climb! The trek up to the top of Cruach Mharthain is about a mile in distance! A real burner for the calves if you decided to run it!
To access it you need to head west out of Dingle towards Ventry! When you get to Ventry stay on Slea Head Drive until you come to Paidi O Se’s pub! At the crossroads, you take a right and drive for maybe 3/4 minutes up the hill until you see a phone tower!
This hill is known locally as “An Clasach” - you will have great views of Dunquin & the Great Blasket Islands from here too!
Park at the phone tower, which will be to your right, and you can go from there! You will see the path & trail from here! Enjoy, the top is really spectacular!
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/ireland/county-kerry/croaghmarhin-peak
Annascaul Lake
Heading to the centre of the Dingle Peninsula next to Annascaul! This is another one that should be on everyone’s list! Close to Shane’s family home and a fantastic trail and area to head for a weekend adventure!
Be sure to stop at Báinín coffee shop too! Great coffee and snacks to fuel a hike!
It is easy to access the lake! When you come to Annascaul from the Tralee side you take a right after the South Pole Pub! If you are coming to Annascaul from Dingle you take a left just before the South Pole Pub! From there you follow the signs for Annascaul Lake!
There is space to park at the lake & at the start of the trail! As it zig-zags up the mountain you will get to the top where it flattens out a little! From here I head straight across towards the next Valley called Mac Na Bo! The views here are really spectacular too!
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/ireland/county-kerry/annascaul-lake-and-waterfalls
Meelin Hill
Staying in Annascaul for this one! Meelin Hill also known locally as the Three Peaks! You can start and finish this one at Annascaul Village again! As you come into Annascaul Village from Dingle you will take a right up what is know locally as the “back road”
Drive up the “back road” for maybe 2/3 mins & you will see a Dingle Way stick / sign post! There is also step here where you cross into fields. These fields are privately owned so please be sensible & treat the are with respect! There is also space to park here!
You head up the hill to find the first peak & then look west, you will see the two other peaks in the distance! There is a trail connecting all three that you can easily walk or run too!
Take a second to stop and have a look around, you will have a great view of Inch, Annascaul Lake & even as far as South Kerry on a clear day!
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/ireland/county-kerry/three-peaks-annascaul-meelin-hill-circular-walk
Mount Brandon
And last but not least! Mt Brandon will always be a special place for me! There is something about it, the climb, the crosses, the ridges & the rewards! Mt Brandon stands at 3,123 ft in height and it is the 8th highest peak in Ireland!
In Irish, it is known as Cnoc Bréanainn! The mountain is named after Saint Brendan and is the end of a Christian pilgrimage trail known as Cosán na Naomh.
As you pass the crosses the view gets better, you can see for miles on a clear day but can easily get caught in cloud & fog on other days! So take on Brandon with caution! To access it you can start from Dingle town & simply put Mt Brandon into google maps. That will bring you straight to the car park! From there the mountain is yours!
You can also reach the summit from the other side of the peninsula too. Starting in the village of Cloghane there is also a beautiful trail to the top! I highly recommend both!
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/ireland/county-kerry/mount-brandon-cnoc-breanainn
Enjoy and if you are in Dingle and have any questions please reach out to us.
Bec and Shane
