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Dingle Way

A popular trail, the Dingle Way is a 162 km circular route around the beautiful Dingle Peninsula of western Ireland. Expect awesome views over the ocean; the peninsula stretches out into the Atlantic for nearly 50 kilometres giving superb vistas over the ocean. It is a mix of coastal plains and beaches, mountains and moorlands. Typically beginning and finishing in the town of Tralee, the full hike will take 8/9 days to hike and is usually along quiet back roads, footpaths and coastal paths, with the landscape seeming to change at every twist and turn of the trail. Rated as being easy to moderate, the total elevation on the hike is just over 11,000 ft, and the hardest part is where the path reaches the foot of Mount Brandon. However, the climb to the top is more than compensated by the spectacular views from the summit, so if the weather is on your side, you should definitely go for it!

The trail is steeped in history. There are loads of archaeological and historical sites to discover along the way and see the ruins of many ancient buildings, churches, dwellings, castles, and forts. These eerie ruins, often surrounded by low fog, can give the impression of desolation, but this is a well-serviced trail, and it passes through many quaint towns and villages. Wild camping on the Dingle Way is too difficult, but there is plenty of accommodation to be had, so this shouldn’t be an issue. Be sure to spend some time in the town of Dingle, known for its beauty and good food. Stocking up en route is also easy; you are never more than a few hours walk between villages, and there is usually a welcoming Irish pub waiting for you! Be sure to check out the South Pole Inn in Annascaul. It is a shrine to the Antarctic explorer Tom Crean, who was born there in 1877.