When planning my trip to Ireland, I debated the merits of driving the Ring of Kerry vs. visiting the Dingle Peninsula. Warned that they are similar, I wondered which I should choose. Fortunately, we made time in our schedule to do both. Now I have a better sense of the similarities and differences between the two. No time for both? Here’s a guide to help you choose which scenic drive is better for you!
Ring of Kerry
The Ring of Kerry is 111 mile circular route around Ireland’s Macgillycuddy’s Reeks mountain range. It passes through colorful villages, peat bogs, and mountain peaks and provides beautiful views of beaches, bays, and islands. It takes approximately 4 hours to drive all the way around the route without stopping. With stops, you can spend 1-2 days on the loop.
Dingle Peninsula
The Dingle Peninsula is Ireland’s westernmost point. The scenic drive is 30 miles on Slea Head Loop passing prehistoric sites, striking ocean cliffs, beautiful beaches, and views of neighboring islands. The town of Dingle seems to be the only “civilization” on the peninsula although amenities are available the entire drive. Plan for the entire loop to take 4 hours with stops.
Ring of Kerry vs. Dingle Peninsula: Beautiful Scenery
There’s no debate that both the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula feature beautiful scenery. Ring of Kerry provides more diverse scenery, but I found it overwhelming due to the distances and crowds.
The Dingle Peninsula is much less crowded and provides striking views of the coastline. Both have their fair share of bucolic scenes and animal life, but these seem more accessible in Dingle as well.
Dingle Peninsula only has one colorful village rather than the Ring of Kerry’s multiple colorful villages. But I find this more practical – after all, how many times do you really need to stop to eat or shop?
Winner: Dingle Peninsula
But if you have time, do drive the 21 miles between Killarney and Kenmare on the Ring of Kerry to see Killarney National Park, Ladies View, and the Kenmare Stone Circle.
Ring of Kerry vs. Dingle Peninsula: Ancient Sites
Both the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula have ancient sites to see along their route. There are four stone forts and two sets of standing stones on the Ring of Kerry. We only saw one ancient site, Kenmare Stone Circle, on our day driving the Ring of Kerry.
Dingle has a variety of ancient sites, from forts to churches to unique beehive huts. Again, I find that these sites are more accessible on the Dingle Peninsula than on the Ring of Kerry due to the latter’s size and distance. We had time to see three unique sites in Dingle, Dún Beag Fort, Caher Conor, and Gallarus Oratory. All of these sites were unlike anything else we saw in Ireland.
Winner: Dingle Peninsula
Dingle wins again! But again, the Kenmare Stone Circle on the Ring of Kerry is well worth a visit if you can squeeze it into your itinerary.
Ring of Kerry vs. Dingle Peninsula: Towns to Explore
As mentioned, the Ring of Kerry has multiple charming villages to explore. We passed through Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Kells, Cahirciveen, Waterville, and Sneem Village. But we didn’t stop and do anything at any of these towns. We drove by the goat statue in Killorglin in recognition of the city’s Puck Fair. We saw the Charlie Chaplin statue in Waterville. And we witnessed a walking funeral procession in Kells. Due to the distances we were trying to cover, there really wasn’t time to stop for a meal or browse in the shops.
In contrast, we stopped twice in the town of Dingle. We first enjoyed ice cream at Murphy’s (delicious – worth the trip!) and to browse in a few shops. Then we stopped by later in the afternoon for a meal in the Dingle Pub and to shop in a few more stores.
Winner: Dingle Peninsula
Yet again, Dingle comes out ahead. In my view, it’s easier to enjoy one charming small village than choose from a multitude of options!
Ring of Kerry vs. Dingle Peninsula: Culture
Both the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula are rich in Irish culture. But only in Dingle will you see all of the road signs written in Gaelic and routinely hear the language spoken by the locals. On the Ring of Kerry you are most likely to hear the language (and accents) of the many tourists visiting!
Winner: Dingle Peninsula
And Dingle wins again! This is becoming repetitive.
Ring of Kerry vs. Dingle Peninsula: Overall Experience
At this point, it’s obvious that I prefer Dingle Peninsula over the Ring of Kerry. Both routes provide very similar experiences, and both are awesome. But there are two strikes against the Ring of Kerry. First, the amount of time it takes to experience makes it difficult to enjoy unless you have several days to dedicate to it. The Dingle Peninsula can easily be accomplished in one day. Two, the Ring of Kerry is extremely popular and crowded. Tourists (and huge tour buses) are not as prevalent on the Dingle Peninsula.
Overall Winner: Dingle Peninsula
But why choose just one? My 7 Enchanting Days on the Emerald Isle post suggests two itineraries to do both!
Ring of Kerry vs. Dingle Peninsula: Which Would You Choose?
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