Tom’s guidebook
Days at the Beach
Rossbeigh Beach is approx 15 - 20 minute drive from the house. It a beautiful sandy beach with spectacular views across to the Dingle Peninsula.
Great place for walking, swimming, body-boarding and exploring the dunes.
63 locals recommend
Rossbeigh Strand
Rossbeigh Beach is approx 15 - 20 minute drive from the house. It a beautiful sandy beach with spectacular views across to the Dingle Peninsula.
Great place for walking, swimming, body-boarding and exploring the dunes.
Inch strand is a famous beach on the Dingle Peninsula approximately 30 mins drive from the house. Its a great detour to take on a day trip to Dingle and is well known as one of Munster's best surfing locations.
Day long surf classes are run throughout the summer period for all age groups and it has proven to be a great day out for kids.
We use the website Magic Seawood.com to find out about tides and wave height.
118 locals recommend
Inch Beach
Inch strand is a famous beach on the Dingle Peninsula approximately 30 mins drive from the house. Its a great detour to take on a day trip to Dingle and is well known as one of Munster's best surfing locations.
Day long surf classes are run throughout the summer period for all age groups and it has proven to be a great day out for kids.
We use the website Magic Seawood.com to find out about tides and wave height.
Sightseeing
Caragh Lake is about 10 mins drive away and it makes for a lovely scenic excursion especially if you take a trip all around it.
You can add in a little walk at Blackstones Bridge at the southern tip of the lake. There is a painting of this bridge by a local artist hanging in the house.
This walk is particularly suitable for small children with lots of little bridges to cross and rock pools to explore.
The lake itself can be accessed by a road off the Caragh Lake road and is a popular place for kayaking and fishing. These can be organised on request.
Caragh Lake
Caragh Lake is about 10 mins drive away and it makes for a lovely scenic excursion especially if you take a trip all around it.
You can add in a little walk at Blackstones Bridge at the southern tip of the lake. There is a painting of this bridge by a local artist hanging in the house.
This walk is particularly suitable for small children with lots of little bridges to cross and rock pools to explore.
The lake itself can be accessed by a road off the Caragh Lake road and is a popular place for kayaking and fishing. These can be organised on request.
The national park in Killarney is a must see day out to combine a visit to Muckross House & Gardens, the Lakes of Killarney and Ross Castle
99 locals recommend
Killarney National Park
The national park in Killarney is a must see day out to combine a visit to Muckross House & Gardens, the Lakes of Killarney and Ross Castle
Kells Beach is a lovely sheltered cove with a pier and nearby there are lush tropical like gardens with a restaurant which serves delicious food.
Kells Beach
Kells Beach is a lovely sheltered cove with a pier and nearby there are lush tropical like gardens with a restaurant which serves delicious food.
Valentia Island is located further west along the Ring of Kerry and can be reached by a car-ferry (about a 5 minute crossing) or if you drive a little further it can be accessed by a bridge at Portmagee. There are spectacular views along the way across to the Dingle Peninsula and out across the Atlantic. On warm days teenagers and older kids from the pier at Valentia into the sea and once out and dried there are some lovely little places for coffee or ice-cream.
78 locals recommend
Valentia Island
Valentia Island is located further west along the Ring of Kerry and can be reached by a car-ferry (about a 5 minute crossing) or if you drive a little further it can be accessed by a bridge at Portmagee. There are spectacular views along the way across to the Dingle Peninsula and out across the Atlantic. On warm days teenagers and older kids from the pier at Valentia into the sea and once out and dried there are some lovely little places for coffee or ice-cream.
It takes about 45 minutes to drive to Dingle from Knocknaboola and you can take in Inch Beach along the way. Dingle is both the name of the town and peninsula and is a very special in Ireland. First of all it has a large Irish (Gaeilge) speaking community and you will see a sign on your route saying "Welcome to the Gaeltacht". It is one of the very few genuinely Irish speaking areas remaining in Ireland, i.e. where there are native Irish speakers. Sadly the Gaeltacht areas are shrinking annually and may soon become extinct and we will lose a very precious national treasure. However you need not worry about communicating in English.
Secondly it is an area of extreme scenic beauty with a spectacular coastline.
Thirdly it has attracted a lot of artists and crafts-persons over the decades and is brimming with art, music and crafts.
Fourthly the Dingle Peninsula is the home of the Blasket Islands (See below).
Dingle has some fabulous and famous pubs and restaurants, it has an extremely good aquarium which children will love and a nationally famous ice-cream parlour.
114 locals recommend
Dingle
It takes about 45 minutes to drive to Dingle from Knocknaboola and you can take in Inch Beach along the way. Dingle is both the name of the town and peninsula and is a very special in Ireland. First of all it has a large Irish (Gaeilge) speaking community and you will see a sign on your route saying "Welcome to the Gaeltacht". It is one of the very few genuinely Irish speaking areas remaining in Ireland, i.e. where there are native Irish speakers. Sadly the Gaeltacht areas are shrinking annually and may soon become extinct and we will lose a very precious national treasure. However you need not worry about communicating in English.
Secondly it is an area of extreme scenic beauty with a spectacular coastline.
Thirdly it has attracted a lot of artists and crafts-persons over the decades and is brimming with art, music and crafts.
Fourthly the Dingle Peninsula is the home of the Blasket Islands (See below).
Dingle has some fabulous and famous pubs and restaurants, it has an extremely good aquarium which children will love and a nationally famous ice-cream parlour.
Truly a national treasure - There is a heritage centre at Ballyferriter which explains the unique history of this magical place and (weather permitting) you can take a boat ride out to the islands. These islands at the western most tip of Europe generated an unusual amount of literature of an international calibre from the early 20th century. Some of these books can be found on our bookshelves (translated from Irish).
Blasket Islands
Truly a national treasure - There is a heritage centre at Ballyferriter which explains the unique history of this magical place and (weather permitting) you can take a boat ride out to the islands. These islands at the western most tip of Europe generated an unusual amount of literature of an international calibre from the early 20th century. Some of these books can be found on our bookshelves (translated from Irish).
Food scene
Cromane is a small fishing village about 20 mins drive away and it offers a lovely walk by the sea and is a perfect location for a sea swim. This area is known for its famous Cromane mussels.
Jack's Restaurant & Pub is situated here and well worth a visit for either lunch or dinner though it would be advisable to make a reservation if planning dinner there
7 locals recommend
Cromane
Cromane is a small fishing village about 20 mins drive away and it offers a lovely walk by the sea and is a perfect location for a sea swim. This area is known for its famous Cromane mussels.
Jack's Restaurant & Pub is situated here and well worth a visit for either lunch or dinner though it would be advisable to make a reservation if planning dinner there