Let's finish our adventure in the west of Ireland, with a short tour of the Dingle Peninsula and then the famous Connemara region (as promised in the the #3 article on our route in Ireland).
Dingle :
The Dingle Peninsula is the second most westerly peninsula in County Kerry after the Ring of Dingle. Its name comes simply from the fact that the main town is Dingle, around 80km from Tralee. Dingle is a small, peaceful market town, where fishing, farming and tourism are the main industries. In Dingle itself, I recommend taking a stroll around the harbour, visiting the aquarium, the distillery (again!) and of course the pubs, but especially the seafood restaurants. Not forgetting the shops selling local produce.
This peninsula is also a region of great conservation of Irish culture, both linguistically and culturally. There's a good chance you'll hear Irish Gaelic spoken in this region! But don't worry, the locals and shopkeepers will understand your English perfectly, even if it's a bit basic.
Beyond Dingle?
Getting to Dingle is fairly easy, but if you want to go further into the peninsula and explore the seaside and hills to discover the beautiful views (and take some great photos) the route will be more difficult, as the roads are narrower than ever! (watch out for crossroads). So it all depends on how motivated you are to seek out these exceptional landscapes! Personally, I can only recommend this adventure. All the same, you'll need to allow a good day to complete this enjoyable route, or even 2 days if you want to take the time to get some great photos at those magic moments!
And I can assure you that nature lovers will not be disappointed, whether it's the cliffs, the coasts and even the beaches, the meadows, the architectural ruins of ancient villages, the rocky islands off the coast etc... It's quite astonishing how much you can see in so little space! That's why I'd recommend you go there again!
With the second Kerry peninsula in sight, the next logical step in our journey to discover Ireland takes us to the Connemara region. Everyone knows the name, at least from our famous singer and his song "The Lakes of Connemara", but not everyone knows that it's in the west of Ireland and very close to France!
Connemara
Connemara is a region of Ireland in the far west of the country, north of Galway Bay. Once again, you can do the loop with the N59! The Irish call it the Connemara loop!
You can start in Galway, heading for Clifden and then Castlebar on the way back. Around Leenaun, however, I'd advise you to branch off in the direction of the Connemara lakes, which you really shouldn't miss!
On this Connemara tour, you'll still find splendid landscapes, peat bogs (which are heavily exploited in this region), sheep, and wild lands as far as the eye can see, all of which you can explore by car. The region is also famous for its Connemara ponies and equestrian activities.
The Connemara National Park is the perfect place for walkers, where they can hike to their heart's content! Small or large hikes, with the family or for sports enthusiasts, everything is possible in Connemara National Park. Even a climb up Diamond Hill for the more experienced.
Kylemore Abbey
History and culture buffs will want to stop off at Kylemore Abbey in Letterfrack. Built in front of a lake, Kylemore Lough, Kylemore Abbey was built in 1868 by a wealthy merchant as a gift for his wife. Sold and then bought back, transformed into a prestigious school, this castle has a lot to tell you. You can visit several rooms in the traditional Victorian style, as well as its large gardens accessible by shuttle bus. All maintained and managed by Benedictine nuns.
Visit Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Abbey
Victorian Walled Garden
Victorian Walled Garden
Victorian Walled Garden
Victorian Walled Garden
The lakes of Connemara
Among the must-sees in Connemara, I suggest you leave the N59 loop and head for the famous lakes of Connemara. If you want to tour the 2 main lakes: Lough Mask and Lough Corrib, allow between 2 and 3 hours. Variable if you plan to stop often to take a moment of relaxation or immortalise the scene with a few photos. Small hilly roads will allow you to walk along the lakes on one side and the meadows on the other, taking a pick nick in front of splendid views. Between these 2 large lakes, you can also stop off for a bite to eat in Cong, a famous little village thanks to the film " The Quiet Man "starring John Wayne.
The Village of Cong
Cong is definitely "the village" to stop in Connemara. It was the location for a large part of the film starring John Wayne: " The Quiet Man or the quiet man " . In Cong, take the opportunity to book a table at the " Pat Cohan Bar "A typical Irish restaurant serving local specialities was used as a film location. Once you've had your fill, you can do some souvenir shopping in this charming village, and visit the " Quiet Man "and its souvenir shop.
That's it for the 4th and final article on our tour of Western Ireland!
I hope this series of 4 articles has inspired you to visit Ireland! If you've already done so, don't hesitate to share what touched you the most in a comment below,
Thank you and see you soon,
David
