Ring of Kerry and Skellig Ring by Motorcycle: Moll's Gap, Portmagee and Ballaghbeama

The Ring of Kerry is the most famous road trip in Ireland, a loop around the Iveragh peninsula from Killarney through mountains, lakes and Atlantic coast. On a bike it is a superb day, but it is also the busiest road on the west coast, and the trick is to ride it with the coaches in mind and to take the small roads that most visitors miss: the Skellig Ring at the western tip, and the mountain passes through the middle of the peninsula. This route covers about 220km (137 mi). It is part of the much longer Wild Atlantic Way.

Which way round?

The large tour coaches travel the Ring anticlockwise, from Killarney through Killorglin, Cahersiveen and Waterville to Kenmare. If you ride anticlockwise, you will get stuck behind them on the narrow sections, but you will not meet them head-on on the bends. If you ride clockwise, you will have clear road ahead, but you will meet coaches coming the other way on the narrow stretches between Sneem and Waterville, where there is often not room for both. This guide goes anticlockwise and suggests starting early to stay ahead of the coaches, which mostly leave Killarney mid-morning.

The route

Killarney to Cahersiveen (about 65km / 40 mi). Leave Killarney west on the N72 to Killorglin, then pick up the N70 to Glenbeigh. Beyond Glenbeigh, the road runs along the cliffs above Dingle Bay with views across the water to the Dingle peninsula, then turns inland through the hills to Cahersiveen.

Cahersiveen to Portmagee (about 17km / 11 mi). Leave the N70 for the R565 to Portmagee, a small fishing village of brightly painted houses. Valentia Island is reached by a bridge from Portmagee; in summer, a car ferry also runs from Reenard Point near Cahersiveen to Knightstown on the island.

The Skellig Ring: Portmagee to Waterville (about 30km / 19 mi). From Portmagee, the Skellig Ring climbs steeply over the Coomanaspig pass, past the Kerry Cliffs, and drops to St Finian's Bay, with the jagged Skellig islands out to sea. It then runs round through Ballinskelligs to Waterville. The roads are narrow, steep and twisty, with blind bends and grass in the middle in places, and they are far too small for the tour coaches, which is the point.

Waterville to Kenmare (about 70km / 43 mi). Back on the N70, the road climbs over the Coomakesta Pass, with a viewpoint looking down on Derrynane and the islands of Kenmare Bay, then runs along the south coast of the peninsula through Caherdaniel and Sneem to Kenmare. This is the narrowest section of the main Ring, so be ready for coaches on the bends.

Kenmare to Killarney over Moll's Gap (about 33km / 21 mi). From Kenmare, the N71 climbs north to Moll's Gap, a pass with a café and big views over the mountains, then drops through Killarney National Park past Ladies View, over the Upper Lake, and down past Torc waterfall into Killarney. The road is narrow and twisting through the park, with rock walls and tight bends, and it is very busy in summer.

The mountain passes

The middle of the Iveragh peninsula is crossed by two small roads that make a great alternative to the coast on a second day. The Ballaghbeama Gap is a single-track road through a narrow cleft between mountains, steep and rough in places, with no houses and few cars. The Ballaghisheen Pass, further west, links the Glencar area with Waterville over the open hills. Both are wonderful in the dry, slow in the wet, and best ridden by riders comfortable on narrow roads with loose surfaces.

The Gap of Dunloe, near Killarney, is a famous narrow pass, but in season it is full of walkers, cyclists and horse-drawn jaunting cars, and riding it is not a pleasure for anyone. Leave it to them.

The roads

Irish roads drive on the left and speed limits and distances are in kilometres. Regional roads like the Skellig Ring are narrow, bumpy and patched, with gravel, potholes and sometimes cattle grids, sheep or cows on the road. Tractors and farm traffic use them all year. Check the current speed limits with the Road Safety Authority before you go. Fuel is in Killarney, Killorglin, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Sneem and Kenmare: fill up before the Skellig Ring and the mountain passes.

A suggested day

Leave Killarney early, ideally by eight, to ride the north side of the peninsula ahead of the coaches. Take a break in Cahersiveen, then ride out to Portmagee and the Skellig Ring in the late morning, and stop for lunch in Portmagee or Waterville. Ride the Coomakesta Pass and the south coast in the afternoon, when most coaches have passed, and finish in Kenmare. Ride Moll's Gap and Ladies View in the evening light back to Killarney, or save them for the next morning if you are staying in Kenmare. The loop takes a full day with stops. With a second day, ride the Ballaghbeama Gap and Ballaghisheen Pass through the middle of the peninsula, or the Healy Pass on the Beara peninsula south of Kenmare.

Bikes and kit

The main Ring suits any bike. The Skellig Ring and the mountain passes are narrow and rough in places, which suits a lighter bike or an adventure bike better than a low sports bike. Atlantic showers come in fast, so keep waterproofs on top of the luggage. The Skellig Michael boat trips leave from Portmagee in season; they are often booked out well in advance, and they are cancelled in rough seas.

When to go

May to September. May and June have the longest days and fewer coaches; July and August are busiest, with heavy traffic around Killarney and full rooms in Kenmare and Portmagee. September is often settled and quieter. The weather changes fast at any time of year, with Atlantic showers rolling through even on good days.

Where to stay

Killarney and Kenmare are the main bases, with Cahersiveen, Portmagee and Waterville for the western end. See all Wild Atlantic Way biker-friendly stays, and book ahead from June to August. For the rest of the coast, from Donegal to Cork, see our Wild Atlantic Way guide.