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Dingle Peninsula Drive

Side road views from the R560 on the way to Conor Pass in County Kerry.

Last Saturday I embarked on a mini solo road trip. I asked my Sat Nav for the nearest mountain passes and picked Conor Pass from the list. This pass is one of the highest in Ireland with an elevation of 410 m above the sea level. The Conor Pass runs from Dingle on the southern end of the peninsula to Brandon Bay and Castlegregory in the North, in County Kerry. I have been to Dingle once before, more than 10 years ago. I am already thinking about going back, as I got to explore only a fraction of the peninsula.

Boggeragh Mountains, County Cork on a cloudy day.

Every journey begins here, in the Boggeragh Mountains in County Cork. I traveled cross county to Tralee and stopped in Blennerville to fuel up and take some photos. Blennerville Windmill is a dominant landmark in Tralee Bay. This windmill is the tallest of its kind in Europe at 21.3 meters high.

Blennerville, County Kerry where the River Lee enters Tralee Bay.

Blennerville Windmill, Tralee, County Kerry on a cloudy day.

Mountain landscape on the Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry.

As I followed my Sat Nav to the Conor Pass, I saw road signs for Fermoyle Beach and Brandon Point and decided to follow those. I was not disappointed with my detour. Fermoyle Strand is a stunning beach, situated at the foothills of Brandon Mountain. 

Mountain view from Fermoyle Beach County Kerry on a cloudy day.

Fermoyle Beach, County Kerry on a cloudy day.

Mountain landscape on Fermoyle Beach, Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry.

Mountain landscape from Fermoyle Beach, County Kerry.

Dingle Peninsula mountains in County Kerry,


From the beach I made my way to Brandon Point where I climbed the mountains overlooking the North Atlantic Ocean. It was a windy day and I was glad to be sheltered inside a metal can on wheels for the most part.

Mountains landcape of the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry.

View of the North Atlantic Ocean from Brandon Point in County Kerry.

Mountain views from Brandon Point County Kerry.

View of Dingle from Conor Pass Co.Kerry.

I stopped a couple more times along the way to Conor Pass. I dashed out of the warm safety of the car to quickly take more photos. Two hours after my initial estimated time of arrival, I made it to the Conor Pass view point. Again, I climbed up the mountain beside the car park, for better photos. 

North Atlantic Ocean views from the Conor Pass in County Kerry.

View of Clogharee Lough and Lough Atlea from Conor Pass in County Kerry.

View from Conor Pass of the Dingle Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

View of the North Atlantic Ocean from the Conor Pass in County Kerry.

View from a mountain at Conor Pass in County Kerry.

View of the Atlantic Ocean from the mountains at Conor Pass County Kerry.

I finished driving the Conor Pass down to Dingle. I stopped for some hot food to warm up my cold bones after running around the mountains on a windy day. My last stop before home was Inch beach, where I took two photos. As the evening went on it got colder and less enticing to leave the sanctuary of the car. It won't be long before I go back to finish driving the rest of the Dingle Peninsula.

View of the Atlantic Ocean from Inch Beach in County Kerry.

View of Inch Beach on the R561 road from Dingle in Co.Kerry.

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