Riding the Ring of Kerry,
(but buses, oh, upset they make me)
August 13, 1999

Distance: 145 kilometers/90 miles
Elevation: 840 meters/2,756 feet
Difficulty: 5/10
Scenery: 7/10

I tried to salvage what was left of my quickly-fading cycling fitness in mid-August by taking a final cycling trip to wrap up my cycling adventures for the summer of 1999. Since I was past my cycling peak for this summer, I looked for terrain not as wildly undulating (read: not as hilly) as the high Alpine/Dolomitic passes that had been my staple. But I didn’t want to ride on miles of flat either. What to do?

(Above: The town of Cill Airne or Killarney in Country Kerry)

(Below: Muckross House, a stately mansion in Killarney National Park)

Ireland fit the bill on two counts: it is a country I’ve always wanted to visit, and, at least, in its coastal areas, topographically varied. After studying a map of the country, I settled on Cill Airney (Killarney) as my base. I had been warned that the Irish counties of Kerry and Cork are the most popular summer tourist destinations, but I shrugged off the concern. How bad can it really be?

(Above: Lough Leane in Killarney National Park)

Well, numerous lakes in the area attract flocks of tourists every summer—and the second week in August was probably the region’s peak holiday season. That my visit coincided with the height of the tourist season was evidenced by the constant stream of gigantic tour coaches ridiculously trying to negotiate the narrow roads in the peninsula—yes, I understand that this is an economic fact of life, and an important means of livelihood for the region. I guess I was just hoping to see more of those motor tourists get out of their comfortable window-seat views and to actually get out there—walk, run, crawl—whatever, don’t just dart in and out of the buses to take quick snaps and say you’ve been there.

(Below: Ross Castle, Killarney National Park)

Wow, this must be a record—the soonest I’ve moaned about this pet peeve in any of my travel narratives.

But I couldn’t help it—those buses pestered me throughout the course of this ride, it really tainted the experience. A couple of coaches even had the gall to honk their horns as they were coming up from behind me—startling me greatly and almost making me lose control of my bike. To quote Charlie Brown, "Aaauugggghhhh!!!!"

The Iveragh Peninsula of County Kerry goes out about 45 miles from the southwestern part of the Irish mainland, with an average width of about 18 miles. The Iveragh scenery was OK, but it didn’t have much that would qualify for superlative praise, especially if one’s home is California and the rugged California coast. The people in the area were exceptionally friendly, and that was notable. The circuit did have its inspired moments, particularly the view from Coomakesta Pass (208m) and the stretch just before Kells Bay with outstanding views of Dingle Bay, but otherwise…In retrospect, my effort would have been far better spent exploring other nearby places—ideally where the roads are too narrow for tour buses to navigate.

But ride the Ring of Kerry I did, and herewith is a breezy account of the ride.

(Above: Around Glenbeigh, the boring bit behind me)

I came expecting variable weather—I got it. Overcast skies were a staple of the day’s ride, though every now and then, the sun made feeble attempts to make its presence felt. For the most part, however, the clouds rudely obscured the "golden apples of the sun" (that was Yeats’, since I’m in my Yeats phase as I write this) and for much of the day, light rain fell intermittently.

The first 17 miles of the Ring of Kerry from Killarney going counter-clockwise could be left off to advantage—I couldn’t really think of anything very positive to say about this stretch—the surface was poor most of the time, the road too narrow for the amount of traffic it had to carry, the scenery too bland, and the terrain too monotonous for cycling. But I guess I could have been back in the office working instead of being in Ireland cycling—so being able to ride, albeit on less-than ideal roads, is still something to be thankful for!

Last Update: October 21, 1999