Driving RING OF KERRY from Kenmare...how best to avoid tour buses?

Melissa5 · Guru

Driving RING OF KERRY from Kenmare...how best to avoid tour buses?

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

The last few times I drove the ROK it has been from Kenmare and I've not run into any buses except at lunch time in Waterville - and those buses were parked and letting people off for lunch. My best advice is to go clockwise. If you meet a bus on a narrow road pull as far over as possible. If you are uneasy stop completely and let them go around you. But I really don't foresee many problems. Highlights:

Staigue Fort
Derrynane House, Gardens & beach (Abbey Island at low tide only!!)
Ballinskelligs beach
Fogher Cliffs on Valentia Island (in good weather only)
Rossbeigh beach
Carragh Lake

For rainy days in Kenmare there is the small Heritage Center and the Lace Museum. But your best bet is Killarney with shops, cinema, Muckross House & Ross Castle.

Have a fantastic trip. I'm wishing some good weather for you, although summer seems to have skipped over Ireland entirely this year. Perhaps they will have Indian summer just for you! Let us know how it goes when you get back. Hope you find lots of great music.

Michele

murphy · Guru

Melissa,

I concur with Michele...go clockwise. If I remember right, the tour buses were going anti-clockwise. We designated 1 person as the "bus spotter" You could ususally see them coming toward you well ahead of time, and as soon as we found a wide spot in the road, or a pull out....we did, and waited for the bus to pass before heading out again. I was told that if you met a coach on a road that was too narrow to meet....guess who gets to back up? Not the bus! biggrin I also liked the idea of being on the left side of the road going clockwise, and the view was never blocked by other traffic, like large busses trucks etc.

Dan

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele and Murphy, great answers, thanks...this clarifies things a lot for the Ring and the buses.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

Happy to help! Have fun in Ireland. Can't wait to hear how it goes.

Michele

wojazz3 · Guru

If you wander out on Valentia Island, the bulk of the buses will have passed by the time you get back. The biggest challenge I believe is the trip from Killarney to Kenmare. Driving that road between 3-5pm can be hair raising, even with my hairline. There are a couple of very tight spots an that road that you don't want to meet a bus. Spend the late afternoon/early evening in Killarney if you hit about that time. Take a walk along the lakes or take the short hike to Torc waterfall (very short hike). Maybe stop at Ross Castle depending on their hours at that time of year. Have fun!

Bill

tony2phones · Guru

Maybe I am just lucky but in the 10+ times I have driven the ring in either direction I have never had a problem. There are very few really narrow places and plenty of pull in's provided egits haven't used them to park up their hire cars and have a walk. Nothing to worry about just enjoy yourself..

(maybe catch up in Clifden the 18th)

UNI4MER · Veteran Member

Just got back from Ireland on Sept. 9th. Yes the worst part is from Killarney to Kenmare. And we left Killarney at 3:15pm. Lots of tour buses coming the opposite way only. I would not want to be behind them but meeting them face on on a few of those turns was not not very fun. In fact on two of the turns the tour busses stopped and waited for all traffic to go by before they made the turn as there is no way to avoid taking up half of the opposite lane. Even though the weather was rainy, it was so breathtakingly beautiful the rain just did not matter. And surprisingly, there are a lot of turn-outs on this section so you could pull over and park constantly just to get out and ohh and ahh.
Don't miss this drive!

UNI4MER · Veteran Member

Just read Tony2phones comment. I am definatly one of those Igit's! Couldn't help myself. How can you not pull over and park (5 minutes) and just look with your mouth open in wonder?

Michele Erdvig · Host

Bruce and Leslie,

Sounds like you were impressed by the scenery, if not the buses.

Michele