Blog, Destinations, Europe, Ireland
The Best Thing to do in Killarney, Ireland: Visit Killarney National Park
Oct
One of the best things to do in Killarney, Ireland is visiting Killarney National Park. Killarney National Park is one of the most beautiful places in Ireland and located within the charming Irish town of Killarney, which is worthy of spending a bit of time in itself. There are a number of ways to see Killarney National Park. You could take a nice walk to Ross Castle from town, hire a jaunty cab, or rent a bike! I opted for a combination of walks and biking during my two days in Killarney.
Upon arrival in Killarney, I walked to Ross Castle at sunset amidst a light drizzle and it was absolutely beautiful. The following day, I made a friend in Black Sheep Hostel and he offered me his bike to ride throughout the park! I’d planned to rent a bike from a shop in town as I’ve found biking in Ireland is such a fun way to not just see the sites, but also get some great exercise. I also recommend renting a bike on the Aran Islands if you ever get the chance.
But back to biking in Killarney National Park. It’s simple enough to rent a bike in Killarney if you can’t find someone generous enough to lend you one. Once you’ve got your wheels you’ll be set up to an awesome day riding past hidden beaches, to a waterfall, and along the lakes of Killarney National park.
TThe Muckross Dinis Loop is a great option for this ride because it is mostly flat – there are a few rolling hills, but nothing crazy. The Loop is paved and it allows you to see all that Killarney National Park has to offer!
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The Muckross-Dinis Loop
The Muckross-Dinis loop will take you to Muckross Abby, Muckross House, Dinis Cottage & Old Weir Bridge, and Torc waterfall. Along this route, you’ll pass hidden beaches along the lakes where you can pull over for a rest and a snack. This bike ride is about 11 miles and it took me approximately 6 hours to finish it, stopping frequently for photos.
To start the Muckross-Dinis loop, cycle out of Killarney on N71. There is a bike path on both sides of the road. However, I advise staying on the right side as the bike path eventually turns into a wide sidewalk that is shared with walkers and jaunty cabs. Cycle down this path until you see the entrance to Killarney National Park, you can’t miss it.
Muckross Abbey
First, follow the signs toward Muckross Abbey, an old Franciscan monastery that is free to explore. Inside you’ll find a cemetery and various rooms that were used for worship and living. The most spectacular find was the square courtyard with archways and an ancient Yew Tree standing tall in the center.
Muckross House
After exploring the Abbey, head toward Muckross House. Personally, I think this house should really be called a mansion, it’s huge! I opted not to pay €9 to go inside. Instead, I spent about an hour and a half exploring the grounds and gardens of the house, on foot. Don’t worry about your bike, there is a place to lock it up. Once finished, I sat on a bench in front of the mansion, with a view of the expansive lawn and Muckross lake, snacked on a banana and sipped some water to get energy for the next 5km of the bike ride.
Dinis Cottage
After a snack, cycle the one-way route toward Dinis Cottage. Along the way, there are plenty of photo ops! There are lots of small beaches with beautiful views of the lake, mountains, and fall colors on the trees. It’s only 5km to Dinis Cottage but it took me about an hour to get there stopping frequently to snap some photos!
Dinis Cottage & the Meeting of the Waters
Dinis Cottage sits just beyond Brickeen bridge overlooking the opposite side of Muckross lake. The cottage is actually a small shop that serves tea and cakes. Besides stopping here for a breather and a treat, there’s another reason to park your bike. Just behind the cottage is a short path that leads to the Meeting of the Waters. This is where the Upper, Muckross (Middle) and Lower lakes of Killarney National Park meet. It’s a beautifully tranquil spot to gaze upon Old Weir Bridge.
A bit further down the road, you’ll see a sign to the right for Old Weir Bridge. If you’d like you can lock your bike up to a tree and walk to the actual bridge. It takes about 10 minutes and is clearly marked.
Torc Waterfall
Up next, bike toward Torc Waterfall. As you head toward the waterfall, the cycle path within the park ends and re-connects with N71. There isn’t a bike lane on this section of N71 and not much of a shoulder, but the cars pass slowly. You won’t be on the main road too long, only about 10 minutes until another path to the left appears to bring you back into the woods – safe from the cars.
About 5-minutes later, you’ll reach the parking lot for Torc Waterfall. Lock your bike up on one of the railings and walk 5 minutes to Torc Waterfall. This area is fairly busy with foot traffic as it is so close to the road and a popular stop along the Ring of Kerry. Behind Torc Waterfall, there are steps that I thought might bring me to a view of the top of the falls. I was wrong – they connect to a longer hiking trail, which once I realized I returned back to the waterfall and the bike. FYI those steps are called the cardiac steps…give them a climb and you’ll find out why!
The “Alternate” Loop
While there is only one direction allowed to cycle from Muckross house to Dinis Cottage and Torc Waterfall, there is an alternate way to organize some of the sites. Torc Waterfall is very close to Muckross House. In fact, within 5 minutes of leaving Torc Waterfall I was back to Muckross House. So what you could do is skip Muckross House in the beginning part of the cycle and instead finish there. Or, you could see Muckross House and Torc Waterfall first and then return to the path for the rest of the loop, knowing you’ll pass by them on your way back into town.
If you’re only in Killarney National Park for one day, add Ross Castle to this route. You could either see it at the start or finish of your bike ride. However, if the sky is clear, I recommend saving it for sunset! Whichever route you choose, you’ll have a lovely day cycling in Killarney National Park.
Other Things to Do in Killarney
- Enjoy the craic at Reidy’s pub
- Eat at Black Sheep Cafe
- Take a break at St. Mary’s Cathedral – I accidentally walked in on a wedding
- Explore hikes within Killarney National Park
- Walk the Gap of Dunloe
- Hike to Ladies View
- Ice Cream at Murphy’s
FAQ
What to Wear
It’s generally cold and rainy in Ireland. I did this bike ride in October and while it didn’t rain, it was overcast the entire day and there was a brisk chill in the air. I wore leggings, tennis shoes, a tank top, a sweater, and a puffy red coat. I was plenty warm while cycling and at times took the coat off. Layers is the name of the game in Ireland and you can find more information on packing for Ireland in this post.
Where to Stay in Killarney
I stayed at Black Sheep Hostel. Its location is awesome as it’s about a 5-minute walk to the entrance of Killarney National Park and a 5-minute walk to the main streets of Killarney. There is a huge kitchen with ample space for cooking and good WiFi. The beds were also very comfortable and had their own charging points! Also, there are two dogs to hang out with!
Book your stay at the Black Sheep Hostel here!
Where to Rent a Bike
Black Sheep Hostel rents bikes, as do many shops in Killarney. The cost at Black Sheep was €10 for half a day and €15 for a full day.
There you have it, one of the best way to visit Killarney National Park! I’d love to go back and spend more time in the park and in Killarney. What’s your favorite part of Killarney!
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This cycle route looks beautiful. I have went Ireland many times when I was a child but I was too young to remember. Now I want to take my daughter back. My grandparents were from Kerry so when we do go we will have to check out Killarney National Park when we do go back.
I hope you get the chance to go back! It’s such a beautiful place and Kerry is gorgeous!
I recently visited Ireland for the very first time and I have to say how captivated I am by the country now. Killarney National Park looks beautiful. Definitely need to visit when I make my way back — hopefully sooner rather than later!
I’m so glad you had a great experience! Where did you visit?
What a lovely hike! I love the waterfalls!
The waterfalls were a great surprise at the end!
Lovely !! I love biking around, and this tour looks very nice! Thanks for sharing. :0D
Biking is such a great way to explore a place!
Nice to meet you yesterday! Love this post, I visited Killarney earlier this year. So beautiful there. Hope to return one day and will defo look at cycling around next time.
It was great to meet you as well! Glad to hear you enjoyed your time in Killarney!
Hey Katie, wow – what a beautiful sight! And such gorgeous photos to boot. I loved hiking around the Dublin area, but just went for a weekend. Bike looks like a great way to explore. 🙂
Dublin area has some great hikes! I did a walk from Bray to Greystones when I was there, would love to go to Howth! What hikes did you do?
Wonderful post! The Killarney area is my favorite part of Ireland!
I’d love to go back and explore more of it! So beautiful!
Oooh nice! Renting a bike and cycling through that gorgeous countryside sounds like a perfect holiday. I LOVE all those green views. 🙂
It is such a nice way to spend a holiday (and sneak in some exercise!)