The Dingle Way | Ireland

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10 Days From

~~$619~~

$599

The Dingle Way | Ireland

10 Days Starting and ending in Tralee

Visiting: Tralee, Camp, Annascaul, Dingle, Dunquin, Ballydavid, Cloghane, Castlegregory

Tour operator:

Hilltoptreks

Tour code:

99159

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

1 - 16

Physical rating:

Medium

Age range:

18-80

Special diets catered:

Vegetarians

From: $619 $599 Mid-Year Mayhem Discount: -$19

NB: Prices correct on 27-Jul-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

The Dingle Way is a long distance self-guided trail in the South West of Ireland on the Dingle Peninsula. It is 179Km in length and takes approx 8 – 9 days to walk. We break the walk up into manageable walking days of approx 15Km — 20Km per day. The trail is traditionally walked in a clockwise direction around the Peninsula starting in either the town of Tralee or Camp. This is a wonderful walking trail staying close to the coast all the way around the Peninsula, although it does enter inland from time to time. The Dingle Peninsula sticks out into the Atlantic Ocean so from walk you can get incredible views across its coastline and Islands, such the Blasket or Skellig Islands. As well as the town of Dingle there are other great towns along the way such as Annascaul, where the famous Irish Explorer “Tom Crean” opened his own pub “The South Pole Inn” after his exploits in Antarctica with Scott and Shackleton.

Highlights

Tralee
Camp on the Dingle Way and Inch Beach
Dingle town
Mount Brandon
Monastic ruins
Unique pubs with Irish music

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Arrive In Tralee

Location: Tralee

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Arrive in Tralee — Receive Information Pack.
All the details of where you are staying will be sent you before you leave home.

Day 2 : Walk From Tralee To Camp

Location: Camp

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Tralee– Camp 22Km — ascent 200m — Time: 7hrs

The Dingle Way starts in Tralee at the Kerry Museum, winner of the prestigious Museum of the Year award in 2009. In front of you, on the park railings, you will see the sign for the official start of The Dingle Way.

A quick walk through the park to Princes Street then a left turn continues along Princes Quay and on to a busy roundabout. Turning right here will send you on the Dingle Way as the trail quickly joins the gentle curve of the canal path for 2km to Blennerville.

This section ends at the bridge opposite the Windmill and continues through Blennerville on the N86 (Dingle Road) and crosses the canal. Take the second left turn, following some quiet country roads, gradually rising up the Slieve Mish mountain range. Watch out, after 3kms, you will come to Tonavane Cross, turn west and onto open moorland.

Day 3 : Walk From Camp To Annascaul

Location: Annascaul

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Camp — Annascaul 17Km — ascent 270m — 7 hrs

This next section is along local roads, and we re-join the trail to the west of the Finglas river crossing, gradually emerging out of the valley.

Views of Caherconree Mountain (835m) and an impressive megalithic fort perched close to its top are behind you to the east.

Caherconree is a stone fortress with a defending wall 350 feet long and 14 feet thick. Tradition tells how the fort was built and magically defended by Cu Raoí, a magical figure who carried off Cu Chulainn’s girlfriend, Blathnaid.

Watch out for turf cuttings by local farmers in this area. Small coniferous forest

Day 4 : Walk From Annascaul To Dingle

Location: Dingle

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Annascaul — Dingle 19Km — Ascent 220m — Time: 8hrs

Leaving Annascaul along the busy Tralee Dingle road before taking a much quieter road for 4 km before descending to the sea and the ruin of 16thC Minard Castle. This quiet beach has fabulous views across the sound to the Ring of Kerry.

Departing the strand, up a steep narrow path and onto some classic Kerry boreens through farmland for about 6kms.

Bothair (Bow-her) is the Irish for road and boreen is a small road — een being the diminutive in the Irish language.
Minard Castle, mostly destroyed by Cromwell’s army in 1650. They detonated three corners of the building and it remained standing. However, all the inhabitants were killed and the structural damage was such that it was uninhabitable.

Day 5 : Rest Day In Dingle

Location: Dingle

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Dingle is a great small old fishing town and a great place to explore and take in the sights. There are quite a few things to do. You could visit the Blasket Islands or do an Eco Tour.

Day 6 : Walk From Dingle To Dunquin

Location: Dunquin

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Dingle to Dunquin 20Km — Ascent 370m — 7hrs.

Departing Dingle, heading west over the Milltown River bridge, you will only be on this main road (R559) for one km when you turn off into a farming area. Please take notice at this point. After about 3kms, the Dingle Way signposts and the OSI map diverge. Please follow the signposts.

Now you take the quiet back road to Ventry heading in a north-westerly direction, cross-country for 1.5km. After passing over a saddle at Mám an Óraigh, the trail descends to meet a minor road which approaches Ventry from the north. This is the first of the Dingle Way beaches which you will walk on this trail. Ventry beach is 2.5km long before you reach firmer ground.

Day 7 : Walk From Dunquin To Ballydavid

Location: Ballydavid

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Dunquin — Ballydavid — 16Km — Ascent 100m — 7 hrs.

The road leading out of Dunquin starts with a brisk uphill walk. Heading due north the trail turns into a gravel path and then rounds the shoulder of An Ghráig at 120m above sea-level. The route then descends and joins back up with the main road.

Watch out for: The pottery studio of Louis Mulcahy is on this road and is certainly worth a visit.

Day 8 : Walk From Ballydavid To Cloghane

Location: Cloghane

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Ballydavid to Cloghane — 19Km — Ascent 670m — 8 hrs.

Leaving Ballydvid, the trail takes in a larger section of cliff-walk for about 3 kilometres in total before it starts to head back inland, rejoining the road at Glashabeg. Having passed through the area of Feohanagh, the Brandon Mountain now dominates the next section of the Dingle Way as the cliffs of Ballydavid Head rise up above the road to the north-west and block the view of the sea. The quiet country road gradually weaves its way to the base of this majestic mountain.

Following the trail, you now have a long stiff climb up to the saddle between Masatiompan (763m) and Piaras Mor (748m).

Day 9 : Walk From Cloghane To Castlegregory

Location: Castlegregory

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Cloughane to Castlegregory: 29K — Ascent — 50m — 7 hrs

The Dingle Way leaves Cloghane via a quiet road that briefly makes its way inland and skirts Drom hill to the north, with impressive views of glacial valleys to the south. After about 3.5km, this road goes through Drom and Farrendalouge and emerges back on the sea-front at Fermoyle Beach. Contrasting to yesterday’s mountain terrain, this stunning beach is your route for most of the way to Castlegregory.

Day 10 : Transfer To Camp Or Tralee

Location: Tralee

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today is your last day on the Dingle Way, and we can organise a transfer from here back to Camp or Tralee

What's Included

Accommodation
Meals – Breakfast Only

There is a great selection of breakfast to choose from.
Luggage transferred between accommodations. Maps, Books and route details.
Free Wi-Fi at Accommodation

What's Not Included

Train Tickets
Drinks with Meals
Tipping and Gratuities
All Domestic Transportation (including internal flights)

Details on how to get to the start will be supplied.

Booking Notes

Newsletter: You can sign up to our Newsletter Here to receive details of our upcoming walks and Tours!

Social Media: Like us and share your pictures!

Check out our Q&As

Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?

Y
How long has the tour company been trading?

We have been operating tours now for over 10 years.
Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

Yes and the single Room Option has an additional, which is specified in the tour rates.
What policies are in place for Covid-19?

We follow all the Irish Governments guidelines in regard to COVID19 and only use partners such as accommodation who also follow such guidelines.
What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

Our company follows the guidelines of Leave No Trace to help preserve our counryside and it's natural beauty.

What documents will I receive before I travel?

Before you travel. You will have a full list of your accommodation, travel documents if required your Itinerary. Other documents will be waiting for you when you arrive.
What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

If you let us know in time, then we can arrange an updated travel date to suit you.
Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

Yes, we have checked all the accommodations we use and they follow all the Irish Healthe service guidelines.

Reviews of this operator

Jaime Jimenez (Google Reviewer)

We had a great time...

29-Mar-2024

We had a great time on our tour to New Grange, the Boyne Valley and Monasterboice. Our guide, Matt was very knowledgeable and entertaining as well

Patrick McCusker (Google Reviewer)

St. Kevin was an excellent...

30-Mar-2024

St. Kevin was an excellent driver on all the narrow and winding roads. He was informative and his song playlist was outstanding. We very much enjoyed the horseback riding, as well as our time in Enniskerry and the old monastery. One suggestion: Have copies of the monastery trail maps available rather than having us take pictures of the lone laminated one.

John Catchpole (Google Reviewer)

An excellent tour to Glendalough...

18-Sep-2023

An excellent tour to Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains. Matt was a brilliant tour guide with many fascinating stories and infomation about the area and the history. He is clearly very passionate about the history of this beautiful part of the world and I learnt so much. The minibus was comfortable and it's much better to do a tour with a small group. The lunch stop at Poppies was also delicious.

Debbie Berg (Google Reviewer)

Gorgeous views of Powerscourt Gardens,...

09-Apr-2024

Gorgeous views of Powerscourt Gardens, Wicklow Mountains and Gleandalough. Our driver/guide Linda us very knowledgeable and delightful. The lunch at Poppies in Enniskerry was so yummy and hit the spot. Rain didn’t slow us down. Great tour for those interested in getting outta of Dublin.

Denise Null (Google Reviewer)

I truly enjoyed my trip!...

21-Sep-2023

I truly enjoyed my trip! The Tour Guide was knowledgeable and humorous! And the scenery absolutely beautiful!

Shannon Fracchia (Google Reviewer)

Fantastic day with hilltoptreks! Terry...

02-Oct-2023

Fantastic day with hilltoptreks! Terry was an absolute legend. He showed up the most beautiful spots and entertained us with Irish stories, songs and even Irish bag pipes! We had a gorgeous lunch in Wicklow and had the most magical day in Ireland. Thank you Terry and Hilltoptrek for the most memorable journey!

Natalie Derks (Google Reviewer)

Best day tour we’ve ever...

13-Apr-2024

Best day tour we’ve ever been on! Highly recommend for anyone visiting Dublin. Beautiful scenery and Kevin was a wonderful guide with great insight.

Joshua Cooper (Google Reviewer)

I took a trip to...

01-Jun-2024

I took a trip to Ireland solo for my birthday and booked tours in advance. Matt was a fantastic tour guide and his knowledge of the history of Ireland was amazing. I did three tours with different companies, however, this one was by far the best. It’s not necessarily the locations that made everything better, that was a huge bonus, but having someone passionate about what they do made it worth every penny. I will be back in Ireland, hopefully soon, and will definitely book this tour again. Thanks Matt and Hilltop Treks!

Sofi Grüneisen (Google Reviewer)

We actually prefer exploring national...

01-Jun-2023

We actually prefer exploring national parks by ourselves, but we were glad we didn't this time because it's huge and then we would have missed on a lot of information about Ireland, the Irish language and specifically the Wicklow area from our wonderful guide. Gillian. We were lucky with the weather. It was a sunny day and not very cloudy. We chose the "Day Tour from Dublin of Wicklow, Glendalough" with a guided walk. (Be mindful of what you book, because there are different options and it's best to book on their website) The guided walk isn't that far +/- 3,5km. But it is absolutely worth it if the weather is great. No need to bring food, because we stopped at Poppies and the food was delicious.

Sue Sweet (Google Reviewer)

Loved this outing. He was...

16-May-2024

Loved this outing. He was on time, had good stories, kept us informed and did a great job driving. The day itself had a visit to a beautiful park, old Abby and a cute village to stop in for lunch. Our driver was Kevin and would hope that others got as much enjoyment out of the day that we did.

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Jul 30, 2024 - Aug 08, 2024

~~$619~~ $599