Ring of Beara, Healy Pass, and Garnish Island

Leaving Killarney at 8 am and traveling onto Kenmare for an early morning stroll around the lovely town square. After a cup of coffee and with the wind in our sails, the day tour continues onto the Ring of Beara.

The Ring of Beara is almost a less well-known ring of Kerry. It is just as scenic but more isolated and rugged. Think of the Ring of Kerry 50 years ago. The jewel in its crown is the Healy Pass. A mountain pass that is dazzling. I can still remember the first time I crossed it, I was amazed I had lived within 40 miles of it and never knew it existed. But the pass is narrow so this day tour has a limited number of passengers (16) so book early.

From the Healy Pass onto Glengarrif and a short boat ride to the hidden gem that is Garnish Island.  Garnish is world renowned for its gardens which are laid out in beautiful walks and it has some stunning specimen plants which are rare in this climate.

Leaving in the afternoon and heading back to Killarney. But this is where we cheat…

We steal the best part of the Ring of Kerry and head home over Moll’s Gap and down by Ladt’s View then through Killarney National Park.

Back to Killarney for about 5:00 pm.

This is a tour that you can nearly be guaranteed that your other globe-trotting friends won’t even have heard of.