Getting cozy in Killarney & the Gap of Dunloe
Enter: Killarney, Ireland a vibrant little town in County Kerry
Where to begin? Hoping aboard an incredibly cheap RyanAir flight (60E pp) to Kerry, our first stop in Killarney set the tone with our maiden voyage to the land of leprechauns. Killarney is everything you could hope for in an Irish town – bustling with restaurants and shops, flags and hanging signs waving above the cobbled streets, locals and tourists slurping down Guinness in the pubs.
We booked a room at the convenient and cozy Arbutus Hotel, just off the main drag and with what would undoubtedly be one of the best hotel breakfasts I’ve ever had in my life!
…I’m serious. If I could pass out samples of their hot scones, fresh omelettes or melt-in-your-mouth french toast I would! So for now you’ll just have to settle on these pictures.
Few words were passed between Dan and I as we dug into our feast. I’m not sure whether the best part was that it was complimentary or bottomless.
After our feast, we hopped in the car and scooted over to the Gap of Dunloe in Killarney National Park. The Gap is a narrow pass about 7 miles long between (get this) Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and Purple Mountain. Both mountains sound like their from a storybook and I love it.
The best way to explore the Gap of Dunloe? Via trap and pony! Local farmers subsidize their income by providing these rides up and down the Gap.
Dan and I grabbed coffees from a Kate Kearney’s cottage before climbing aboard. The steaming drink instantly cut the chill as we got to chatting with our friendly guide. Around us the mountains slowly started to close in.
Riding the Gap of Dunloe takes about a two hours roundtrip with stops for pictures. Passing 7 small to midsize ponds en route, it is unbelievably pretty.
Our chatty guide owns a farm nearby and takes tourists on trap and pony rides to subsidize his income.
Maybe you can see why I made the Gap a priority? The green mossy hillsides, lakes and winding road are breathtakingly picturesque. If the quantity of pictures I took is any indicator, I loved it.
Think this is something you’d enjoy OR would you be back in pub sipping beer? 😀