This day is Ireland may have been one of the highlights of our entire trip. While many people visit the major attractions like Killarney, after talking to friends who had visited Ireland, no one had heard of or visited the Gap of Dunloe. I spent some time reading through travel forums on ideas of what to do while abroad and this mysterious Gap of Dunloe kept coming up. One of the comments stood out when he commented that the day he spent in the Gap, hiking through and taking the pony trap with his new bride was still one of his favorite memories 20 years later. I immediately planned the trip, booked the necessary guides and tours, and Adam and I gifted this beautiful day to my in-laws for Christmas. We had the most perfect 65 degree sunny blue bird day for this adventure and we all loved every aspect of the trip.
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| Ross Castle |
The day went like this
- Meet at the Old Weir Lodge in downtown Killarney
- A bus takes you to Ross Castle
- From Ross Castle, you hop on a 1.5 hour boat ride through the lakes and rivers of Killarney National Park
- From there, you have lunch at an old hunting lodge, Lord Brandon's Cottage
- From the cottage, you have the option to hike the 7 miles through the gap (a now paved tiny single lane road), or hire one of the ponymen for a pony trap (horse and carriage ride) down through the gap.
- The hike or ponytrap ride takes you to Kate Kearney's Cottage. From here, you can grab a coffee or a bite and wait for the bus to take you back to your car at Old Wier Lodge.
You can book the tour here
