Staycation 2020.
As soon as we were set free we headed for South Kerry. Following the Ring of Kerry road from Killorglin to Caherciveen we took a right turn west of the town for the Skelligs Ring. The first stop was at Portmagee to breathe the sea air. The bridge to Valentia Island is at Portmagee. Valentia has spectacular scenery and a popular marina for sea sports fishing and diving. Places worth visiting include The Slate Quarry and The Lighthouse .
Climbing the hill road west of Portmagee our ears began to pop. As we crossed the mountain almost a thousand feet up Saint Finan's Bay and the Skelligs Rock appeared into view. It was a clear day , sun shining and you felt you could touch the Skelligs. It certainly looks like a different planet. We crawled down to the beach popular with surfers where we had taken a house at the waters edge .Surrounded on three sides by mountains and with our own sky we never left the valley.
Early morning walks, watching gannets dive , climbing the hills, swimming in the sea, and cycling the by roads filled our days. We watched the sun set on the bay listening to the waves as they sang their song.
Places to visit all within a half hour drive include .
Derrynane House and Gardens - Home of Daniel O Connell
http://derrynanehouse.ie/
Waterville - Golf Course. Cliff walks
www.watervillegolflinks.ie/
Fly fishing on Lough Currane
fishinginireland.info/salmon/southwest/loughcurrane/
Cill Rialaig artists retreat in Ballinskelligs
cillrialaigartscentre.com/
Blue flag beaches in Derrynane and Ballinskelligs perfect for long walks swimming etc .
The Skelligs Falcon boat brings people to the Skelligs Rock from St Finans Bay also called St Finians Bay (0872229787 )which is a two hour trip . Spectacular when u up close
www.skellig-falcon.com/about-us/
Caherciveen is the main town with supermarkets, Quinlans fish shop, Millers butcher shop . etc .
Restaurants.
The Moorings In Portmagee
www.moorings.ie
QCs In Caherciveen
www.qc.ie/restaurant.html
The Point Seafood Bar close to Caherciveen
www.oneillsthepoint.ie/
Waterville has a number of restaurants and hotels. If you want good gourmet food there is
The Butler Arms Hotel
butlerarms.com/
Dooleys Bar and Restaurant
dooleyswaterville.com
The Smugglers Inn in Waterville .
https://www.smugglersinn.ie/
A new restaurant opened at St Finans Bay in 2020 called Driftwood Cafe.
www.driftwoodsurfcafe.com
Top quality food at medium range prices. Five minutes over the road is the Skelligs Chocolate Factory https://skelligschocolate.com/ where you can see the chocolates being made and have a tasting .
You can google any of these places and find out more .
Accommodation
Most people stay in self catering cottages and houses. Prices range from €600 to a €1000 per week depending on location and size. Accommodation can be sourced on Airbnb https://www.airbnb.ie/ or on Kerry Coastal Cottages www.kerry-coastal-cottages.com/
The locations to look up are Ballinskelligs or Saint Finians Bay.
If you want to stay in a top quality hotel The Butler Arms hotel in Waterville is excellent .
Anyone got a story from Wexford or Waterford. I’ve passed through both but never stayed in them .
Eamonn Brennan
As soon as we were set free we headed for South Kerry. Following the Ring of Kerry road from Killorglin to Caherciveen we took a right turn west of the town for the Skelligs Ring. The first stop was at Portmagee to breathe the sea air. The bridge to Valentia Island is at Portmagee. Valentia has spectacular scenery and a popular marina for sea sports fishing and diving. Places worth visiting include The Slate Quarry and The Lighthouse .
Climbing the hill road west of Portmagee our ears began to pop. As we crossed the mountain almost a thousand feet up Saint Finan's Bay and the Skelligs Rock appeared into view. It was a clear day , sun shining and you felt you could touch the Skelligs. It certainly looks like a different planet. We crawled down to the beach popular with surfers where we had taken a house at the waters edge .Surrounded on three sides by mountains and with our own sky we never left the valley.
Early morning walks, watching gannets dive , climbing the hills, swimming in the sea, and cycling the by roads filled our days. We watched the sun set on the bay listening to the waves as they sang their song.
Places to visit all within a half hour drive include .
Derrynane House and Gardens - Home of Daniel O Connell
http://derrynanehouse.ie/
Waterville - Golf Course. Cliff walks
www.watervillegolflinks.ie/
Fly fishing on Lough Currane
fishinginireland.info/salmon/southwest/loughcurrane/
Cill Rialaig artists retreat in Ballinskelligs
cillrialaigartscentre.com/
Blue flag beaches in Derrynane and Ballinskelligs perfect for long walks swimming etc .
The Skelligs Falcon boat brings people to the Skelligs Rock from St Finans Bay also called St Finians Bay (0872229787 )which is a two hour trip . Spectacular when u up close
www.skellig-falcon.com/about-us/
Caherciveen is the main town with supermarkets, Quinlans fish shop, Millers butcher shop . etc .
Restaurants.
The Moorings In Portmagee
www.moorings.ie
QCs In Caherciveen
www.qc.ie/restaurant.html
The Point Seafood Bar close to Caherciveen
www.oneillsthepoint.ie/
Waterville has a number of restaurants and hotels. If you want good gourmet food there is
The Butler Arms Hotel
butlerarms.com/
Dooleys Bar and Restaurant
dooleyswaterville.com
The Smugglers Inn in Waterville .
https://www.smugglersinn.ie/
A new restaurant opened at St Finans Bay in 2020 called Driftwood Cafe.
www.driftwoodsurfcafe.com
Top quality food at medium range prices. Five minutes over the road is the Skelligs Chocolate Factory https://skelligschocolate.com/ where you can see the chocolates being made and have a tasting .
You can google any of these places and find out more .
Accommodation
Most people stay in self catering cottages and houses. Prices range from €600 to a €1000 per week depending on location and size. Accommodation can be sourced on Airbnb https://www.airbnb.ie/ or on Kerry Coastal Cottages www.kerry-coastal-cottages.com/
The locations to look up are Ballinskelligs or Saint Finians Bay.
If you want to stay in a top quality hotel The Butler Arms hotel in Waterville is excellent .
Anyone got a story from Wexford or Waterford. I’ve passed through both but never stayed in them .
Eamonn Brennan