Sneem

The hike to Sneem didn't have the same great views as the first day, but the terrain was just as hard! We finally got there after 8 eight hours - making much better time than the day before. Sneem, funnily, seemed like a smaller version of Kenmare or an even smaller version of Killarney. A nice town, good atmosphere, especially during the day as a constant stream of tour buses traffic people through the town.

Pub? Church?

On the road to Sneem we passed this unusual pub made from a converted Church of Ireland church. I'll let you form your own opinions :-)

From Hike from Kil...

Kenmare

After 9 hours our first days hiking finished in Kenmare. Quite a nice place - a bit like a miniature version of Killarney. We rested up big time for more of the same tomorrow, when we'd hike to Sneem.

From Hike from Kil...

The Windy Gap

After a steady rise for a couple of hours, we got to the top of the windy gap. Looking back you can see the the entire Kenmare road, back to the national park. Looking the other direction you can see Kenmare and Kenmare bay, several miles ahead.

From Hike from Kil...

From Hike from Kil...

Oh, and yes, it is very, very windy!

The Old Kenmare Road

The Old Kenmare road begins at the top of Torc Waterfall. It's a narrow windy track, over the mountains to Kenmare and is long closed to traffic. The trip affords some spectacular views and is very much untouched country. Lakes, waterfalls and freshwater streams dot the landscape and harly an animal is to be seen. No farming seems to be underway here now - all we saw was the occasional, ancient farm wall and at one stage what seems to be a graveyard with lots of burial mounds.

From Hike from Kil...

From Hike from Kil...

Occasionally you pass another hiker (usually German or Dutch the day we went), but apart from that you're on your own. Very quiet, very realxing. We had lunch beside a waterfall in the middle of nowhere ... say no more.

From Hike from Kil...

From Hike from Kil...

Torc Waterfall

A little further on from Muckross was Torc Waterfall. Very pretty. After a steep climb to the top there was a very nice view of the lakes behind us. This was also the start of our trek up and over the mountains to Kenmare.

From Hike from Kil...

From Hike from Kil...

Muckross

Muckross and Killarney have almost grown together at this stage and after a short stroll we'd arrived at Muckross Abbey and Muckross House. This was only mildly impressive - Far nicer were the lakes of Killarney that they stood beside.

From Hike from Kil...

From Hike from Kil...

From Hike from Kil...

Killarney

Killarney, to me, seemed like one big Irish theme park. Lots of fun - carnivals, parties, street entertainment, cheap accomodation. We stayed in cheap hostel to get a comfortable night before setting off on our hike.

From Hike from Kil...

From Hike from Kil...

Hiking Killarney to Sneem 23-7-7

Myself, Jim and John set off to hike some of the Kerry Way. The whole route is over 200km, but we only did about 60km, taking us from Killarney to Kenmare.






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