Knockreer House & Gardens

(3R, 16 T & 2L) - low hill overlooking Loch Leane and mountains at western end of Killarney town. Entrance in the corner of the road opposite the Cathedral. Route signposted. Up gradual hill on right. Five minutes to gardens. Especially attractive from mid-spring with flowering camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias, cherries. Also Irish Yew, Chilean Flame Tree, etc.

Original house built here by the Kenmare family in the 19th Century. This burned down at the end of the 19th century. Present house was built in the 1950s. At the bottom of the left-hand path through the gardens there are the remains of old steps going down to a path through the woods. Go right and then along path for 400 metres to Cloch Mo Choda - at the edge of the wood - Mass Rock. Here Mass was celebrated during Penal times when it was illegal. Local legend says that Coda was a monk from Innisfallen Island who came here to pray and knelt on the rock and slept for over 100 years - the marks of his knees can be seen in the rock.

Aghadoe

(3L) - Follow N22 north (Tralee Road) for 1.5 kms. Turn left - climb hill - left immediately at the top of the hill (both unclassified roads) to Aghadoe. Great panoramas over public parkland from high point - Lough Leane, islands, mountains. May have been a pagan site superceded by a Christian settlement before Saint Patrick. Monastery established 6th or 7th C. Remains of a stone church and a round tower from 1027. Fine Hiberno-Romanesque west doorway. Ogham stone cemented in south wall of chancel. Another stone nearby has simple but attractive sculpture. Down narrow laneway beside graveyard, Castle of Parkvonear (13th Century) erected by Norman invaders.

Ross Castle

(10R & 9L) - First right off N71, 2 kms to Castle. Built by O'Donoghue Mór in the 14th Century. Last significant stronghold in Ireland taken by Cromwellian armies. General Ludlow laid siege to Ross in November of 1652, realised he could not maintain the siege over the winter months. Cromwellians heard local tradition that said the castle would fall if blockaded from the lake. With the blockade in place the garrison surrendered without firing a shot.

Ross is now one of the finest restored 14th century castles in Ireland. The interior is refurbished in the style of the 17th century. Daily guided tours (Mid-March to end October). See also Ross Island Walk

Dunloe Ogham Stones

(4L) - 8 kms west of Killarney on R562. Left. Over River Laune to Beaufort village. Straight through village and half-a-mile beyond on the left. Originally the roof of a souterrain - underground passage - which collapsed at the end of the 19th century.

Ogham was the earliest form of Irish writing (3rd C AD). It consisted of groupings of straight and slanted lines written around the edge of a rock. This was normally a headstone or memorial mentioning a person and their ancestors. One of the Dunloe stones has been removed to the pathway between the Cathedral and Saint Brendan's College in Killarney town.

Dunloe Castle Gardens

(4cL) - 5km west on N72. First road left - unmarked - signposted to Gap of Dunloe. Cross River Laune. Gardens behind Dunloe Castle Hotel. High over River Laune. Micro Climate. Pair of ancient yew - Adam & Eve - trees and shrubs from around the world. Dunloe Castle Keep - first built in the 13th c and much altered in the 19th c. Garden Guide (€2) by Roy Lancaster from Hotel Reception.

Gap of Dunloe

(6L) - West of Killarney on R562 by coach, car or bicycle (best by jaunting car if you can arrange that) - pass the Cathedral, golf course, Aghadoe Hill on the right. Left on unmarked road after 5 kms. Over the River Laune - through which the water from the lakes of Killarney flows into the sea - to Kate Kearney's Cottage (5L) at the entrance to the Gap (6L).

Walk, cycle, ride on pony-back or travel in a horse-drawn trap through this great glacial breach valley. Pass by Black, Cushvalley, and Augur lakes with Tomies and Purple mountains (7L) on the left and the MacGillycuddy Reeks (29L) on the right. Return to Killarney the same way - for more extensive trip see Killarney Day Trip or Walking.

Muckross Abbey

(3M & 10L) - founded 1448. Route N71 from Killarney 5 kms to Muckross Park Hotel on the left - entrance to Abbey across the road just short of the Hotel. Very extensive late Gothic remains. Originally known as the Monastery of 'Oir Bhealach' or 'Eastern Way'. Three of Kerry's four great Gaelic poets buried inside in the Abbey and the fourth (Piaras Feirtéar) in the graveyard.

In the chancel - in the lower grave on the right with the crown above the coat of arms - rests the first and last Earl of Clancarre, McCarthy Mór, King of Munster. Beside his tomb is the high tomb of the O'Donoghue's. The grave closest to the wall behind is O'Sullivan Mór. In 1583 the friars were expelled from the abbey but later returned. The monastery and church were extensively re-constructed in the early 17th Century. The abbey was finally suppressed in 1652 by Cromwellians but friars remained in this area for a further 200 years. Muckross Abbey is one of the most complete examples of a medieval Irish monastery. 'The Story of Yew' is a very entertaining and knowledgeable fictional telling of its own story by a 2,500 year old yew tree - based on the Muckross Abbey yew.

Muckross House

(14M-17M & 12L) Route N71 south from Killarney for 6 kms, entrance on right. House built by Henry Arthur Herbert in 1843. Visited by Queen Victoria in 1861. Now a folk museum open to the public. Ground and first floors fine example of 19th Century great house - hallway, drawing room, library, dining room, bedrooms, Queen's boudoir - Donegal carpets, fine examples of local wood-carving, inlay work, Waterford chandeliers, tapestry, curtains, etc. Basement has kitchen, weavers' workshop, nature audio-visual and exhibition on Killarney's copper mines and oakwoods. The newly built Mucros Craft Centre has a restaurant, shop and pottery, weaving and bookbinder workshops.

Killarney National Park

Visitor Centre is attached to Muckross House (separate entrance - admission free) ... scale model of section of oak woodland with its birds and animals ... visual history of the Killarney oak woods. Audio visual theatre with regular AV presentation on Killarney National Park.

Muckross Traditional Farms

(18M) (admission charge) recreates the houses and activities of rural Ireland in the 1930's pre rural electrification. Walk or by vintage coach (no extra charge). Along a mile of boithirín (an unsurfaced country road) between high ditches visit the homes, outhouses and farm fields of the small, medium sized and large farmer, the labourer's cottage, the blacksmith's forge, carpenter's workshop, the lime kiln, talk to the women at work in the houses or the men in the fields.

Muckross Gardens

(16M) Location and botanical collection make this a garden of world calibre. Extensive areas of natural rockery, water garden, large lawns, arboretum, flowers, trees - surrounded by wood, in a lake and mountain setting. Fifty acres of garden. Flowers all year. Great spring colours - daffodils followed by azaleas and great clumps of mature rhododendron, heathers, water plants by stream. Extensive rock-gardens on natural limestone. Great collections of dwarf and slow-growing conifers, prostrate shrubs and climbers and alpine perennials. Fine mature pines and cedars, cordyline, magnolia, eucalyptus. Wooded garden (east of main garden (15M) - a canopy of yew and pine shade a huge range of camellias. Seventeen acre arboretum (14M) immediately south of wooded garden ... trees from around the world. Shelter belt, rainfall and relatively mild climate permit wide variety of less hardy trees - that would not survive in the National Arboretum in Wexford - variety of eucalyptus.

Queen’s Drive

(15L) - Take the N71 from Killarney for 6.5 kms. A few hundred yards after the car entrance to Muckross House and Gardens turn left (on the bend at 22M) - the first road to left - unclassified - through state forest - look out for white-rumped Sika Deer - mile up (approximately) panorama (at 8M) over Muckross Lake and Loch Leane. Further half-mile to car park at end of surfaced road. Mountain amphitheatre (9M) - picnic area and pine trees in the shadow of Torc and Mangerton mountains - a variety of forest walks roundabout (see walking and map).

Torc Waterfall

(7M & 17L) - Follow route N71 from Killarney for approx. 7.5kms to car park on left. Follow path upward for 300m to waterfall. Particularly dramatic immediately after extended period of heavy rain. Up stepped pathway for 200m to lake panorama through conifer woods. Route continues to Queen's Drive carpark (9M). Mountain amphitheatre - peaks and pine trees all around. Return to main road, car park by same route.

Ladies View

(20L) - Take the N71 for 16 kms along southern shore of Lough Leane and Muckross Lake, by the Long Range River (Eagle's Nest across the way), Derrycunnihy Oakwoods (19L), the Upper Lake past Ladies' View Industries - great lake panorama in front of shop. Further panorama a kilometre on near the highest point of the road (big boulder on small layby on edge of road). Chosen in 1861 by Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting as 'the finest view in the land'. Panorama takes in Upper Lake and islands (18L), west-north-west McGillycuddy Reeks, including Carrauntuohil, Ireland's highest mountain (30L), back of the Gap of Dunloe (24L), Middle (16L) and Lower Lakes (26L). Return to Killarney along N71.

Innisfallen

(11R & 26L) - by boat from Ross Castle. The 23 acre Island had a monastery for 1,000 years from the 7th Century. Now has the remains of a small 11th or 12th C Hiberno-Romanesque church and extensive remains of a 12th C Augustinian Priory. Important educational centre (High King Brian Boru may have been educated here). Annals of Innisfallen, earliest source of Munster history, written here. Monks here until the 17th Century. Poet Thomas Moore and Daniel O'Connell ('The Liberator') visited Innisfallen. Tree covered - notable beech and ash trees. Grassed walk around perimeter includes great variety of panorama of mountain, lake and woodland.

O'Sullivan’s Cascade

(27L)- R562 from Killarney west for 5 kms. Left towards the Gap of Dunloe. Cross the River Laune. At right-angle bend (signpost for Loch Leane) turn left. After about 1.5 kms the surfaced road goes left across a small stream. Park - carefully - along the road. Essential to avoid blocking the road. Follow the unsurfaced dirt road straight ahead, closing all gates carefully. Through new forest land over a stile and stream. Follow the direct road through the oak woods.

After about 5 kms (from car) come to a stream. Just short of this follow 'O'Sullivan's Cascade' signpost and stepped path to this most spectacular triple waterfall. Back on the main route. Continue over the stream on a circular route that rejoins the lower road near the first wooden bridge and stile.

Killarney Day Trip

(Lake District map)

The perfect way to see Killarney - given reasonable weather. 250 year old trip - rugged mountains, all three lakes, extensive wood cover.

All day trip: 10.00am - 4.30pm (tour arranged).

West of Killarney on R562 by coach, car or bicycle (best by jaunting car if you can arrange that) - pass the Cathedral (14T), Knockreer House & Gardens (3R/2L), golf course (18R/8L), Aghadoe Hill (3L) on the right. Left on unmarked road after 5 kms. Over the River Laune - through which the water from the lakes of Killarney flows into the sea - to Kate Kearney's Cottage (5L) at the entrance to the Gap (6L).

Walk, (but be warned it is over 12 kms), cycle, ride on pony-back or travel in a horse-drawn trap through this great glacial breach valley. Pass by Coosaun Lough, Black, Cushvalley, and Augur lakes and Black Lough with Tomies and Purple mountains (7L) on the left and the MacGillycuddy Reeks (29L) on the right. At T-junction go left. By Black Valley Church. Next junction- follow bye road straight ahead­to Lord Brandon's Cottage (22L) - snack facilities.

By boat through the three main Killarney lakes. The Upper Lake (18L), the Long Range River, Dinis (14L) - Meeting of three lakes, Muckross Lake(16L) and the Lower Lake and hear the great stories told by the boatmen - to Ross Castle (9L/10R). Back to Killarney (walk, cycle, coach or jaunting car).

Bibliography: Ordnance Survey map 1:25,000 Killarney National Park - A Visitors Guide to Killarney National Park - Discovering Kerry - Bórd Fáilte Kerry Holiday Information Leaflet.