Dingle Way light – 5 hiking days
Level: T1, with small parts T2
Best period: May – October, but probably possible the whole year round
Technically this is not a hut hike, it’s a multi-day B&B-hike. But this hike deserves a place here, because it is such a good one with kids! The Dingle Way – Slí Chorca Dhuibhne – is on the Dingle Peninsula. It’s is a very diverse and beautiful trail with panoramic vistas of the sea, the mountains and many, many islands. We’ve hiked this trail in July 2019. Here’s our blog.
The original Dingle way route is 180 km and can be done in 8+ days. This ‘light’ version is 5 days of hiking. The legs – normally 17 to 29 km – are adapted to hiking with children. The hiking times mentioned below are also adjusted to hiking with kids.
Of course you can book all the B&B’s by yourself, but it’s also very handy to use Celtic Nature – a kidfriendly local travel organization. They will organize all the B&B’s, lunch packages, luggage transport and necessary extra transfers for what we feel is a very reasonable price.
Day 1: Arrival in Camp – B&B in Camp. You can leave your car at the B&B.
Day 2: Hike form Camp to Inch Beach – 13 km, 3:30, ↑ 250 m, ↓ 250 m. Pick up in Inch Beach and taxi ride to a B&B in Annascaul.
Day 3: Transfer between Minard Castle and Lispole. Hike to B&B in Dingle. 16 km, 4:30, ↑ 100 m, ↓ 200 m
Day 4: Transfer to Fahan. Hike from Fahan to B&B in Dunquin – 14 km, 4:00, ↑ 150 m, ↓ 150 m. This leg is known as the most beautiful part of the Dingle Way, with vistas of Skellig Micheal and the Blasket Island archipelago. Swimming is possible at Coumeenoole Beach.
Day 5: Transfer to Smerwick Harbour. Hike form there to B&B in Ballyganneen – 14 km, 4:00, ↑ 50 m, ↓ 50 m. The first part of the hike is on the beach to Ballydavid. Swimming is possible during the whole day.
Day 6: Transfer to Lough Doon, glacial basin surrounded by high mountains. Hike to Lough Doon and back to Cloghane – 10 km, 3:00, ↑ 50 m, ↓ 150 m. B&B in Cloghane.
The normal leg is from Cuas to Cloghane over Mount Brandon. This is a difficult hike, unsuitable for our kids.
Day 7: Transfer back to the car in Camp.
