Cycle the Gap of Dunloe

The cycle route through the Gap of Dunloe is a topic that we’re quite often asked about. To begin with, we only transport bikes from Ross Castle to Lord Brandon’s Cottage each morning. The reason we do this is so that our guests will have a short cycle in the morning to get to the boat (2km), while then having the rest of the day to make their way back to Killarney at their leisure (25km).

Lord Brandon’s Cottage is the first stop on the route for our cyclists. After unloading their bikes, cyclists can enjoy a coffee in the café before starting their journey.

The route through the Gap of Dunloe from Lord Brandon’s Cottage to Kate Kearney’s Cottage is an 11 kilometre long sealed road. It’s not a gravel road or rough trail so a normal road bike or hybrid bike will be quite suitable. There is one big hill however that is roughly 3 kilometres long. The hill reaches a height of 270 metres and the top (or Head of the Gap) is 5 kilometres after leaving Lord Brandon’s Cottage.

After the Head of the Gap, it’s a further 6 kilometres to Kate Kearney’s Cottage. The descent to Kate Kearney’s Cottage has a few sharp corners and steep sections so care must be taken at all times on the descent. The road is not closed to traffic and during the summer, cyclists will have to share the road with walkers, horse & carriages, cars and other cyclists!

Kate Kearney’s Cottage at the other end of the Gap is a world famous bar and restaurant. There is outdoor seating and is a great spot to take a breath and get ready for the next section of the journey back to Killarney.

After leaving Kate Kearney’s Cottage, cyclists will be travelling on a regional road with rolling hills for approximately 4 kilometres before joining the main Ring of Kerry road. The Ring of Kerry road is a main national road but has a cycle lane, and after 2 kilometres, the cycle lane turns in to a forest cycle lane that will bring cyclists through the National Park back to Killarney (8 Kilometres). The turn to find the entrance to the forest cycle lane is unfortunately a little tricky to find. There is a pub called the ‘Golden Nugget’ on the left hand side just 2 kilometres after turning on to the Ring of Kerry road. Across from this pub is the entrance to the cycle lane. This secluded path is also open to walkers so take your time and remember to cycle on the left and use your bell!

The cycle in total is 25 kilometres and while challenging in parts, the way to look at it is that cyclists will have the whole afternoon to do it! The views are spectacular and there are a number of places to stop for refreshments. Remember to bring plenty of layers as the weather can change quickly and the trip on the boat is uncovered!

For details on our tour and any questions on the cycle through the National Park, please get
in touch with us on info@killarneydaytour.com or call +353872390723.