Killarney National Park is a major visitor destination in County Kerry. The 26,000-acre park is known for its combination of mountains, lakes, woods and waterfalls under ever changing skies. Much of the park is protected land, but there are some wonderful, scenic trails. For runners, they range from easier multi-use paths to more rugged trail running. This page has a list of the trails, with good descriptions and information on distance & degree of difficulty. Some recommendations:
Knockreer Circular Walk. An easy 5k route starting in Killarney that include Killarney House and Gardens, and a section along the bank of the River Deenagh.
Ross Island Trails. Several easy trails exploring the grounds of Ross Castle, and the scenic Ross Island, out to Library Point. Can combine with Knockreer route above.
Killarney National Park is a major visitor destination in County Kerry. The 26,000-acre park is known for its combination of mountains, lakes, woods and waterfalls under ever changing skies. Much of the park is protected land, but there are some wonderful, scenic trails. For runners, they range from easier multi-use paths to more rugged trail running. This page has a list of the trails, with good descriptions and information on distance & degree of difficulty. Some recommendations:
Knockreer Circular Walk. An easy 5k route starting in Killarney that include Killarney House and Gardens, and a section along the bank of the River Deenagh.
Ross Island Trails. Several easy trails exploring the grounds of Ross Castle, and the scenic Ross Island, out to Library Point. Can combine with Knockreer route above.
For a nice off-road run in Killarney, there's a series of footpaths heading southwest to Ross Castle and then out to Library Point. Mainly paved, with a landscape alternating between open fields, some views of the River Deenagh, and wooded sections.
This running tour of Kenmare's highlights has a nice variety. Historic Cromwell's Bridge, Kenmare Stone Circle, nice water views along the Kenmare Pier and over the Kenmare Bridge, and the famous rhododendron tunnel trail in Reenagross Woodland.
Just off the Ring of Kerry in Waterville, a nice run on quieter roads that mixes a waterfront section along Ballinskelligs Bay, then a 5.6 km interior loop featuring the Loher Stone Fort. The full route is a 10-miler, but there are shorter/longer options.
Gorgeous clifftop trail run of moderate challenge on Valentia Island, set location for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Decent surface on the steady climb to the Bray Head Watchtower, with great views out to the Skellig Islands.
Heaven for trail runners! Choose a section of this 200 km walking trail around the Iveragh Peninsula. There are easy, moderate, and difficult sections. Much of the trail is on clifftop heads above the water, with some interior farmland sections.
The Dingle peninsula is a popular visitor destination in County Kerry, known for its rugged scenery, trails, and sandy beaches. There's a nice waterfront run in Dingle, good beach running at Carthoo Beach, and a gorgeous clifftop trail run at Slay Head.
Another great option for trail runners! Choose a section of this 179 km walking trail around the Dingle Peninsula. Trail running with various degrees of difficulty, & somewhat easier than the Kerry Way. Much of the trail is along or above the coast.
There are some wonderful beaches for running in County Kerry -- wide, with firm sand. Inch Beach, Ceann Trá, and Stradbelly Beach are on the Dingle Peninsula, while Rossbeigh Strand is just off the Ring of Kerry.
There are some nice running options in County Kerry's largest town, including a flat off-road path along the Tralee Canal, paths around the beautiful Park of Tralee, and the recently completed 15 km Trailee-Fenit Greenway.
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