Gap of Dunloe

The Gap of Dunloe is a narrow mountain pass about eight kilometres west of Killarney, cutting between the MacGillycuddy's Reeks and the Purple Mountain. The pass itself — a four-kilometre lane of single-track road through increasingly dramatic scenery — is best done on foot or by pony, since it is very narrow and the surface is rough in places. The five lakes along the route reflect the mountains on calm days.

The classic trip combines a jaunting car from Killarney to Kate Kearney's Cottage at the Gap entrance, a walk or pony ride through the Gap, and a boat trip from Lord Brandon's Cottage back across the Upper Lake to Ross Castle. The full circuit takes most of a day and the boat trip is the highlight — the lake is quiet, the islands wooded, and the approach to Ross Castle from the water is beautiful. Jaunting car drivers and boat operators can be arranged through most guesthouses in Killarney.

things to do sight
A story
The Gap of Dunloe is a glacial pass — the U-shaped valley was carved by a glacier during the last ice age, and the five small lakes strung along its floor, connected by the River Loe, are a textbook example of what geologists call a paternoster lake chain. The pass sits between Macgillycuddy's Reeks (where Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain, stands) and the Purple Mountain range.