The valley that stayed dark
The Black Valley was the last place in mainland Ireland to be wired to the electricity grid, in 1976, and among the last to get a telephone line. The Irish name, Com Uí Dhuibh – ‘Black Glen’ – is older than any of that, but locals enjoy the coincidence and will tell you the ‘black’ is for all those centuries of dark nights. Either way it sets the tone: a remote glen at the southern foot of the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, between the Gap of Dunloe and Moll’s Gap, where reviewers reliably report feeling like the last people left on earth.
Most visitors hurry through on the way to the drama of the Gap. Don’t. If you have a car and an afternoon, the one thing to do is drive the narrow road into the valley floor and walk out to Molly’s Cottage near Lough Reagh. If you’re on foot for longer, you’re almost certainly here for the Kerry Way.
Getting in
Drive to Moll’s Gap on the R568, then watch for the small side-road signed ‘Gearhasallagh’ after the townland; it drops steeply north into the valley. The road is paved but single-track and shared with farm traffic, so take the bends slowly and use the passing places. In summer, horse-drawn jaunting cars run from Kate Kearney’s Cottage up through the Gap of Dunloe and down through the valley to Lord Brandon’s Cottage, so you may meet a horse and trap on a blind corner.
The valley floor is a U-shaped glacial trough of blanket bog and small lakes – Lough Reagh and Lough Googh chief among them – with the Reeks rising steeply on either side. Mist drifts down off the tops often enough that photographers come for the light as much as the landscape; the Roaringwater Journal’s photographer reckons it’s at its best in winter, when low sun meets passing showers and the place empties out.
Molly’s Cottage
The valley’s most photographed feature is an abandoned stone dwelling near Lough Reagh, in the townland of Drumluska, known as Molly’s Cottage or the Slate House. It has a fair claim to being the most photographed ruin in Ireland, and its eerie, weathered look does most of the work.
To reach it from Lough Reagh, head north along the stream until the track splits, take the right-hand fork, and keep going until the stone walls come into view. It’s free to reach and needs no permit. Stay on the path, leave the structure as you found it, and take your litter home – it sits on working land.
Walking the Kerry Way
The Black Valley is a stage of the Kerry Way, the 215 km waymarked trail that loops the Iveragh Peninsula and starts and finishes in Killarney.
- Stage 1 – Killarney to the Black Valley: about 29 km with roughly 550 m of ascent, passing Lord Brandon’s Cottage before the descent into the valley.
- Stage 2 – Black Valley to the Bridia Valley: about 16 km with 396 m of climb, on quiet lanes and marked hill paths, continuing on towards Glencar.
For a shorter outing, the Lough Googh circuit is a 7 km moderate loop along the shoreline past a few small waterfalls. It’s signposted and the Kerry Way markers are reliable, but mobile signal drops out in the valley’s centre – download a GPX track or carry an Ordnance Survey map before you go.
The cycling loop
The valley is the wild middle third of a 56 km cycling loop linking the Gap of Dunloe, the Black Valley and Moll’s Gap – three to four hours of riding with about 774 m of climbing, and one of the best day rides in the county. The catch is the descent from the Head of the Gap: roughly 7 km of narrow, steep tarmac where brakes overheat if you carry too much speed, so test them early and stay in low gears. Bikes can be hired in Killarney; bring a basic repair kit, because there’s no help in the valley if something breaks.
Practical information
- No services: there are no shops, restaurants, bars or fuel in the valley, and the nearest supermarket is about 20 km away. The church at the valley’s centre is the nearest thing to a hub. Buy food and fill the tank before you turn off.
- Parking: free at the Gearhasallagh turn-off and by the old hostel. Spaces are limited and fill on summer weekends, so arrive before 10am.
- Road and weather: the road can be icy in winter with short daylight; winter cyclists should fit wider or studded tyres and drivers should ease off on the bends.
- Signal: mobile coverage is patchy throughout; offline maps are advisable.
- Staying over: the long-running Black Valley Hostel has closed, but the same family now lets two self-catering apartments – The Timber House and The Little House – on a two-night minimum, and will do a grocery shop for guests given how far the nearest supermarket is. Contact them on +353 64 6634712.
Nearby
- Gap of Dunloe – the valley is the quiet southern access into the Gap and the boat routes on the Lakes of Killarney.
- Moll’s Gap (30-minute drive) – a picturesque stop on the Ring of Kerry with views back to the Reeks.
- Lord Brandon’s Cottage (10-minute drive) – a 19th-century lodge with a café and boat access down to Ross Castle.
- Ladies View (40-minute drive) – the famous panoramic viewpoint on the N71.
- Beaufort – the gateway village for fuel, groceries and extra lodging.
Fill the tank and buy your lunch before you leave the R568. There’s nothing to buy once you drop into the valley, and the phone signal gives out long before the road does.