Overview
The Gap of Dunloe (Irish: Bearna an Choimín) is an 11-kilometre glacial pass squeezed between the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks to the west and the Purple Mountain group to the east, threaded by the River Loe and a chain of five small lakes. Silver-grey Old Red Sandstone cliffs rise straight off the road, and the water shifts from deep blue to milky turquoise with the light.
The single best way to see it, if you have a car, is the there-and-back walk from Kate Kearney’s Cottage. If you don’t, take the combined jaunting-car and boat tour out of Killarney. What you should not do is drive it on a summer afternoon – more on that below.
The route runs from Kate Kearney’s Cottage at the northern end – a pub that has watered travellers since the 1860s – south to Lord Brandon’s Cottage in the Black Valley. On foot it is roughly a 10 km out-and-back to the Head of the Gap and down; the road tops out at 241 m, so it earns its views.
History & Glacial Formation
The valley’s U-shape is a legacy of the last ice age. Around 25,000 years ago a glacier more than 500 m deep broke through the Head of the Gap, grinding out the deep trough you walk through today. As the ice retreated, meltwater filled the scooped-out hollows, leaving the five lakes that define the route: Coosaun Lough, Black Lake, Cushnavally Lake, Auger Lake and Black Lough. The name Dunloe comes from Dún Lóich, “Lóich’s stronghold,” after a Fir Bolg chieftain named in early Irish annals.
For centuries, the pass served as a vital trading route between the Killarney basin and the Brandon peninsula. It only became a major tourist destination in the Victorian era, when the rise of the grand tour brought visitors seeking Ireland’s wildest scenery. The tradition of horse-drawn jaunting-cars, which once carried locals and goods through the narrow track, evolved into a scenic transport method that remains a defining experience of the area.
What to See & Do
The Gap offers several ways to experience the valley, each with its own pace and perspective. Most visitors choose one of the following:
- Walking: The standard walk is a 10 km there-and-back from Kate Kearney’s Cottage to the Head of the Gap (241 m) and down again – allow four to five hours. The 11 km figure often quoted is the full cottage-to-cottage road. For a short version, the flat 2 km to the Wishing Bridge and back takes about 40 minutes and suits all ages.
- Jaunting-car rides: Horse-drawn carriages carry up to four passengers along the narrow road, pausing at the viewpoints. Reckon on roughly €40–€50 per person, but agree the fare before you climb aboard – prices vary and disputes over them are not unknown.
- Boat crossings: A boat operates seasonally between Ross Castle and Lord Brandon’s Cottage, cutting across the lakes and saving the walk or carriage ride. Departures usually run in the morning with returns in the early afternoon; fares are set by the operator, so check when booking.
- Cycling: The road is popular with cyclists, particularly on e-bikes from Killarney. The gradient is manageable but sustained, the surface generally good, and bikes can usually go on the boat for flexible routing.
Key landmarks include the Wishing Bridge, a stone arch at the narrowest point between Coosaun Lough and Black Lake, and Colleen Bawn Cottage, a stone shelter near the centre that makes a handy resting spot. At the southern end, Lord Brandon’s Cottage sits down in the Black Valley itself – a tea-room and boat jetty reached after the road drops away from the Head of the Gap.
Driving the Gap (and why most people shouldn’t)
The road through the Gap is a public road, maintained by Kerry County Council, and you are legally entitled to drive it. In practice it’s a poor idea in summer. It is single-track with few passing places, and by mid-morning it fills with walkers, cyclists, horses and jaunting-cars whose drivers would rather you weren’t there – in 2005, operators were accused of deliberately blocking cars. There is no formal seasonal closure, whatever the unofficial signs suggest, but the crowds amount to one in daylight.
If you must drive, go at first light or in the evening, yield at every passing place and expect to reverse. Better still, park at Kate Kearney’s and walk or cycle, or take a tour. Visibility drops fast in fog or rain either way.
Practical Information
- Parking: Kate Kearney’s Cottage has a large free car park, but it still fills by 11am on summer days. There’s no public transport from Killarney to the Gap, so getting here car-free means a taxi, a bike or a tour.
- Facilities: Toilets, a café, and a craft shop are available at Kate Kearney’s Cottage. Lord Brandon’s Cottage offers a small shop and snack service. There are no public toilets along the road itself.
- Best time to visit: May through September offers the most reliable weather and full service schedules. Early mornings provide the clearest light for photography and fewer crowds.
- What to bring: Sturdy footwear, a waterproof layer, and a full water bottle. The valley offers little cover in sudden showers. Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a short lead at all times.
- Safety: The road is narrow and lacks hard shoulders in places. Cyclists should wear helmets and use lights, even in daylight. Walkers should stay on the paved edge and be visible to jaunting-car drivers.
Nearby Sights & Itineraries
The Gap of Dunloe is rarely visited in isolation. It sits within the wider Killarney area and pairs naturally with several nearby attractions:
- Ross Castle and the three Lakes of Killarney are a short drive from the northern entrance. Guided tours of the 15th-century tower house run seasonally.
- The Purple Mountain range on the eastern side offers several marked walking routes, including the popular Ladies View trail.
- Continuing south from Lord Brandon’s Cottage leads into the Black Valley, a dramatic mountain pass that eventually connects to Moll’s Gap and the Ring of Kerry.
- For a more remote mountain experience, the Brandon peninsula lies just beyond the Reeks, featuring the historic O’Donoghue’s Boyne House and the wild coastline of Brandon Bay.
A straightforward half-day itinerary: arrive at Kate Kearney’s by mid-morning, take the jaunting-car south to Lord Brandon’s Cottage, grab a coffee, and catch the boat back across the lakes to Ross Castle in the early afternoon. Prefer to do it under your own steam? A steady walk from the northern entrance to the Wishing Bridge and back makes a relaxed afternoon, easily paired with nearby Beaufort or the Killarney National Park visitor centre.
One rhythm that works: arrive before 11am, walk or ride as far as the Wishing Bridge for the best of the lakes, and turn back before the jaunting-car traffic builds. Check the boat and jaunting-car schedules the day before – both stop running in poor weather.