The 48 km North Kerry Way gets none of the attention of the Dingle and Kerry Ways to the south, which is partly the point. It is a linear, waymarked route running the quieter north coast of County Kerry, from Tralee out to the seaside village of Ballyheigue. The first half is flat – canal towpath and sea-wall – and the sting is in the tail, where the Kerry Head loop climbs to Maulin at roughly 217 m. Most people walk it over two days, but it breaks neatly into day-hikes if you would rather not commit.
It is a National Waymarked Trail registered with Sport Ireland and managed by North Kerry Walks Limited. Look for the standard yellow walking-man arrow on a black background.
The route, section by section
Out of Tralee the trail follows the towpath of the old ship canal to Blennerville, where the restored five-storey Blennerville Windmill (c. 1800) is the obvious landmark and a decent first stop. From there it runs beside the mudflats and wetlands of Tralee Bay to the village of Spa – worth timing for low tide, when the wading birds are out on the flats.
The middle stretch reaches Banna Strand, six kilometres of sand and the historical heart of the walk. Roger Casement came ashore here from a German U-boat on Good Friday 1916, trying to land arms for the Easter Rising; he was arrested within hours and later executed. A monument near the dunes marks the spot. The final section runs along the beach to Ballyheigue, which has a Blue Flag beach, cafés, pubs and the ruins of Ballyheigue Castle.
The Kerry Head loop is the one stage that earns the word ‘walk’ rather than ‘stroll’. It circuits the peninsula from Ballyheigue and climbs to Maulin (around 217 m) for views across Tralee Bay and out to the Shannon Estuary. Total ascent over the whole route is roughly 370 m, almost all of it here.
Getting there
Tralee is the practical start: it has a train station, Bus Éireann services and Kerry Airport about 18 km to the south-east. The trailhead is near Denny Street. At the far end, Bus Éireann route 275 links Ballyheigue back to Tralee, though services are thin, so check the timetable before you rely on it. Free car parks sit near the town park in Tralee and in Ballyheigue village.
The opening canal towpath suits a bike, but most of the route is foot-only – stiles, soft beach sand and crossings through private fields make cycling a non-starter past Blennerville.
Nearby
A short detour inland from Banna Strand brings you to Ardfert, with its substantial cathedral ruins and medieval friary. Near Ballyduff stands Rattoo Round Tower, one of the more complete round towers in Ireland. Further up the coast, Ballybunion has the cliffs, sea-stacks and beaches it is known for.
Practical notes
The whole thing is 48 km at a moderate grade. The north coast is fully exposed to Atlantic weather, so pack windproof and waterproof layers whatever the forecast says, and bring proper boots for the Kerry Head sections – the surface there is grassy field track, not path. OS Discovery Series sheets 63 and 71 cover the route, and free trail maps turn up in local tourist offices.
Dogs are fine on a lead the whole way. One quirk: the trail officially closes for a single day, 28 February, each year, to honour agreements with the private landowners whose fields it crosses. For trail enquiries, contact North Kerry Walks Ltd.