Overview
The Skellig Coast is the ocean-facing flank of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, running from Kells Bay to Castlecove. It’s the wildest section of both the Ring of Kerry and the Wild Atlantic Way, and its spine is the 32 km Skellig Ring – a narrow scenic loop through the Iveragh Gaeltacht that links the fishing villages of Ballinskelligs, Portmagee and Cahersiveen, past sandy bays and early stone forts. Two things pull people out this far: the boat trip to Skellig Michael and the night sky. The whole region sits inside Ireland’s only Gold Tier International Dark Sky Reserve, one of the darkest places left in Europe.
If you only have a day, give the morning to a boat tour (sea permitting) and the afternoon to the Skellig Ring. The drive alone is worth the trip on the days the swell is too high to sail.
The Skellig Islands
Twelve kilometres offshore, the two Skellig rocks rise straight out of the Atlantic. Skellig Michael (Sceilg Mhichíl) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the one you can land on. Christian monks built a monastery here around the 6th century, living in stone beehive huts until they left the island in the 12th or 13th century. Reaching the ruined monastery, oratory and church means climbing 618 stone steps, cut by the monks, up the pyramid of rock to a settlement 218 m above the sea. There are no handrails.
Little Skellig (Sceilig Bheag) lies 1.5 km to the east and is closed to landing. It holds the second-largest northern gannet colony in the world – the white coating its slopes, as you circle in the boat, is birds rather than rock. The surrounding waters support puffins, guillemots, Manx shearwaters and grey seals, and minke whales, basking sharks and dolphins turn up along the coast through the summer.
Both rocks played the planet Ahch-To in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017); the stark, treeless landscape made an easy stand-in for a remote Jedi sanctuary, and most boat tours now point out the filming spots as they pass.
For the closest mainland view of the Skelligs without getting on a boat, the Kerry Cliffs near Portmagee charge €5 per person, parking included.
Heritage & History
The mainland coast is as rich in history as the islands. Valentia Island connects to Portmagee by bridge and to Renard Point by a seasonal car ferry. The island holds two scientific landmarks: the roughly 350 million-year-old tetrapod trackway – the oldest known fossil footprints of a land-dwelling vertebrate – and the field where the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable came ashore in 1866. The Valentia Lighthouse visitor centre and the nearby Transatlantic Cable Museum fill in the detail. The Skellig Experience visitor centre, also on Valentia, has free on-site parking and opens 10am–7pm (10am–6pm in July and August).
Inland, the coast is dotted with early medieval ring forts. Cahergal, a 7th-century dry-stone fort near Cahersiveen, has walls over 6 m high and interior terraces looking across to the nearby Leacanabuaile fort. Further east, Derrynane House was the home of Daniel O’Connell, the 19th-century campaigner for Catholic emancipation; the estate overlooks Derrynane Bay, a Blue Flag beach good for walking and swimming.
There’s a decent food and drink scene too. The Skelligs Chocolate Factory in Ballinskelligs runs free tours and tastings daily (10am–5pm), while McGill’s Brewery and the Skellig Six18 Distillery in Cahersiveen turn out local craft beer and spirits. In Waterville, a free outdoor heritage trail and craft market cover the local history.
Walking & Outdoor Routes
The Skellig Coast is threaded with marked trails for a range of fitness levels:
- The Kerry Way (Sections 5–7) follows the coastline between Cahersiveen and Waterville. Waymarked with yellow-green signs, it takes in cliff-top panoramas, access to sandy bays and several stone forts. Walk it as a full long-distance trek or break it into day hikes.
- Skellig Way is a 12 km loop from Portmagee harbour, passing the ruins of a 12th-century stone church and climbing to a viewpoint with a clear line to the islands.
- Bolus Head Loop is a 5 km circuit from Ballinskelligs, climbing the headland for sea views and nesting seabirds on the coastal cliffs.
- Cahersiveen Cycling Loop covers 38 km of quiet country roads past Knocknadobar Mountain, old pilgrimage paths and the White Strand Blue Flag beach, linking to the developing Glenbeigh–Cahersiveen greenway.
Weather on the exposed coast turns fast. Waterproof layers, a windproof outer and sturdy footwear are worth having for any of the coastal walks.
Practical Information
Getting there – Kerry Airport, Cork and Shannon all have road links to the Iveragh Peninsula. From any of them, follow the N70 to Waterville or Cahersiveen, then the signs for the Skellig Ring. The Ring of Kerry tour-bus network runs anti-clockwise, so private vehicles are directed clockwise to avoid meeting them head-on on the narrow roads.
Driving – The Skellig Ring is about 32 km of narrow, winding lanes. There’s free public parking at Ballinskelligs and Waterville, and in Portmagee at both the entrance to the village and the church in the centre. Fuel stations are in Cahersiveen and Killarney.
Boat tours – Licensed operators depart from Portmagee harbour and Cahersiveen. Boats run roughly March to October, with landing tours May to September. Casey’s Skellig Islands charges €145 to land and €60 for the non-landing eco tour; the Skellig Experience runs landing trips from €115 and sea cruises from €42. Landing tours require age 14+ and a reasonable level of fitness. A standard landing trip takes 5–6 hours, including the boat ride, time circling Little Skellig and about 2.5 hours on the island. Numbers are strictly capped to protect the site, so book months ahead.
Seasonality – The scenic drive is open year-round. Heritage sites like Derrynane House and the Waterville craft market run on seasonal schedules, so check opening times first. Summer (June–August) brings the calmest seas and longest days; autumn brings fewer crowds and the hills going to rust and gold.
Accessibility – The coastal road and most village centres are wheelchair-friendly. The 618 steps on Skellig Michael are steep, uneven and handrail-free, which rules the island out for anyone with reduced mobility or a fear of heights. The Valentia visitor centres and the Waterville heritage trail have level access.
Safety & Conservation – Operators watch the sea closely and will not land if the swell is too high. On the island, stay on the marked paths, keep clear of nesting birds and carry out all your waste. The steps get slippery in the wet, so take your time and leave room for people coming the other way on the narrow stairways.
Book the boat well ahead – landing places sell out months in advance – and keep the day flexible, because a fair share of sailings are called off for weather even in high summer. If yours is cancelled, the Skellig Ring, the Kerry Cliffs and a dark, clear night make the trip worthwhile on their own.