3 rings (Kerry, Beara and Skellig)

Whilst in the area, with a rental car (even if it is a Fiat Tipo), you feel that you have to do the touristy bit and see the Ring of Kerry. We added the quieter and more relaxed rings of Beara and Skellig to that and spent a couple of nights away from the boat in B and B places. Sleeping ashore. Scary.

The Ring of Kerry is a bit busy with tour buses. The others are very quiet. Here is a trip around in pictures for you. For orientation:

Let's start at Sneem by the river - kind of a good motorhome spot there:

Next, O'Carrolls cove showing that it can be sunny and warm in Ireland too:

Some of the sea views are pretty impressive:

but the navigation seemed challenging. Poor Andrew had everyone telling him how to use his phone to find places:

Too many cooks and all that....

The island of Valentia was lovely. Here is a lifeboat picture to add to our collection:

Very few are in such a great setting.

The main town on Valentia is Knightstown. A big harbour area with new breakwaters but they then stopped and didn't install the pontoons that were intended. So they have a free for all to get a spot on the inside of the breakwater where there are inoperative power points and nobody to manage the place, collect any mooring dues etc. Sad, it could be so good there. The local cafe has a great view over the harbour and the cake portions were truly enormous. Here is Linda and Andrew's Bakewell tart. Luckily it was to be shared between them:

The Killarney national park was stunningly beautiful but a bit infested by coaches and motorhomes. This shows one of the famous views:

There is an antique cable car that goes across to Dursey Island. The maintenance seems to be optional - the towers supporting the cables were more than a little rusty and the gondola looks more like a second world war gun emplacement:

You get a feel for the investment in the service when you see the notice stuck in the window that has been "changed" a few times rather than reprinted:

The sign originally said that there were 15 people living on the island. Now it says 2. Perhaps the scary cable car ride puts them off?

The Healy pass was quite a dramatic drive up a lovely twisty road. On a motorcycle (maybe not Andrew's Honda Dax) it would be wonderful. By Tipo it was less involving but still had some great vistas:

Topped off by lovely food in surprising local restaurants and pubs, the time ashore was much enjoyed.