The Slea Head Drive is one of the best Irish road trip destinations and one of the top places to visit in Ireland for its beautiful scenery and intriguing history. Slea Head Drive, also known as R559, is a loop driving route around the Dingle Peninsula, starting and ending in Dingle Town. It’s one of the most amazing coastal drives in Ireland and not to be missed.
Renting a car in Ireland is the best way to experience all of the best things to do in Slea Head and the Dingle Peninsula. You’ll have the freedom to drive wherever you want, whenever you want. In this travel guide, I’ll show you how to plan your own Slea Head drive, including all the best stops on the way.
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Slea Head Drive: Top Tips
Before you venture out on your Dingle Peninsula driving trip, there are a few things to know before you hit the road. First, it’s easiest to have your own car to make the journey. Search here for the best rates on rental cars where you’ll be able to compare prices and cars quickly and easily.
How Long Does the Slea Head Drive Take?
Slea Head Drive is about 47km long (30 miles). It’s one of the best scenic drives in Ireland. This circular route starts and ends in the town of Dingle. If you drove the whole Slea Head loop without stopping, you could drive the route in about an hour. However, you’ll be making many stops along the way to explore and admire the views.
Give yourself a half day, or three to four hours, to complete the Slea Head loop drive. On my trip, I drove from Killarney in the morning, stopped at Inch Beach, made a road trip of the entire Dingle Peninsula, and spent half a day in Dingle. Then, I spent the night in the village of Dingle.
Which Direction to Travel on the Dingle Peninsula
I suggest driving in a clockwise direction around the Dingle Peninsula on Slea Head Drive. The road is very narrow. For the majority of the ride, you will follow the twists and turns of this coastal drive. There will be mountain cliffs on one side and the ocean on the other side.
It’s best to travel in the same direction that the tour buses travel, which is clockwise. You won’t end up driving past any tour buses head on if you’re driving in the same direction as them. Plus, you won’t end up sharing the narrow road with the buses. Venture out a little earlier in the morning if you’d like to avoid stopping at the same time as them.
When to Take a Road Trip on Slea Head Drive
Slea Head and the Dingle Peninsula is open all year long, although it is the busiest during the summer months of July and August. Like many places, I suggest visiting on the shoulder seasons or even the off season. In the spring and fall (March to May or September to November), there are fewer crowds and it won’t be too cold.
October was a great time of the year for making a day trip of Slea Head. Fall is a beautiful season in Ireland. Of course, it drizzles and rains in Ireland, but this happens no matter when you visit. Most importantly, the crowds were fewer than usual. We never had a problem finding a place to park our car, and we never came across big groups of people.
Don’t Have a Car? Take a Slea Head Small Group Tour
While this Ireland travel blog post is here to help you plan your own Slea Head driving trip, I understand that not everyone is able to rent a car and drive on their own in Ireland. For those reasons, I recommend taking a Slea Head and Dingle Peninsula day tour.
Travelling round trip from Killarney, you’ll visit many popular sites that I mention in this article on your Slea Head driving trip. You’ll stop at Inch Beach, Dingle, and many other places around Slea Head on your adventure.
Alright, let’s talk about the destinations you’ll see on your Slea Head drive. As we drove to Dingle from Killarney, I’ll detail one stop on the way that you can visit that isn’t part of the Dingle Peninsula. Then, I’ll describe all of the amazing places to visit along the Dingle Peninsula as you take a road trip on Slea Head Drive.
List of Stops on the Slea Head Drive (Dingle Peninsula Drive)
Here’s a brief list of the stops you’ll make on the Slea Head drive. Drive roundtrip from Dingle in a loop, seeing these attractions and points of interest on Slea Head Drive.
- Dingle (Starting and ending point)
- Dunbeg Fort
- Cashel Murphy
- Fahan Beehive Huts
- Slea Head and the White Cross
- Coumeenoole Beach
- Dunmore Head
- Dunquin Pier
- The Blasket Centre
- Ceann Sraithe
- Reask Monastic Site
- Gallarus Oratory and Gallarus Castle
Inch Beach (Between Killarney and Dingle)
Inch Beach, or Inch Strand, is a 5.5km long sand spit backed by a dune system reaching into Dingle Bay. It is a Blue Flag Beach, meaning that it is a very clean and eco-friendly beach to visit. It’s one of the most famous beaches in Ireland, and it’s popular among swimmers, beachgoers and surfers alike.
When we visited Inch Beach at the beginning of October, it wasn’t a great season for lounging on the beach. However, the tide was very low in the morning, and it was such a beautiful place to go for a walk. There are breathtaking views of the waters of Dingle Bay and the surrounding mountain ranges of Kerry.
While I didn’t go surfing here, you can take surf lessons, as well as rent surfboards and wetsuits from Kingdomwaves Surf School or Offshore Surf School in County Kerry. If you’re really devoted to learning how to surf, you can attend their weekend surf courses, too.
Things to Do in Dingle Town
On this self drive tour of the Dingle Peninsula, you’ll begin and end your journey in Dingle Town. Dingle is a great place to stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner, depending on the timing of your day. We explored Dingle at the end of our Slea Head driving trip, and spent the night in Dingle.
Make sure to wander all around town, admiring the rows of colourful buildings and shops. We had lunch at a delightful little cafe called The Wren’s Nest (now known as Thyme Out Cafe & Delicatessen), which had eclectic decor and a pretty garden out back.
Bean in Dingle is a cute and cozy coffee shop that I highly recommend visiting. Its bright yellow door immediately invites you to stop by for a delicious caffeinated beverage. It’s a family owned and operated specialty coffee shop, and all of their guest roasted beans come from only 2km away.
If you’re back in Dingle by early afternoon, you can take a dolphin and whale watching tour. It’s a half day tour (four hours) and you’ll be able to admire the scenery of Dingle and the Blasket Islands from the water. It’s also possible to spot dolphins and whales.
Sadly, one of the main attractions of Dingle (and the town’s mascot), Fungie the Dolphin, passed away in 2020. Fungie the Dolphin lived in the harbour and always greeted everyone on board the tour boats. It’s estimated that Fungie was around 40 years old, which is the maximum life span for a dolphin. While you won’t be able to spot Fungie in Dingle any longer, it’s possible to see other wild pods of dolphins and whales on boat tours.
Where to Stay in Dingle
My top choice for hotels and accommodations in Dingle is Milltown House. I spent one restful night at Milltown House, a beautiful holiday home with so many great amenities. You’ll be greeted upon arrival by the friendly and adorable resident Irish Wolfhounds. And then you’ll feel immediately welcomed to the house by the staff!
While the rooms are clean and comfortable, I loved the common spaces in the house that guests are welcome to use. There’s a bar on site and your first drink is complimentary with your stay. The Wi-Fi here is complimentary and fast, so you’ll be able to get lots of work done if you choose. I positioned myself in front of the roaring fireplace in the evening, so I could get some work done on my laptop.
Back in 1969, Hollywood actor, Robert Mitchum, lived at Milltown House while filming, “Ryan’s Daughter.” In fact, room #2 is known as the Robert Mitchum suite, and it has a spectacular seaside view. I stayed in room #9 on the main floor which came with its own private outdoor patio.
More Accommodations in Dingle
Looking for more places to stay in Dingle? Here are all accommodations, hotels, and apartments on one convenient map. Enter your travel dates for even more precise results, and then click on any of the properties to compare and learn more.
The Best Places to Visit on Slea Head Drive
Here are the best stops on Slea Head Drive that you need to check out. These are natural and historic attractions that are not to be missed. In most cases, you can pull off to a small parking lot on the side of the road in order to visit them.
There may be a couple of occasions where you stop on the way to admire the spectacular scenery that I haven’t noted. That’s all part of the fun! Experience the must see points of interest on Slea Head Drive, but also find a few interesting spots on your own. You may end up making a few unexpected stops if there happens to be a sheep roadblock or even some cute sheep roaming the fields where you can’t help but say hello.
Dunbeg Fort
Dún Beag Fort is a small but impressive promontory fort built during the Iron Age, and it is a National Monument of Ireland. Perched in a dramatic location on the edge of the Bay of Dingle, it is one of the few remaining promontory forts in the country and dates back to 580 BC. The fort was primarily occupied between the 8th and 11th centuries AD as protection against attackers.
You can enjoy views of the fort but visitors are now allowed to enter due to safety concerns. The edge of the cliff has eroded in recent years and parts of the site have crashed into the sea.
You can visit the Dún Beag Fort Visitor Centre, a local Irish craft shop at the visitor center, the StoneHouse Café Restaurant, a viewing point, and there are also toilets / facilities. There’s an audio visual room to learn more about the history of the fort, and a short walkway to see the fort itself.
Cashel Murphy
Another stop in close proximity to Dunbeg Fort is Cashel Murphy. Cashel Murphy is a collection of five roughly circular conjoined stone huts (clocháns) that sit within the cashel walls. There is also a sixth irregularly-shaped structure. This cashel was home to five families and was occupied until the 13th century AD.
A clochán (or plural, clocháin), also known as beehive hut, is a dry stone hut with a corbelled roof, most commonly found on the coasts of southwestern Ireland. These structures belong to a long-standing Celtic tradition.
Fahan Beehive Huts
Not far from Dunbeg Fort and Cashel Murphy are the Fahan Beehive Huts. It’s one of the best collections of beehive huts in Ireland, and there are several standalone and interconnected huts to visit. Take the time to walk around the beehive huts, marveling at this feat of engineering that has survived hundreds of years through severe Irish winds and rainstorms.
Some of the beehive huts on Slea Head Drive are over 1400 years old. The majority of the ones on the Dingle Peninsula date back to the eighth to 12th centuries AD. The corbelling technique of beehive huts is a style that goes back to the Neolithic tomb at Newgrange, built over 6000 years ago.
The rings of stones are meticulously stacked on top of one another, gradually getting smaller towards the top, creating a cone-shaped structure. They don’t use any mortar. The beehive huts are difficult to date as they were built in Ireland over thousands of years.
Slea Head (Ceann Sléibhe) and the White Cross
Next up on the Slea Head ring road, it’s the Slea Head Viewpoint itself. There is space for a few cars at the side of the road where you can stop for a panoramic view of this beautiful scenery. Also known as Ceann Sléibhe, you’ll want to stop, soak up the views, and take a few photos of the nearby Blasket Islands.
Just a short distance up the road, there’s another even smaller place to stop the car at the side of the road. Nestled into the side of the mountain lies the Cross at Slea Head. Also known as the Cornerstone of the Peninsula, the Slea Head Cross, and the Crucifix on Slea Head, this religious sculpture is located at a sharp turn in the road.
Coumeenoole Beach
Coumeenoole Beach, also known as Slea Head Beach, is a fantastic stop on Slea Head Drive (or Slea Head cycling route, if you’re travelling by bike). There is a car park overlooking Coumeenoole Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Ireland. You can use this same parking lot to park your car and hike to Dunmore Head (featured in the next section).
This beach is not suitable for swimming as the Atlantic waves are too intense with strong currents. However, surfers will love the huge, unpredictable waves. You can walk down to the beach from up above or simply appreciate the awe-inspiring scenes from the parking lot.
Not only is this a Star Wars film location, but it’s also a film location for the Oscar award winning film, Ryan’s Daughter. Starring Robert Mitchum and Sarah Miles, it’s one of the best movies about Ireland you need to see.
Dunmore Head
Dunmore Head is the westernmost point of Ireland (on the mainland) with more astounding views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Blasket Islands. It’s another Star Wars movie location, too, featured in Episode VIII – The Last Jedi.
From the car park on Slea Head Drive, you can embark on a short hike of the Dunmore Head Loop Trail. It’s a 2.6km loop trail that takes around an hour to complete. Be on the lookout as you might be able to spot seals and marine animals from the coast. Use the same parking lot as the one for Coumeenoole Beach to visit Dunmore Head.
You can find a lot of awesome trails in Ireland using AllTrails, like the Dunmore Head Loop Trail I posted above. Not familiar with AllTrails? Check out my review of AllTrails Pro!
Dunquin Pier
Also known as Cé Dhún Chaoin, Dunquin Pier is another beautiful stopping point on Slea Head Drive. Dunquin Pier at the Dunquin Harbour is another amazing viewpoint with some of the best scenery on the drive. You can get the shortest ferry connection to the Blasket Islands here.
Be sure to mark this one on your Google Maps or GPS. It’s easy to miss the turnoff from Slea Head Drive to the smaller roads with Dunquin Pier (and the Blasket Center, too). From the parking lot, stand on the grassy area in front of it to catch a glimpse of the winding road that meanders down to the pier.
The Blasket Centre
The Blasket Centre reopened in June 2022 after a major refurbishment. This cultural museum tells the history of the Blasket Islands and their rich heritage. It honours those who lived on the island many decades ago, up until the final evacuation of its citizens in 1953.
No one has lived on the Blasket Islands since the 1950s. It’s possible to take a day trip to these uninhabited islands. Definitely visit the Blasket Centre, whether you plan to venture over to Great Blasket Island or not. In addition to its exhibitions, The Blasket Centre also has an impressive clifftop viewing platform.
Ceann Sraithe
Ceann Sraithe, also known as Clogher Strand or Clogher Head, offers magnificent views of Sybil Point (Ceann Sibeal), Clogher Beach, the Three Sisters and Mount Brandon. Sybil Head was another Star Wars filming location. There was a little plaque at the location showcasing photos of the temporary film set and precise spots in Episode VIII – The Last Jedi.
Whether or not you’re a Star Wars fan, this is a must visit stop on Slea Head Drive. The scenery is phenomenal. A peaceful beach, craggy cliffs, looming mountains, crashing waves…there’s a little bit of everything here.
Reask Monastic Site
The Reask Monastic Site (Mainistir Riaisc) doesn’t seem to get much attention on many Slea Head Drive guides, but I really hope you stop by for a visit. It’s unlike many of the other historic sites and ancient monuments in the area. This early medieval monastic site was excavated in the 1970s. This is a national monument that is free to visit.
There are the remains of an old church, roundhouses, a workshop, and graveyards of two different periods, all within the enclosed walls of the monastery. There’s a large pillar as you enter the site featuring many inscriptions, dated to the second half of the sixth century. In addition to the cross design, there’s an inscription carved, “DNE”, short for the Latin word, “Domine” or “Lord”.
Gallarus Oratory
Gallarus Oratory is one of the most interesting stops on Slea Head Drive and the Dingle Peninsula. This is one of the best preserved early Christian churches in Ireland, dating to the 12th century. Its construction uses the same techniques I described earlier for the construction of the Beehive Huts.
If it weren’t for the folks at the Gallarus Oratory Visitors Centre, we never would have known about Gallarus Castle. If you continue walking down a path from the Gallarus Oratory, you’ll eventually come across the castle. Gallarus Castle is a 15th century castle and one of the only fortified castles in County Kerry. Owned by the FitzGerald family, the fort consists of one square tower, four floors tall. You won’t be able to go inside the castle, but it’s lovely to admire from outdoors.
Slea Head Drive Map
Here is a handy map of all of the stops on Slea Head Drive. These are the must visit places on the Dingle Peninsula that you must visit. Use this map to help navigate from one place to the next.
You can also save this map for future reference. Click the star up by the title to save it to your Google Maps account so you’re able to reference it later. The button in the top right of the map allows you to open this map in a new window.
Ring of Kerry or Dingle Peninsula?
If I had to choose just one, would it be the Ring of Kerry or the Dingle Peninsula? It’s best if you can do both as I thoroughly enjoyed both the Ring of Kerry and Slea Head Drive. Both have incredible coastal scenery, colourful towns, and fascinating historic sites.
There are some differences between driving the Ring of Kerry and driving the Dingle Peninsula that are worth noting. First, the Slea Head Drive is far shorter. You can complete it in half a day. The Ring of Kerry is a lengthier drive and you might want to spend at least a couple of days fully exploring all of it. You also should add the Skellig Ring to your trip around the Ring of Kerry, too.
Killarney and the Ring of Kerry are busier and have more crowds of tourists in the summer months than Dingle and the Dingle Peninsula. It’s not as much of an issue if you choose to travel during the spring and fall (shoulder seasons). Keep in mind that there will be more large tour buses on the Ring of Kerry than Slea Head Drive.
If I had to choose the Ring of Kerry or the Dingle Peninsula, I’d probably go with the Dingle Peninsula. But, it all comes down to personal preferences. Doing both road trips would be my first choice. Second, I’d put Slea Head Drive slightly over the Ring of Kerry, but not by much.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Slea Head
Have more questions? Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Slea Head and the Dingle Peninsula with concise answers.
Slea Head Drive is 47km long (30 miles). This loop starts and ends in the town of Dingle. Even though it takes just under an hour to drive, give yourself three to four hours to make all of the stops and explore all of the attractions along the way.
I suggest driving in a clockwise direction around the Dingle Peninsula on Slea Head Drive. The road is very narrow. It’s best to travel in the same direction that the tour buses travel, which is clockwise. You won’t end up driving past any tour buses head on if you’re driving in the same direction as them.
Yes, one day is the perfect amount of time to experience the Dingle Peninsula and Slea Head Drive. Spend a half day driving the loop around the peninsula and spend the other half day in Dingle Town.
Slea Head and the Dingle Peninsula is open all year long, although it is the busiest during the summer months of July and August. Like many places, I suggest visiting on the shoulder seasons or even the off season. In the spring and fall (March to May or September to November), there are fewer crowds and it won’t be too cold.
It’s best if you can do both. Both have incredible coastal scenery, colourful towns, and fascinating historic sites. If I had to choose, I’d choose the Dingle Peninsula as it can easily be done in a day and it’s less crowded.
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More Amazing Road Trips in Ireland
I spent three weeks driving all over Ireland and Northern Ireland. Here are a few of my top picks:
- The Ring of Kerry, roundtrip from Killarney
- Driving from Galway to hike the Burren, and then visiting Ennis, Adare, and Limerick
- The drive from Donegal to Sligo, Enniscrone (for the seaweed baths!) and Ceide Fields
- Driving to Malin Head, the northernmost point of Ireland
- Road trip in Northern Ireland, including Kinbane Castle, the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Ballintoy, the Giant’s Causeway, between Belfast and Derry
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Lauren is the full-time travel blogger and content creator behind Justin Plus Lauren. She started Justin Plus Lauren in 2013 and has travelled to 50+ countries around the world. Lauren is an expert on vegan travel as one of the very first vegan travel bloggers. She also focuses on outdoor adventure travel, eco and sustainable travel, and creating amazing travel itineraries for cities and small towns.