Gap of Dunloe Cycle (Boat transport)

Our tour starts at Ross Castle, 2km from Killarney. The Castle was the stronghold of the O'Donoghue family in the 14th century and sits on the shore of Lough Léin. While there is no fee to walk around the Castle, the guided tour is an additional fee, payable at the reception. Unfortunately Guests will not have time on this occasion to do the full guided tour before the boats depart. The boat tour departs at 10.30am from the main stone pier on the lake side of the Castle, keep an eye out for the green boats and ask for Rory. Please arrive 15 minutes early to allow time to load up bikes. Please note; bike rental is not included in the tour. Guests will rent their own bikes in Killarney and make their way to Ross Castle. There is no bike rental at Ross Castle.

The first stop on our tour is the monastic settlement on Innisfallen Island. Passengers will get a full history of the area from their boat driver and will have 15 minutes to explore the ruins.

Lough Leane is Killarney's biggest lake and after the boats depart Innisfallen Island, the next stop is the shore of Tomies Mountain. There's had been a nest of White Tailed Sea Eagles along this shore for the last 18 years since their reintroduction to the area. These Eagles are the biggest bird of prey in Europe and are fantastic sight to see in the wild.

Once the boats leave Lough Leane, they will be on the Muckross Lake and heading for the Meeting of the Waters. Here, guests may have to disembark for a 10 minute wooded walk to allow the boats to traverse a particularly shallow area.

From here, guests will begin the 25km cycle back to Killarney. The tour is a sealed road so the way and after 11km, guests will pass by Kate Kearney’s Cottage which is a famous bar along the route. Please note; meals and snacks are not included in the cost of the tour. Due to the secluded location amongst the hills, Lord Brandon's Cottage only accepts cash.