Discover the magical mountains of the Reeks District in Ireland which are ideal for bikes and hiking
IRELAND may be known for every kind of weather in a single day – but in the county of Kerry you get every type of scenery as well.
Not that any Instagram fiend will have time to raise their camera phone to the breathtaking backdrops, as there’s far too much adrenaline-junkie fun to get through.
The area of MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, once blandly marketed as Mid Kerry, has now been repackaged as the Reeks District. It’s a direct move to challenge the other similar UK “districts” — and is now trading hard on its wild surfing, climbing, mountain biking and kayaking, with package tours available.
With the Ring Of Kerry’s unforgettable scenery only a Ryanair hop away from Luton, you wonder why it has not already had top billing.
And if you’ve overindulged in the local whiskey and Guinness by night, no place has more hangover cures than MacGillycuddy’s Reeks.
Every day you can enjoy a blast of mountain air, whether on a hike or having a bracing swim in a lake. There is also the free spirit of the locals who are quick to discuss legends or advise on a possible lock-in in the main town of Killorglin.
Double rooms at Carrig Country House & Restaurant are from €150 (£130) a night. See .
OUT & ABOUT: A guided 12km hike in the Coumloughra Horseshoe (Ireland’s three highest mountains – Beenkeragh 1,010m, Carrauntoohil 1,039m and Caher 1,001m) is from €75 (£65) pp. See .
Half-day guided cycling tours are from €50 (£43) pp. See .
A day’s kayaking on Caragh Lake is from €65 (£56) pp. See .
MORE INFO: See .
You can see the peaks reflected in the still waters and the only spectators are the goats along the bank.
If this seems too much like peace and quiet, the town of Killorglin is a good spot for dinner and drinks.
Start at the Sol y Sombra Tapas Bar & Restaurant in the town centre, a lively venue inside a former Protestant church, still complete with stained glass windows and an altar.
Also check out The Bianconi, an inn serving locals for more than 150 years, and Jacks’ Coastguard, a former sea watch house that now offers award-winning seafood and panoramic Atlantic views as you devour your dinner.