Killarney National Park, Killarney

Killarney National Park covers over 25,000 acres (10,000 hectares) of mountain, moorland, woodland, waterways, parks and gardens, providing a living space for the wild life and vegetations like Ireland's only remaining wild herd of native Red Deer and the largest area of old-growth Oak woods left in the country. You see lakes, streams, birds, etc., really enjoy and appreciate the nature.

I'm glad that we took a Jaunting Car ride of the park. The driver was also a guide, and gave us some interesting information, also stopped where we wanted to take a closer look at the place.

1 more image

During the year, there is a motor rally around the lakes, if thats what you're into. The Lakes are part of the Killarney National park, however there have been pollution issues so dont go swimming there

4 more images

My grandson went on the tour of Muckross House without me. I decided not to go because they don't allow photos to be taken inside and while the house is furnished "in period style" that usually means that the furnishings are not original to the house.

Also I do not do well where I have to stand and listen to a guide talk. They assured us that there would be places to sit, but others who took the tour (which would take about 45 minutes) said that the only place to sit was right at the beginning.

My grandson said that they talked about when the Queen (Victoria I think) came to stay here for a couple of days.

We didn't pay for our admission - Matt our guide got the tickets for us. We probably got a group rate. But the 2007 Admission charges are:

Adult €5.75
Group / Senior Citizen €4.50
Child / Student €2.35
Children under six years of age are admitted free of charge.
Family €14.50 - two adults and a reasonable number (usually up to four) of their children aged eighteen years and under.

House and Gardens - open daily all year round (except the Christmas period) 9am - 5.30pm (9am - 6pm from July 1st - August 31st).

3 more images

The Lakes of Killarney are another "Must see" for all tourists in Killarney. At different levels you will find several lakes and the most of them are connected by small rivers and waterfalls. All of the area is part of a National Park and a perfect place to go for a hike. You will find several tours beeing offered and boats will take you to the most scenic places of these lakes. A special place to go to during these tours is Innsifallen, it is a small island in Lough Leane (the largest of the lakes) with an interesting church-ruin !
You may spent a full day around these lakes and find lots of interesting places to explore !

Ladies View is just about 10km south-east of Killarney and it is also a place, where most of the tourist-buses will stop or at least will announce, while driving by "....for the famous Ladies view take a look at the left..."
This great view from the hights above the "Upper Lake" had got its special name by the noble ladies of the court of Queen Victoria, who enjoyed that view so much !!
When driving the road N71 from Kenmare to Killarney, you will pass by Ladies View - just watch out for the signs and the many souvenir-shops there. Almost every tourbus will stop there and from the shops you will have to take a walk of 3 minutes to get to the best place for a panorama-view ! This is also a great place to start some hikes through the lovely landscapes !

4 more images

Gap of Dunloe is one of the most popular tourist-attractions in the area of Killarney and it is part of the program of almost each and every organized bus-tour through Ireland .
Millions of years ago the small valley of the Gap of Dunloe was formed by mighty glaciers and nowadays you see just a small river and a few small lakes in a breathtaking mountain-scenery there.
Tourists will mostly enter the Gap of Dunloe at Kate Kearney's Cottage,where they may park their cars and go on walking or rather horseback-riding or in a horse-carriage. In fact it is not easy at all to tell the local people, that you do not want to go by carriage, but prefer to walk...
The first 10 minutes of walking will be quite boring, but the rest of that hike is really worth it !!
The road through the valley is closed during the day for private cars, but in the evening you may drive through there, when all the carriages and tourists are gone.
I entered the valley from the upper side and left it again at Kate Kearney's Cottage , the road was quite bumpy, but not really dangerous.

4 more images

Muckross House is quite an impressive victorian manor-house in a distance of about 4 km from the town-centre of Killarney. This typical old manor-house dates back to the year 1843 the way it looks now. Muckross House is a museum today, showing great furniture and exhibits of the irish history, irish flora and fauna. Muckross House & Park is also one of the largest recreation-areas in Ireland, including an old monastery - Muckross Abbey - , a big lake, several restaurants, souvenir-shops etc.
Muckross House is daily open for visitors :
from 09.00a.m. till 06.00p.m. (Nov-march till 05.30p.m.)
___________________________________________

In a previous building, at the same place, the german Rudolf Erich Raspe (1737-1794) was living for several years - he is the author of the famous book about Baron Münchhausen , a daredivil, who once even took a "ride" on a cannon-ball in order to explore a battlefield from above...

You haven't seen Killarney unless you've visited the massive national park. It's a truly scenic place. I reccomend doing some walking, hiring a bike or getting a boat. Muckross house and gardens are a nice place to have a picnic. You could spend a lot of time here and it's worth doing so.