Trying our luck on the Dingle Peninsula

After making a (too quick) stop at Killarney National Park and checking into our (possibly haunted) B&B, we still had plenty of time in our day for the Dingle Peninsula. Dingle was recommended to us by several friends and family members. Some felt it was more beautiful than the Ring of Kerry, others preferred Kerry. But everyone thought it was worthwhile.

The number one reason for my husband to push for Dingle was Inch Strand beach. He really wanted to surf a bit on the trip and this was the best candidate for waves. He researched and found a small surf shop he could rent from. It was about halfway in between our B&B and the beach. His plan was to pick up the equipment on our way into Dingle, surf very early the next day, and then return the stuff and head out. 

When we arrived at Inch Strand, it was pretty busy with Easter week visitors. This turned out not to be a bad thing, however! There was a mobile surf rental shop right at the beach. My husband was able to rent for an hour while we ate at the cafe next door. 

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Once he got in a surf session, his tension lifted. He’d really wanted to surf but didn’t want to slow us down.This ended up being a perfect opportunity to surf. It was cheaper than the whole day rental, on our way, and during a time when we wanted to stop and eat anyway. 

After our Inch Strand stop, we went along the peninsula until we reached the town of Dingle. I have to say, this area was my favorite of the trip and offered some of the most beautiful scenery we’ve seen in Ireland.  From amazing ocean views to the traditional rolling green fields and sheep, Dingle did not disappoint.

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We stopped in Dingle to enjoy a playground and grab a light dinner. We drifted in to the the Dingle Pub. I don’t remember quite what we got, but it was probably some combination of shepherd’s pie, soup with brown bread and Smithwick’s. This was our standard fare the entire trip. I made sure to save room Murphy’s ice cream once again. So, so good.

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Instead of completing the peninsula, we left the way we came to revisit some promising sites for the sunset. As mentioned before, my husband is very serious about getting sunset shots. We drove around and found some really awesome beaches. We also got to see the small island where part of Star Wars: The Last Jedi was filmed. This film ended up as an option on our flight home, so it was nice to see the actual location. We enjoyed some more breathtaking scenery and views before calling it a night.

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Actually, everyone but my husband called it a night. He took a stroll down to the local pub and enjoyed the Irish hospitality. He makes friends quickly.

I really loved the Dingle Peninsula. I don’t know if it was the sunshine, the views or the ice cream, but I would not hesitate to work this in to a future Ireland itinerary.