Here are our five favourite beaches, all of them only a short drive from Caragh Lake, each offering something totally different.
1. Rossbeigh
Rossbeigh is a beautiful Blue Flag beach just beyond Glenbeigh. It’s flat, sandy with long dunes stretching into the Dingle Bay out towards Inch on the other side.
It’s great for a swim, a stroll on the beach or some basketball in the playground. Sometimes you can also just sit there and watch paragliders come down from Rossbeigh Mountain, canoeists surf the swell or riders gallop through the water.
For walks, low tide is best so check out Magicseaweed.com for times.
2. Kells Bay
Kells Bay is just off the Ring of Kerry, half way between Glenbeigh and Cahersiveen. It’s a small cove with a sandy beach, pier and cliffs each side.
We go there in summer at high tide to jump off the pier – fantastic fun – and to canoe or SUP on a calm day in winter.
It’s a small place with not a lot of parking so avoid weekends during July and August if you can.
3. Cromane
A short drive from Caragh Lake is Cromane, a beautiful sand and pebble beach with a small road hugging the spit.
It’s a fabulous place for a walk with amazing views of Rossbeigh and Inch in the distance. Down at the Point fishermen harvest mussels and oysters, and with extensive mudflats, it’s a great place for birdwatching too.
We usually go there for walks, the occasional swim, a paddle out towards Inch in a sea kayak or nice pint at Jacks on the way home.
4. Reennanallagane
Reennanallagane is a sand and pebble strand off into the right before you get to Glenbeigh.
We usually go there for a walk with friends – a lovely loop along the beach, down some small side roads. The stretch along the Ring of Kerry gets a little busy in the summer but with the Glenbeigh Hotel strategically placed providing refreshment along the way… it’s a firm favourite.
We also go here to dig for cockles in the winter and down the road to Kilnabrack to pick up fresh mussels from Glenbeigh Shellfish when we feel like a feast.
5. Inch
Last but certainly not least – Inch – a beautiful sandy Blue Flag beach on the opposite side of the bay to Rossbeigh and Cromane.
About forty minutes from Caragh Lake, we usually go there for the odd day’s surfing in the summer months or to take a pit stop on the way to Dingle. We also sometimes kayak there from Cromane but we’d only suggest that if you head out with the likes of Cappanalea or Outdoors Ireland.
All these beaches are within easy reach of Caragh Lake and Killorglin. Each offers a completely different experience.
We hope you enjoy them. We most certainly do!
Leave a Reply