Ireland is iconic for so many reasons. So, when you have the chance to tour this magical land in your motorhome, you will be in for a treat. One of Ireland’s biggest draws are the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula. Yet with the south west corner besieged by a plague of coach tours in the late spring and summer months, it is often missed off many agendas. In this guide, we show you how to make the most of a drive around the Dingle Peninsula in your motorhome.

1. Introduction

Ireland as a destination is likely to become more and more popular for us UK and non-European travellers, as we search out for destinations that extend our trips beyond the 90 day Schengen Allowance. With it being such a close neighbour to the UK, and Europe come to think of it, it is a hugely underestimated and relatively undiscovered part of the world. It may not have the temperatures, the settled weather fronts and wall to wall blue skies of the south, do not let that deter you. Ireland has a veritable feast of delights to woo you.

We are often asked what this island has to offer and the list is infinite. Let’s start off with its iconic Wild Atlantic Way; a 1600 mile long coastline that circumnavigates 80% of Ireland, hugging the often craggy and remote corners of the country. With scenic and historical markers, symbolised by the WWW that embodies the inseparable fusion of waves and land, the WAW Route is not to be missed and a large majority of it can be easily navigated in a motorhome.

Then there are the less popular, yet magnificent regions of the Lake District, the Ancient East and the Midlands that all have something to offer with their authentic rural life and charming Irish welcome, both in and out of their much loved pubs and bars. The warmth of the Irish is unquestionable. They smile, engage, wave and welcome; proud to be seeing you explore the land that they are so passionate about. Lakes, rivers, canals, mountains, rural heritage, religious roots and wildlife, there are so many reasons to visit Ireland.

We wrote a comprehensive ebook that covers our trips, our stopovers and the practicalities behind a road-trip to Ireland, which is yours to download for free, if you click here or the image below.

So, what about the Dingle Peninsula? Well, it has remained pretty illusive to us for a couple of reasons. The first, recounting our experiences over 25 years ago, when the only views we had were of the front of our bonnet. The mist and low cloud shielded all else. Then in the summer of 2022, we decided to try our luck again, although with the number of coaches around, we decided that this was not the best season to attempt this iconic drive. Finally in 2025, to elongate our winter trip out of the UK, we decided to take the Bilbao to Rosslare Brittany ferry and have five weeks during the early spring to complete some of the WAW sections, that have, up until now, eluded us. And so with the spring weather giving us a welcome window, we took our chances and headed towards Dingle.

2. The Dingle Peninsula and Slea Head – practicalities

• The Dingle Peninsula is a 60-70 mile drive that takes you from Castlemaine in the south to Tralee in the north. Dingle is the main town for the peninsula, offering a bedrock of entertainment, coastal tours and a typical Irish craic. It is from Dingle that all routes lead. You have the R559 taking you around the Slea Head Drive. The R560 leading up to the peninsula’s highest point at Conor’s Pass and the N86 towards Tralee.
  
• As we have often described when writing about Ireland, their road system is what you might call interesting. The R Roads are classified as Regional, linking most large towns around the country. The N Roads are National highways and are generally of very good width and quality. R Roads however, are not all built the same. Some of them are really good, others have you bouncing around like Tiggr with pots and pans, however well protected, rattling like a jar of pills. So, when assessing how to make the most of a trip around the Dingle Peninsula in a motorhome, just bear in mind that it will be noisy, beautiful and memorable. Hopefully for all the right reasons.
  
• You can do the drive in a day, although there is so much to see, take photos of and generally just enjoy the spectacular scenery, that you will ideally want to plan for at least 2-3 days.
  
• In terms of places to stay around the Slea Head, you have a few options. There are predominantly off grid parking areas, many of which are not perfectly flat and have very little internet service, if that matters to you. If you prefer campsites, then there are five around the peninsula, mostly on the northern side around Kilshanning West, although these are not open out of season. Easter is a general opening up time for these more commercial sites. You can see the type of options on the Park4Night screenshot I have added here.

• If you are uncomfortable going off grid, the weather isn’t kind, or your van doesn’t have the capacity, then you might want to consider covering the route in one day, which is more than doable. We took 2.5 days and this was perfect for us, and we’ll tell you more about our experiences in a moment.
  
• Whilst we’re on the subject of weather, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Ireland’s weather is, at best unpredictable, no matter what the time of year. When you get a window of nice weather, go and go quickly to make the most of it. We changed our entire plan because of a great window of opportunity. So there’s no advice we can offer here, other than when it’s good, go, and when it’s not, don’t. The wind is probably the biggest challenge, especially with off grid camping, because the Dingle Peninsula is so exposed to the Atlantic elements. Do check your forecasts and make a discerning choice. If there’s rain and wind in the picture, we really wouldn’t recommend going as Slea Head is all about the spectacular vistas.
  
• In terms of when to go, now here we can be a bit more helpful. Having tried in the summer season, we felt that battling with the coaches and tour operators was not our preferred option. Dingle’s peninsula is iconic and after the Ring of Kerry it is probably the next most popular destination. So having experienced it in March, the shoulder season is an absolute must recommendation from The Motoroamers. As you’ll see from our video, the roads are quiet and that, in some places, is imperative when doing this with a motorhome. Having said that, even in mid-March, there were still a lot of car visitors, making some of the park up areas really busy until they left around 5pm. So March or October would be ideal times to go, if you have that flexibility.

3. Our experiences of Dingle Peninsula by motorhome

With a window of good weather heading our way, we set off from Sneem on the Ring of Kerry, with our sights firmly set on a couple of days around the Dingle Peninsula. We decided on an early morning start, despite the fact that it was mid March, it still never hurts to start out early doors.

After our overnighter at Castlemaine we were in poll position to set our tyres on this elusive Irish promontory. After two failed attempts, finally we could safely put this drive under our belt, and in a season when no one else was around. With my video poised and at the ready, we wondered how the R561 would treat us; and it was with kindness and compassion. Our hopes were high.

Inch Beach was our first stopping point, if for no other reason than to marvel at the golden sandy beach that stretch beneath us and to grab a coffee. The beach is one of those unique places around the world where you can park up on the compacted sand and watch the waves ebb and flow towards you. Now, having had a couple of experiences of sand with an 50% success rate, we decided not to tip the scales against us, and took the upper parking lot to look down on the situation. There’s no point temping fate after all.

Our drive then took us inland, which surprised me despite being owner of the navigational tool and we joined the N86 to Dingle. There was nothing noteworthy on this route. We could have been on any National Road in the northern hemisphere. However, as soon as we approached Dingle, our vista altered completely. The quintessential colourful houses lined the streets like cheerleaders, and in the spring sunshine, glowed proudly with Irish heritage.

Dingle is one of those Irish towns that is as pretty as a postcard, and really does look like the Instagram posts on Social Media. With its 50 bars, which is one for every 40 inhabitants, Dingle is charm personified. A warm Irish welcome will find you in every pub, shop and restaurant. If you can, it is well worth stopping overnight. Now looking at the P4N app, you may notice the lack of anywhere to stay. We can only recount our experiences.

We spoke to a pub landlady and she said that there were six vans in the car park when she arrived for work that morning, so they obviously stayed the night. When we stayed here on our first visit a few decades ago, we spoke to a policeman about staying the night. And his view was, who is going to stop you? We replied, ‘Well you are.’ He just laughed and waved us on. It’s pretty relaxed there as they see the value in motorhomes to the economy of the town! What a refreshing attitude.

Leaving Dingle we headed onto the Slea Head Drive. I had done my due diligence beforehand, as you just never know how appropriate it is for a motorhome of 7.5m. And all the reports I read seemed to say it was passable, in places with care. Those words never scare us, so we ventured into this unknown territory with anticipation and expectation, neither of which were disappointed.

One thing you will notice about the Dingle Peninsula is that it is like driving through Narnia’s wardrobe into a world so different to the rest of Ireland. You step back in time, to a place where rural life still holds onto its heritage; some of which is incredibly old. It is also one of the areas of the country where Irish Gaelic is still spoken predominantly. From Bronze Age Ring Forts to the more recent 6th century monastic Beehive houses (Clocháin), Slea Head has a historical legacy all of its own, each one shrouded in Druid mystery and early Christian tales.

Of the many forts you can visit, we chose Fairy Fortress or better known as Lios. With its easy parking for motorhomes, we paid €2.50 each entry fee, which is insignificant when you consider that the money buys you a pot full of food to feed the very tame and assertive livestock. They are, if I’m honest a bit of a distraction from the main event, although stepping upon the inner circle and outer boundaries, now grassed over, still gives you a sense of three thousand year old pre-Celtic life.

With views that will make you gasp thanks to its outstanding beauty, Dingle’s coastline is unashamedly some of the best you will see in Ireland. And that is truly saying something, especially when you see Donegal. In the distance, after leaving ‘Hold a Baby Lamb’, where more ancient dwellings can be seen, a road section loomed large in front of us. A cliff edge and protruding rocks beckoned us, and with some trepidation, onward we drove towards Coumeenoole and Dunquin. It’s a stunning piece of road that is pretty much single track with a few small pull-ins. With the cliff rock face to our right and a sheer drop to our left, I was very glad to be in the passenger seat, given Myles’ acrophobia. The serpentine road hugged the cliff and I looked nervously at Myles’ concentration face, hoping that he was doing ok. And then it happened. A car approached us in the opposite direction.

We have always, over the last 9 years on the road, taken the passive stance to oncoming vehicles. Oh except that coach in Spain, well that’s another story. Anyway I digress. We followed our default behaviour and began reversing although each tiny pull in, there was little scope for him passing us unscathed. So we ended up having to reverse uphill around bends which gave Myles sweaty palms to say the least. In hindsight, what we should have done, was stop. Get out of the van and ask the guy if he could reverse back. It would have been far easier for him than us. So every day is a school day.

Anyhoo, we carried on to Coumeenoole with the hopes of staying here overnight, although for us at 7.5m it just wasn’t an appropriate place to stop, as we would have been sticking out too much. So we carried on to Dunquin Pier and we are so glad that fate sent us this way. Dunquin Pier offers one of those iconic shots that can vibrate virally across Social Media. The image aside, this small pier that might seen innocuous on first sighting, actually holds some pretty important history, tying the mainland to the Blasket Isles. Connecting the islands across the Blasket Sound to the peninsula provided a lifeline for the locals who braved a nomadic life there. Even today, you may be lucky to catch a fisherman making the journey across this exposed waterway and perhaps even in September, you will capture the very special moment when the islander’s sheep are brought across, heading to the market in Dingle. Also here you will be able to hear the ghostly cries from the Spanish Armada wrecks that fell victim to the treacherous stretch of water. A monument stands on the cliffs overlooking where it is thought the ships went down.

Dunquin is a fabulous place to stop awhile, in part because with a 15 minute walk you find yourself at the Blasket Island Centre, which is reportedly an excellent visit for just €5pp and easy access for those with mobility issues. There is a coastal observation point just along the coast by the Centre and the sunsets at this spot are something else. You can walk a little further on and you come to the building that Ryan’s Daughter was filmed. So many things to explore here; you will not be disappointed by an overnight stop at Dunquin.

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The following morning our head was set for a relaxed drive around the second leg of the peninsula. More stunning views were to meet our eager eyes. Like the stunning Clogher Strand which is also another overnight possibility, as long as you don’t rely on internet coverage. There is absolutely nothing here, which feels quite idyllic on the one hand. The beach was dreamy, secluded and beckoned you to paddle its icy Atlantic waters. You could be forgiven for thinking you were in Croatia with the colours of that water. Sadly it’s no good for swimming, as they say the tides are just too dangerous, which is such a shame.

Driving on around the coast, more exquisite sights rose up through our windscreen, with the dutiful requirement of stopping to admire those views. What a feast it was for the eyes and with kinder roads, we were a little more relaxed on this second leg. It is easy to see why the crew from Star Wars chose some of these remote places for their filming of The Last Jedi.

It wasn’t too long before the R549 bent round from Brandon Creek back to Dingle. Although before we headed to our second overnighter, we decided to drive up the first section of Conor’s Pass. Thanks to recommendations, we nervously passed the Vehicle Size warming sign, knowing that reaching the Pass car park at the highest point of Dingle, was more than doable. In fact it is one of the best R roads we’ve driven. You can stay overnight at the Pass summit. It is well worth the easy to navigate drive, which is just a couple of miles long. The views across to the northern section of the peninsula are quite special. It is clear from the signs though, that if you are over 2.5T and 1.8m wide, you must not continue down the Pass. You must return to Dingle and continue your exit via the N86. Compliantly this is exactly what we did, although not before swooning at the vista.

Our second night on the Dingle Peninsula was on the lesser visited, northern side at Kilshanning just the other side of Castlegregory. This is a sandy spit that reaches out into the Tralee Bay and is famous for its longest beach in Ireland acclaim, reaching 14km as it arcs around the bay. Spillane’s Pub and Restaurant allows you to stay overnight, as long as you have a beer or food with them; and why wouldn’t you? It is a stunning place to eat, especially the crab claws. Just make sure you get there before 5.00pm as the resident Sauna guy is very busy and the car park soon fills up.

The walks around the peninsula are amazing, and you will get a real sense of how different this side of Dingle is, almost like another world. There’s a 2 hour Heritage Trail you can take around the old village and beaches, the still vibrant fishing port. You can admire the stunning stretches of white sand beaches and the old ruins of the Kilshaning Graveyard dating back to 15th century. It is known as a Thin Place. A spot on land, where the distance felt between earth and God is said to be at its thinnest, giving it a spiritual air. Perhaps enjoying the free spirited horses that roam wild on these dunes will fill you with joy. Either way, this area is not to be missed. It appears that during the season, an Aire is open for about 15 vans, although as yet it is not on Park4Night. Or there are a number of Touring Campsites that again, once Easter comes will be open for business. However, the car parking area at Spillane’s was absolutely perfect for us. Especially with views like this at sunset.

4. Top tips about how to make the most of a drive around Dingle’s peninsula in a motorhome

This blog will hopefully have given you some facts, and our real life experiences having done this trip. The video we took will give you even more of a feel for the reality of the roads and whether it is a drive you would consider. So by way of a summary, here are our tips about how to make the most of a drive around Dingle’s Peninsula in a motorhome.

1. We strongly recommend visiting out of season for the most positive and least noisy experience. To avoid the inevitable coaches, tour buses and general public, it is far better to think about March and October as options.
   
2. Choose your weather wisely. Low cloud, mist, rain or high winds will impede not only your journey and enjoyment of the sights, it will make where you stay so much more challenging. The peninsula is remote and exposed and so the weather conditions are imperative to your experience.
   
3. Drive around the Dingle Peninsula clockwise for a smoother drive. You will experience people coming the other way, although best practice is to drive south to north to minimise the amount of stop/starting you will need to do.
   
4. Personally, we would not want to take any tow vehicles on this route. If you have a car or trailer, then we would suggest parking up at the Woodland’s campsite at Tralee and negotiating leaving any tow vehicles behind whilst you do the road-trip. Trying to reverse, pull in and generally find places to manoeuvre safely will be far easier if you are travelling just with your motorhome.
   
5. Take your time on this route. It is a stunning drive that is not to be rushed. Take two or three days if you can to enjoy the various aspects of the peninsula and enjoy the off grid parking opportunities it offers.
   
6. Stick to the main R Roads. Avoid the curiosity of going down some of the smaller L Roads as here, on this more remote promontory L really does mean little.
   
7. Bear in mind that even out of season, when the weather is good, you will find plenty of people parking up to the see Wild Atlantic Way markers. If they happen to be at your chosen overnight stops, then you may want to move on and return after 5pm to get a space. A lot of the parking areas are small and not really intended for anything longer than a car or camper. And this is another good reason for going out of season, in our opinion, as they you are also not fighting with other vans for that overnight stop.
   

So that brings us to the end of the magical drive around the Dingle Peninsula. We hope our written information and our intimate video footage will give you all you need to make a decision about driving this fabulous route. Of course, if you have any questions please get in touch or drop us a comment below and feel free to share this with anyone who might find it helpful. Until then, safe and happy travels. Kx