Today’s plan was to drive the Ring of Kerry with the hope of seeing the southern section that I had blasted through on my last trip. The rain from yesterday finished some time in the early morning, leaving a fantastic heavy fog to welcome me up into the mountains and really set a great tone for the day!

The first leg of the drive today led me south from Killarney, passing through Molls Gap to the town of Kenmare. I almost didn’t make it any further than the mountain passes, the scenery after the rain was amazing!

The pictures only show a bit of what it was like but the views were stunning no matter which way you turned and with almost no one else on the road I had them pretty much to myself.

I did find some local company up in the passes today, however.

I left my longer lens at home so that should give you a sense of how used to people these animals are. The goats were a bit more skittish than the deer, whom I approached to within ten feet. I honestly thought they would bolt long before I got that close!

I didn’t linger too long in the passes as I had a long drive ahead. I made my way out of the mountains and to the town of Kenmare. I only made a drive through as I didn’t see anything worth stopping for that was open and it was far too early for lunch. The rest of the morning I spent driving along the southern stretch of the peninsula. There wasn’t much to see, sadly. The western end and the northern stretch seem to offer far more to see and do.

I made my up to the town of Cahersiveen fairly quickly as the southern part of the trek wasn’t panning out. I knew they had restaurants that would be open but, more importantly, they have an authentic French bakery with properly done eclairs!

The town does have a bit of history including a reconstructed barracks that now serve as a history center.

Nearby the town are two ‘ring forts’, fortified farms found mostly in western Ireland. I had been to them before but I like those types of sites and the views are great. I also had some more company of the farm animal variety.

By this point in the day it was getting close to sunset and I did not want to drive on the tight roads in the dark.

I did manage to stop at a few more overlooks on the way back.

Tomorrow is a bit up in the air as it depends on just how bad the rain is going to be. Still, if the temperatures stay as pleasant as they did today a little rain shouldn’t matter too much.