Just off the famous ring of Kerry, the Skellig Ring is an incredibly gorgeous coastal drive that offers a slightly off the beaten path experiences compared to some of the more popular drives in southwestern Ireland. From gorgeous beaches to dramatic cliffs and charming coastal towns, the Skellig Rom is worth the drive.

We visited the Skellig Ring during a 1 week itinerary in Ireland, but I spent 3 months living in Galway and can easily say this is one of the most beautiful parts of the country.

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Skellig Ring at a Glance

Skellig Ring Facts

Location: County Kerry, Ireland (off the Ring of Kerry)
Length: Approximately 20 miles (32 km)

Driving Time:
- 1 hour nonstop
- 3–5 hours with scenic stops
- Full day if visiting Skellig Michael

Best Direction to Drive: Clockwise (recommended for easier pull-offs and ocean views)

Best Time to Visit:
- May–September
- Early morning or late afternoon for fewer crowds

Top Stops:
- Portmagee
- Kerry Cliffs
- St. Finian’s Bay
- Skelligs Chocolate
- Ballinskelligs

Can You Visit Skellig Michael?
-Yes—but boat tours must be booked in advance and are weather dependent.

Road Conditions: Narrow, winding roads with occasional single-lane sections

The Skellig Ring offers similar experiences to the Ring of Kerry but feel more wild and since tour buses aren’t allowed they get far fewer vistors. The views along the coast are dramatic, and several times during our visit I said “are you sure we’re supposed to be on this road” If you are looking for a slightly more authentic coastal drive – this is it!

Skellig Ring Map

This map shows some of the best stops on the Skellig Ring – You can save this map to your own drive and then edit it or add your own destinations.

Best Way to Drive the Skellig Ring

A few notes about driving the Skillig Ring.

Drive Clockwise or Counterclockwise?

I recommend driving the Skellig Ring clockwise, especially if it’s your first time navigating Ireland’s narrow coastal roads. Driving this direction generally makes it easier to pull into scenic viewpoints and lay-bys, and it keeps the dramatic Atlantic Ocean views on the passenger side of the car, perfect for taking in the scenery or snapping photos along the way. It also tends to create a smoother driving experience on some of the narrower sections of road, where meeting oncoming traffic can be a bit more challenging.

Road Conditions and Driving Tips

Driving the Skellig Ring is part of the adventure, but it’s important to be prepared for winding, narrow roads, some of which can feel quite tight, especially if you’re not used to driving in Ireland. Many stretches have designated pull-ins where drivers can safely pass one another, so be ready to use them and take your time.

It’s also common to encounter sheep wandering near or even directly on the road, particularly in quieter sections. The best approach is to drive slowly, stay alert, and embrace the relaxed pace, it’s the perfect excuse to soak in one of Ireland’s most spectacular coastal landscapes.

There is one stretch between the Cliffs of Kerry and St. Finian’s Bay that really felt like I was on the wrong road – it’s steep with lots of switchbacks – but amazing views.

Step By Step Guide to the Skellig Ring

Below you can see how we spent our day on the Skellig Ring. You can also download a PDF of a guide to this drive to have with you. Make sure to also save the map above.

Getting Started: Leaving the Ring of Kerry

Look for the turn onto the R566 just west of Waterville. The road narrows almost immediately, and that’s your cue that you’ve left the tourist trail behind. Give yourself a full day for this route, it’s only 60 kilometers, but you won’t want to rush it, especially if you plan to visit the Skellig Islands, do some hiking or Valencia Island.

1. Ballinskelligs Abbey

Your first stop comes early and sets the tone for the whole drive. Ballinskelligs Abbey (Mainistir Bhaile an Sceilg) is a ruined medieval priory tucked at the edge of the bay, and most people drive right past it.

The monastery was founded around 1210 by Augustinian Canons, partly to house the monks from Skellig Michael who could no longer withstand the increasingly harsh conditions, and Viking raids, on the island. Walking among the crumbling walls, with the Atlantic visible over the low stone boundary and old headstones scattered across the grass, it’s easy to feel the weight of that history.

Parking is limited to just a few cars near the entrance, so arrive early or be prepared to walk from the beach car park a few minutes away. It’s free, always open, and almost always quiet. You can also park nearby and walk to the Abbey since you can visit the Abbey and the beach at the same time.

2. Ballinskelligs Beach and Castle

A two-minute drivem or a short walk along the dunes from the abbey, brings you to Ballinskelligs Beach, a long Blue Flag strand curving around a sheltered bay. The sand is clean and the water genuinely swimmable in summer. There’s a café and public toilets in the car park, which you’ll appreciate.

At the far end of the beach, the ruins of Ballinskelligs Castle sit right at the waterline a 16th-century tower house that’s accessible at low tide. It’s a short, easy walk across the strand, and the combination of ruined castle, wide sandy beach, and open Atlantic makes for one of the best photographs of the whole loop. The area around Ballinskelligs is also a hub for hiking, with trails fanning out across the surrounding headland for those who want to explore further.

We visited the beach with a plan to do a 4 mile hike up above the beach in the hills, but we got completely side-tracked at low tide with Horse Island and we spent a few hours wandering the beach and the coastline.

From here the drive to the next stop is STUNNING with cliffs and sweeping views of the coast.

Skelligs Chocolate Factory and Café

Just past St. Finian’s Bay, watch for the small sign for Skelligs Chocolate, it’s easy to miss and worth doubling back for if you do. This small artisan chocolate factory overlooking the bay is one of those unexpected highlights that people end up talking about long after the trip.

You can watch the chocolate being made through glass walls, and the staff are genuinely generous with samples. The flavors lean adventurous, dark chocolate with seaweed, white chocolate with lime, gin and honeycomb, and most of them work surprisingly well. The hot chocolate in the café is excellent, and the views over St. Finian’s Bay from the tables outside make it a very pleasant place to linger. They’re open daily 10am–5pm.

We purchased a number of bars and I am sitting here eating the mint chocolate bar as I write this (highly recommend).

4. St. Finian’s Bay

Right next door to the chocolate factory is St. Finian’s Bay itself, and it deserves a stop on its own merits. It’s a small, sheltered cove, popular with surfers when a swell is running, with a rocky creek flowing across the sand and cliffs rising on either side. On a calm day it’s peaceful and almost otherworldly. On a wild day, the waves are genuinely dramatic.

On a clear day you can see Skellig Michael sitting on the horizon, which starts to give you a sense of scale for what’s out there. There are a couple of places to eat across the road, though hours can be limited outside peak season.

We made a quick stop here since we had spent more time than planned on the last beach.

From here you will climb up and over a large cliff/hill to get to the Kerry Cliffs – I kept feel like we were on the wrong road. The views are really incredible!

5. Kerry Cliffs

Continuing north and west, the road climbs toward the Kerry Cliffs and they deliver. Entry is €5 per person (in 2026), parking and toilets are free, and the site is privately maintained to a high standard. The cliffs rise to over 300 meters and drop sheer to the Atlantic below, with three main viewpoints connected by easy walking paths. Even if you plan to visit the bigger Cliffs of Moher – the Kerry Cliffs are still worth a visit

The wind here can be extraordinary; dress for it regardless of what the weather looked like an hour ago. Open daily 9:30am–6pm (last entry around 3:30pm in shoulder season, check before you go).

6. Portmagee: Gateway to the Skellig Islands

The road descends into Portmagee, a small fishing village strung along a single main street of brightly painted houses overlooking the channel between the mainland and Valentia Island.

This is where the boat tours to Skellig Michael depart. The crossing takes about 45 minutes each way, and landing permits are strictly limited, if a Skellig trip is on your list, book months in advance (scroll down for more details on booking this trip). Even without the boat trip, Portmagee is a good place to stop for lunch, coffee, or a pint. The village is small but has a few solid options for food, and the waterfront is lovely on a sunny afternoon.

We were very hungry by the time we reached town so were happy to grab lunch at K’s Golden Grill.

Optional Detour: Valentia Island

From Portmagee, a bridge connects to Valentia Island, and if you have time, it’s worth it. The island is quiet even by Kerry standards, and it packs a surprising amount into a small area.

Geokaun Mountain offers a short drive or walk to a summit with 360-degree views over the peninsula, the Skelligs, and on clear days, far up the coast. The Tetrapod Trackway is one of the oldest fossil footprints in the world a 385-million-year-old set of tracks left by one of the first vertebrates to walk on land, preserved in a slab of sandstone by the shore. Bray Head offers a longer walk out to a clifftop Napoleonic watchtower with views back toward Skellig Michael. You can enter the island via the bridge from Portmagee and exit on the far side by ferry back to the mainland, making a natural loop.

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From Portmagee (or Valentia Island), the R565 takes you back to the Ring of Kerry near Cahersiveen, completing the loop. The whole drive, with brief stops at each location, takes about four to five hours. With proper time at the cliffs, beach, and a sit-down lunch in Portmagee, budget a full day.

Visiting Skellig Michael

One of the best things to do on the Ring of Skellig is to visit Skellig Michael – an island well off the coast made famous by star wars but with it’s own amazing history (and Puffins.

If Skellig Michael worth the Trip?

The short answer is yes — but it takes planning, and the island has a way of humbling even the best-laid schedules.

Getting There

There are two ways to experience the Skelligs by boat. Landing tours take you ashore at the base of the island, where you’ll climb 618 ancient stone steps to the remarkably well-preserved 6th-century monastic settlement at the summit. Landings are strictly controlled by the Office of Public Works, only a handful of boats are licensed to land passengers each day, with total visitor numbers capped to protect the site. It’s a genuinely extraordinary experience, but the climb is steep and uneven, with no handrails for much of it, and not recommended for anyone with mobility concerns or a serious fear of heights.

If landing isn’t for you, or you can’t get a permit, eco tours circle the island by boat without coming ashore. You’ll still get close enough to see the monastery clinging to the rock, the gannets wheeling overhead, and if the timing is right, thousands of puffins dotting the grassy slopes. Many people find the circumnavigation every bit as memorable as the landing.

How to Book

Book early, and then book early again if that didn’t sink in. Licensed landing boats typically open reservations months in advance and sell out fast, particularly for June and July. Most operators are based in Portmagee, with a few departing from Ballinskelligs and Cahersiveen.

One important caveat: the crossing is about 12 kilometers of open Atlantic, and crossings are weather-dependent. Cancellations, sometimes several days in a row, are common, especially in spring and early summer. If a Skellig landing is a must-do rather than a nice-to-have, build extra days into your Kerry itinerary to account for this. Eco tours are somewhat more flexible since they don’t require the same landing conditions, but they can also be cancelled in rough weather.

This is the best tour if you don’t want to land.

Puffin Season

If puffins are part of the draw but timing matters. Atlantic puffins arrive on Skellig Michael to breed from roughly late April through early August, with peak numbers in May and June. Seeing thousands of them nesting on the steep grassy slopes just above the stone beehive huts is one of those rare experiences that manages to exceed the expectation. By late August they’ve returned to sea, and the island feels noticeably quieter. Most visitors planning around puffins aim for the last two weeks of May or the first two weeks of June, which also tends to offer reasonable (if never guaranteed) Atlantic weather.

Tips for Planning Your Skellig Ring Drive

Best Time to Visit

The best time to drive the Skellig Ring is May through September, when the weather is milder and boat tours to Skellig Michael are running. For fewer crowds and softer light, aim for early morning or late afternoon.

What to Pack

Bring a rain jacket, even on sunny days, as the weather can change quickly. Layers, snacks, and a camera are also essential for a comfortable and scenic drive.

Where to Stay Nearby

Portmagee is the most convenient base if you want easy access to the Skellig Ring and boat tours. Cahersiveen offers more accommodation options, while Kenmare and Killarney are great choices if you’re combining the drive with the Ring of Kerry.

FAQ About the Skellig Ring

How long does it take to drive the Skellig Ring?

The drive itself takes about 1 hour, but plan for 3–5 hours to enjoy the best stops and viewpoints. Plan more time if you want to hike.

Is the Skellig Ring better than the Ring of Kerry?

Many travelers find the Skellig Ring quieter, wilder, and even more scenic than the Ring of Kerry.

Can you visit Skellig Michael without a tour?

No, you’ll need to book a boat tour to visit Skellig Michael, and spots often fill months in advance.

Is the Skellig Ring difficult to drive?

The roads are narrow and winding, but most drivers find it manageable if they drive slowly and carefully.

What are the best stops on the Skellig Ring?

Top stops include Portmagee, Kerry Cliffs, St. Finian’s Bay, Skelligs Chocolate, and Ballinskelligs.