Active Pursuits

Beaches

The Dingle Peninsula has some of the most dramatic beaches in Ireland. The most famous is Inch Strand -- a 5km-long (3-mile) creamy stretch of sand dunes in the town of Inch (Inse) -- but one of the most striking is Kilmurray Bay at Minard [SS] where, in the shadow of Minard Castle, giant sandstone boulders form a beach unlike anything you've ever seen. It's definitely not safe for swimming, but ideal for a picnic.

Like Minard, Trabeg Beach confronts the southwest storms of the Atlantic head on. Here, during ebb tide, you will find exquisite wave-sculptured, maroon sandstone shapes below sheer rock cliffs, and small sea caves lined with veins of crystalline quartz. The beauty of the rock sculptures combined with the roar of the surf is magical.

Some of the calmest beaches in this area for swimming are east of Castlegregory, on the more protected west side of Tralee Bay. The beach at Maherabeg has a coveted European Blue Flag (meaning it is exceptionally unpolluted and environmentally safe), and the beaches of Brandon Bay are particularly scenic -- great for walking and swimming.

Bicycling

Mountain bikes can be rented at Foxy John Moriarty, Main Street, Dingle (tel. 066/915-1316). Alternatively, the staff at the Mountain Man Outdoor Shop, Strand Street, Dingle (tel. 066/915-2400; www.themountainmanshop.com) can handle the arrangements for you. The cost is normally around €15 per day, or €55 per week. Workers at both shops know the area well, and can suggest a number of day trips or overnight touring options. Foxy John's has the added advantage of also being a pub, although you might want to save your pints until after your bike ride. One possible day trip is to take the road out to the tip of the peninsula past Slea Head and Clogher Head. The scenery is outrageously beautiful and the journey is hilly, but not ridiculously so.

Bird-Watching

In summer, the small, uninhabited islands surrounding Great Blasket attract flocks of nesting seabirds, including vast numbers of storm petrels. From Clogher Head north of Dunquin at the western extremity of the Dingle Peninsula, rare autumn migrants can sometimes be seen. Inch Peninsula, extending into Castlemaine Harbour south of Inch town, is a wintering ground for brent geese, which arrive in late August and move on in April; there is also a large wigeon population in the fall.

Diving

On the North Dingle Peninsula, Harbour House, Scraggane Pier, Castlegregory, County Kerry (tel. 066/713-9292; www.waterworld.ie), is a diving center that offers packages including diving, room, and board at good rates. Classes for beginners are available. The house is a short boat ride from most of the diving sites. The popular Dingle Dive Centre (tel. 066/915-2789; www.divingdingle.ie) runs a number of trips and courses out of Dingle Marina, including wreck dives.

Golf

Sixteen kilometers (10 miles) west of Dingle Town, on the western edge of the Dingle Peninsula, overlooking the Atlantic, the Dingle Golf Club (Ceann Sibéal), Ballyferriter (tel. 066/915-6255; www.dinglelinks.com), welcomes visitors to play its 18-hole, par-72 course. Greens fees for 18 holes are €40 to €65 Monday to Friday, and €45 to €75 Saturday and Sunday, depending on the season.

Horseback Riding

At Dingle Horse Riding, Ballinaboula House, Dingle (tel. 066/915-2199; www.dinglehorseriding.com), rides are available along nearby beaches or through the mountains. A 1 hour mountain ride starts at €30. Half-day, full-day, and 3- to 5-day packages including accommodations, meals, and riding can be arranged.

Sailing

The Dingle Sailing Centre, The Marina, Dingle (tel. 066/915-6426; www.saildingle.com), offers an array of courses taught by experienced, certified instructors. Summer courses cost from about €130 to €200.

Sea Angling

For packages and day trips, contact Nicholas O'Connor at Angler's Rest, Ventry (tel. 066/915-9947; www.iol.ie/~avalon), or Seán O'Conchúir (tel. 066/915-5429), representing the Kerry Angling Association.

Up Close with Fungie

It is extremely rare for a wild dolphin to choose voluntarily to live among people rather than with his own kind, but for more than 20 years, a dolphin named Fungie has chosen to live with Dingle's human population. In fact, he likes people so much that diving into the water to swim with him has become a popular local pastime, and one that he seems to enjoy as much as the human visitors. He can swim about 40kmph (25 mph), but he slows down to the pace of an Australian crawl when you're out there, and amuses himself by leaping over the human swimmers' heads. If you want to swim with Fungie, contact John Brosnan (tel. 066/915-1967) to book a time. He'll rent you the necessary gear for the cold Irish waters (semi-dry suit, mask, snorkel, boots, and fins, all in one duffel -- €25 per person), and then ferry you out by boat. The 2-hour escorted swim also costs €25. For obvious reasons (it's out in the sea), only adults can swim with Fungie, although children will certainly enjoy watching.

Walking

The Dingle Way begins in Tralee and circles the peninsula, covering 153km (95 miles) of gorgeous mountain and coastal landscape. The most rugged section is along Brandon Head, where the trail passes between Mount Brandon and the ocean. The views are tremendous, but the walk is long (about 24km/15 miles, averaging 9 hr.) and strenuous, and should be attempted only by experienced walkers and in good weather. The section between Dunquin and Ballyferriter (also 24km/15 miles) follows an especially lovely stretch of coast. For more information, see The Dingle Way Map Guide, available in local tourist offices and shops.

Another good walk is the ascent up Mount Brandon. The approach from the west is a more gradual climb, but the walk from the eastern, Cloghane side is far more interesting and passes the pastoral beauty of the Paternoster Lakes. The road to the trail head is signposted just past Cloghane on the road to Brandon town; drive about 5km (3 miles) on this road to a small parking lot and the Lopsided Tea House. Be sure to bring plenty of water and food, gear for wind and rain, and a good map. The trail climbs through fields, past an elaborate grotto, and along the slope of an open hillside where red-and-white poles clearly mark the way. As you round the corner of the high open hillside, the Paternoster Lakes and Brandon come into view. The walk through this glacial valley toward the base of the mountain is the most beautiful part -- if the weather's bad, you won't have wasted your time if you turn around before reaching the summit.

The only seriously strenuous leg is the climb out of this valley to the ridge, a short but intense scramble over boulders and around ledges. Once you reach the ridge top, turn left and follow the trail another .4km (.25 mile) or so to the summit. You can return the way you came or continue south along the ridge, returning to Cloghane on the Pilgrim's Route, an old track that circumnavigates the Dingle Peninsula. Although this is a day hike (about 4 hr. to the summit and back), and very well marked, it shouldn't be taken lightly and certainly isn't for amateurs -- bring all necessary supplies and let someone know when you expect to return. Information on routes and weather conditions is available at the Cloghane visitor center.

Hidden Ireland Tours, Dingle (tel. 251/478-7519 in the U.S., or 087/221-4002; www.hiddenirelandtours.com), offers a week of easy to moderate guided hiking through some of Ireland's most beautiful scenery. It takes in parts of the Kerry Way, Killarney National Park, the Beara Peninsula in County Cork, Skellig Michael, and the Dingle Peninsula. The cost, including luggage transfers and accommodations, runs around €2,300 per person. Hikes are available April to September.

Windsurfing

The beaches around Castlegregory offer a variety of conditions for windsurfing. Those on the eastern side of the peninsula are generally calmer than those to the west. Equipment can be hired from Jamie Knox Watersports, Brandon Bay, Castlegregory, County Kerry (tel. 066/713-9411; www.jamieknox.com), on the road between Castlegregory and Fahamore. The cost runs from €15 for one hour to €60 for the whole day. They also offer lessons for surfers of all skill levels; a 2 hour beginner's taster costs €40 adults, €30 kids under 16.