Active Pursuits

Bicycling

Killarney National Park, with its lakeside and forest pathways, trails, and roads, is a paradise for bikers. If you haven't brought your own wheels, you can rent whatever you need here, from 21-speed touring bikes to mountain bikes to tandems. Rental charges average around €15 per day, €80 per week. Bicycles can be rented from David O'Sullivan's Cycles, Bishop Lane, New Street (tel. 064/31282). Most shops are open year-round daily 9am to 6pm, until 8 or 9pm in the summer.

One great ride beginning in Killarney takes you through the Gap of Dunloe along a dirt forest road, where you'll see some of the best mountain scenery in the area. It can be made into a 56km (35-mile) loop if you return on N71. Ask at the bike rental store or the tourism office for more information.

Fishing

Fishing for salmon and brown trout in Killarney's unpolluted lakes and rivers is a popular pastime around here. Brown-trout fishing is free on the lakes, but a permit is necessary for the rivers Flesk and Laune. A trout permit costs €8 to €15 per day.

Salmon fishing anywhere in Ireland requires a license; the cost is €36 per day, €50 for 21 days. In addition, some rivers also require a salmon permit, which costs €10 to €15 per day. Permits and licenses can be obtained at the Fishery Office at the Knockreer Estate Office, New Street (tel. 064/663-1246).

For fishing tackle, bait, rod rental, and other fishing gear, as well as permits and licenses, try O'Neill's, 6 Plunkett St. (tel. 064/663-1970). The shop also arranges the hire of boats and ghillies (fishing guides) for around €80 per day on the Killarney Lakes, leaving from Ross Castle.

Golf

Visitors are always welcome at the twin 18-hole championship courses of the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, Killorglin Road, Fossa (tel. 064/663-1034; www.killarney-golf.com), 5km (3 miles) west of the town center. Widely praised as one of the most scenic golf settings in the world, these courses, known as Killeen and Mahony's Point, have gorgeous lake and mountain settings. Greens fees are €70 to €130, depending on the course, and don't go up at weekends.

Horseback Riding

Many trails in the Killarney area are suitable for horseback riding. Hiring a horse costs about €25 per hour at Killarney Riding Stables, N72, Ballydowney (tel. 064/31686; www.killarney-trail-riding.com), and Rocklands Stables, Rockfield, Tralee Road (tel. 064/32592). Lessons and weeklong trail rides can also be arranged.

Walking

There are four signposted nature trails in the Killarney National Park. The Mossy Woods Nature Trail starts near Muckross House, by Muckross Lake, and rambles 2.4km (1.5 miles) through yew woods along low cliffs. The Old Boat House Nature Trail begins at the 19th-century boathouse below Muckross Gardens and leads .8km (.5 mile) around a small peninsula by Muckross Lake. Arthur Young's Walk (4.8km/3 miles) starts on the road to Dinis, traverses natural yew woods, and then follows a 200-year-old road on the Muckross Peninsula. The Blue Pool Nature Trail (2.4km/1.5 miles) travels from Muckross village through woodlands and past a small peaceful lake known as the Blue Pool. Maps of the four trails are available at the park's visitor center. In addition, the Cloghereen Nature Trail is a small section of the Blue Pool trail that's designed to be fully accessible to blind visitors. A guide rope leads you along the route, which is lined by plants identified by scent and touch. An audio guide can be obtained from Muckross House for a small deposit.

Rising steeply from the south shore of Muckross Lake, Torc Mountain provides spectacular views of the Killarney Lakes and nearby MacGillycuddy's Reeks, a moody mountain range. Start at the Torc Waterfall parking lot, about 6km (3 3/4 miles) south of Killarney, and follow the trail to the top of the falls. At a T-intersection, turn left toward the top parking lot, and almost immediately turn right on the Old Kenmare Road, which follows a small stream along the south slopes of Torc Mountain. After leaving the woods, you will see Torc Mountain on your right. Look for a crescent-shaped gouge in the side of the road, about 9m (30 ft.) across, with a small cairn at its far edge. This is the beginning of the path to the ridge top, marked somewhat erratically by cairns along the way. Return the way you came; the whole trip is just under 10km (6.25 miles), takes about 4 hours, and is moderate in difficulty.

If you prefer a little guidance, you might prefer to take a guided walking tour of some length (from 1 day to a weekend to a full week). A number of walks and walking holidays are offered by SouthWestWalks Ireland Ltd., 40 The Anchorage., Tralee, County Kerry (tel. 066/712-8733; www.southwestwalksireland.com), which has tours of varying lengths. Or you can arrange in advance to meet up with the Wayfarers, an international organization of passionate pedestrians, who schedule 5-week-long footloose circuits of the Ring of Kerry each spring, summer, and fall. To receive a schedule, contact the Wayfarers, 172 Bellevue Ave., Newport, RI 02840 (tel. 800/249-4620; www.thewayfarers.com).

For long-distance walkers, the 202km (125-mile) Kerry Way is a signposted walking route that extends from Killarney around the Ring of Kerry.

MacGillycuddy's Reeks -- This marvelously named range of mountains just west of Killarney is beautiful to look at -- they were formed of red sandstone that was gradually shaved down by glaciers until they reached the gentle shape they hold today. The name, though, is a bit baffling. It turns out the mountains were named after an ancient clan that once predominated in this area -- the Mac Gilla Machudas. The word reek is an old Irish term for a peaked hill. So these are the mountains of the Mac Gilla Machudas, just in case you were wondering.

Four Hikes in Killarney National Park

Within the park's 10,000-hectare (25,000-acre) limits are forest trails, bogs, moorland, landscaped gardens, four mountains, three major lakes, and two historic estates. It's also teeming with rare plants and wildlife. Venture into the woods and you'll be walking through the last natural habitat of the Irish red deer, and if you're very lucky, you might even see a white-tailed eagle, extinct in these parts for nearly 200 years until they were reintroduced in 2007. Note: Detailed maps for this and the other trails listed below are available at the visitor center at Muckross House. Here are four trails you can follow:

• Blue Pool Nature Trail. This trail starts behind the Muckross Park Hotel and winds for an easy 2.3km (1.5 miles) along a path of coniferous woodland beside a small lake. The trail is named for the lake's unusually deep blue-green color, which is caused by copper deposits in the soil.
• Cloghereen Nature Trail. This is a wonderful idea. Incorporated into a small section of the Blue Pool trail , this walk is fully accessible to blind visitors. A guide rope leads you along the route, which is lined by plants identified by scent and touch. An audio guide can be obtained from Muckross House for a small deposit.
• Mossy Woods Nature Trail. One of the park's gentler trails, this route starts from Muckross Lake and is just under 2km (1.3 miles) long. The moss-covered trees and rocks it passes are a major habitat for bird life. You'll also see several strawberry trees (arbutus) along the route, which is something of a botanical mystery. They're commonplace around these parts, but found almost nowhere else in Ireland; nor, indeed, the rest of Northern Europe. The route passes some incredible views of Torc Mountains and the memorably named McGuillicuddys Reeks.
• Kerry Way. Serious hikers might be interested in the Kerry Way, a long-distance trail that roughly follows the Ring of Kerry. The entire route is 202km (125 miles) long; detailed maps are available from the Killarney and Kenmare tourist offices. For more information on the route, visit www.kerryway.net.