Walks Around Waterville and the Kerry Way
Waterville sits on the Kerry Way, and the village has marked walks of its own. These are self-guided trails, so you need your own map, good boots and a weather check before you set out.
Kerry Way: Waterville to Caherdaniel
The coastal stage is 12.5 km with 320 m of ascent and takes about 4 hours 15 minutes. It is graded Moderate. The route crosses the Currane River and climbs past Loher Stone Fort on an old green road to the saddle between Farraniaragh and Beenarourke. It then drops into Derrynane National Park and passes the Scarriff Inn and Bunavalla Pier before reaching Caherdaniel.
An inland option splits off at Coomduff and goes over Windy Gap, up to 27 km in all. It is one of the tougher sections, it is remote, and the official guide says it must not be underestimated. Take food, water, waterproofs and a charged phone. The local tourism site describes two options of 11 km (3.5 hours) and 26 km (8.5 hours).
Walking the other way, the stage from Cahersiveen to Waterville is 30 km and takes about 9 hours.
Local routes
- Hogs Head Route: a 9 km coastal loop that includes Loher Fort.
- Glenmore Route: 8.8 km along the lake shore.
- Promenade and cliff road to Inny Beach: start at the seafront and follow the Golf Links cliff road. It is about 2 miles return.
- Waterlily Bay walk: 5 miles return.
- Lough Currane Loop: 22.5 km, about 8 hours, and graded hard.
Waterville seafront is flat and easy. The cliff-road walk to Inny passes the golf links, so keep to the road edge and watch for golfers and traffic.
Bolus Head loop
From the St Finian’s Bay side, the Bolus Head loop is roughly 6 to 8 km and takes about 2.5 hours. On the summit there is a Napoleonic signal tower and a Second World War lookout post, number 34. The cliffs are high, so keep well back from the edge and avoid the walk in mist or strong wind.
Derrynane Loop and Mass Path
The Derrynane Loop and Mass Path is a trail promoted by Discover Iveragh. Some sections are tidal, so check tide times. Abbey Island has unprotected cliff edges on its south side and is not suitable for small children.
Safety on the road and coast
- The N70 is a busy main road shared with walkers and cyclists. Where you must use it, face the traffic.
- Atlantic weather changes fast. Pack layers even on a bright morning.
- Do not swim from the beaches unless a lifeguard flag is up in season.
Guided options
The routes above are self-guided. Walking tours that include Waterville can be searched on a booking site.
Read more: sightseeing in Waterville lists the stone forts and statues you will pass.
The coastal stage is described in full on kerryway.com , local walks are on the Waterville tourism site , and walking tours can be searched on GetYourGuide .