When you stay at Coolclogher House, you are close to some of the best beaches in Ireland. Kerry is blessed with a coastline carved by the Atlantic into a series of bays and coves bathed in smooth sand and sparkling waves, so our beaches are unrivalled. Whether you’re looking for a secluded spot to wander hand in hand or the perfect spot for a family picnic with buckets and spades, Kerry’s best beaches are within an hour’s drive of your holiday home.

Rossbeigh

Much loved by families for generations, Rossbeigh is a wonderful beach five minutes’ drive from Glenbeigh, on the Ring of Kerry. It is lined with white sand as far as the eye can see and is the perfect spot for a refreshing walk around a wall of dunes facing Dingle Bay. It is also ideal for swimming, kite flying, and horse riding. Lifeguards are on duty during the summer months, and there’s an excellent playground beside it.

Inch

On the road to Dingle from Killarney beyond the village of Boolteens, you will come to a bend where a vast expanse of white sand stretches beneath you before the road rises to hug the cliffs. This is Inch, a 7km beach where the crashing Atlantic waves make it a popular venue for surfers. (Surf lessons are available). Inch is safe for swimming, and it presents a stunning view of the ocean cradled by mountains for walkers.

Derrynane

If you are touring the Ring of Kerry, take a break at Derrynane’s Blue Flag beach, about 2km from Caherdaniel. Located next to Derrynane National Park, the beach is sheltered by a natural harbour and is lined with pure white sand. Derrynane beach s ideal for family fun, swimming, walking, and watersports, although a clearly marked section of the beach is not suitable for swimming due to dangerous currents. This beach has lifeguards in summer.

Banna

Banna Beach is a stunning strand located 12 km from the town of Tralee. Extending from Ballyheigue Beach in the north to Barrow Beach in the south, it is backed by sand dunes that rise to heights of 12 metres in some places. Banna offers beautiful views of the mountains of the Dingle Peninsula and is a favourite spot for Tralee residents in summer. It is also historically significant, as the place where Roger Casement was captured in 1916, after he landed from a German U-boat following an attempt to secure arms for Irish republicans.

Ballybunion

The popular seaside resort of Ballybunion has three great beaches to choose from. One stretches from Ballybunion Golf Course to the sea. The other two beaches, Ladies Beach and The Nun’s Strand, lie at the foot of the cliffs of Doneen. Ballybunion beaches are favourites with surfers, kayakers, and swimmers, with lifeguards on duty in summer.

If you are looking for tips or directions for the best beaches in Kerry, be sure to ask your hosts at Coolclogher House. They are full of useful advice on places to go and see in the area.