There are two ways you can explore Ceann Sléibhe (Slea Head) without driving, but if you want a real adventure, nothing beats a bike – and it’s not as hard as you might think. You can rent e-bikes from the Dingle Electric Bike Experience, where owner John will go over the route on a map, annotating the best points for you to stop along the way.  

The route is around 47km in total, but on an e-bike, you won’t have to worry about climbing any hills (that’s what turbo mode is for). You could comfortably complete the route in four hours, but it’s far more enjoyable to allocate a full day to the experience. And like those driving the route, you must travel in a clockwise direction from Daingean Uí Chúis (Dingle), passing through Ceann Trá (Ventry) first – this one-way system helps to prevent traffic jams on the (very) narrow road.  

Once you leave Dingle, the route hugs the shoreline, with your first stop just ahead – a statue and memorial to legendary footballer and proud Gaeilgeoir Páidí Ó Sé, right outside the pub that bears his name. As Ventry Harbour fades behind you, you’ll see signs for the area’s first ancient landmarks – a scattering of clocháns (beehive huts) and stone forts perched along the roadside. 

Park your bike at Éalú and cross the road to explore Dún Beag Fort. Dramatically set on the edge of a rocky outcrop, this promontory fort dates back to the 6th century and remains impressively intact given its wild, cliffside perch. Railings protect the site, but don’t miss the viewpoint just beyond the fence – the inlet below makes for a stunning photo. Your entry ticket also includes access to the small visitor centre back at Éalú. 

With Dún Beag behind you, it’s not long before you reach the Fahan Beehive Huts – 18 remarkably well-preserved clocháns built by monks in the early medieval period. These ancient structures have since found a second life as a pilgrimage site for Star Wars fans, thanks to their on-screen likeness in The Last Jedi. Take the short, steep path that winds around them for a close-up look and a brilliant view of the sea below. 

Back on your bike, watch out for a sharp hairpin turn just past the huts. A small stream runs across the road here, so it’s safest to dismount and walk your bike across. From this point on, the coastal views only get better. 

As the road twists and turns, you’ll find yourself cycling past increasingly scenic stretches. On a clear day, you’ll spot the Blasket and Skellig islands shimmering on the horizon. There are plenty of lay-bys and viewing points – ideal spots to stop, soak in the scenery and snap a few photos. 

A little further on, you’ll see a turnoff for Cé Dhún Chaoin (Dunquin Pier) – make a left here for one of Ireland’s most photographed views. Park the bike and follow the path up and around the headland. There, you’ll get a great view of the famous pathway that slaloms down to the ferry dock, framed by the distinctive pyramid-shaped peaks below and the Great Blasket rising beyond. 

When you can tear yourself away, follow the same lane back up to rejoin the Slea Head Drive, cycling past Kruger’s Bar, the most westerly pub in Ireland. In less than a kilometre, you’ll see the turning for The Blasket Centre, a pit stop that’s well worth an hour of your time.  

This OPW site underwent a major transformation in 2022, and now offers an immersive look at life on the nearby islands. Inside its sleek, sea-facing space, you’ll find vivid displays on the islanders’ lives and literature, peppered with quotes from their most famous works – like this one from Muiris Ó Súilleabháin’s ‘Fiche Blian ag Fás’ (Twenty Years A Growing): 

“...'agus murab Éireannach thú', ar seisean arís, ‘cad é thú?' - 'Blascaodach, a bhuachaill', arsa mise.” (‘But if you are not an Irishman', said he again, 'what are you?' – ‘A Blasket man, my boy' says I.) 

On either side of the Blasket Centre walkway, you’ll find fascinating exhibitions covering everything from women’s lives on the islands to local traditions around birth, death and storytelling. Don’t miss the replica writing room, where a quill scribbles across parchment in an animated projection - a lovely detail that brings the island’s literary history to life. 

Right at the end of the space, you get a great view of the Great Blasket, but it’s even better if you go outside and walk the 350 metres to the giant, cast iron viewing platform, designed in a zig-zag shape just like the Wild Atlantic Way markers.  

Once you’re back on the Slea Head Drive, your next stop is Ceann Sraithe (Clogher Head), a windswept headland overlooking a glorious crescent of white sand bay that was another filming location for The Last Jedi. Once you’ve passed through Baile an Fheirtéaraigh (Ballyferriter) village, you can cycle inland towards Gallarus Oratory, one of the finest preserved ancient churches in Ireland. Bear in mind it’s about a kilometre off the Slea Head Drive, so factor that in if you do make the detour. From that point on, it’s smooth sailing back down towards Dingle, up and over the rolling Kerry hills.  

If cycling isn’t for you, you can also experience the Slea Head Drive on a guided bus tour. Dingle Slea Head Tours runs small group trips (three hours, twice daily, March – October), with stops along the way at Ventry, the Fahan Beehive Huts and Gallarus Oratory. The Dingle Open Top Tour does the same route but on a double decker bus (three hours, twice daily, March – October). You’ll stop at Dún Beag Fort and Kruger’s Bar, and enjoy the views from the comfort of the top deck. Either way, try and get a window seat on the left-hand side of the bus, so you’re closest to the sea.  

Where to eat along the Slea Head Drive 

Worried there won’t be anywhere to grab a bite on this country loop? Don’t be, as there are plenty of great pit stops dotted along the drive. At Dún Beag Fort, Dobey’s food truck sells crab rolls and fries, the crab procured every day from the owner’s friend’s boat. The rolls are soft, buttery and stuffed to the brim – an absolute treat for seafood lovers. You can also get a sit-down meal inside at Éalú at the Stonehouse.  

Photo credit: @ealuatthestonehouse

Just beyond Ventry, Bakery Eile Café is a family home that opens seasonally as a café, where you can get soups, paninis and plant-based sausage rolls, along with homemade treats like cinnamon buns, crumble and scones. Oh, and don’t miss the giant fossilised skeleton of a European cave bear from 40,000 years ago, which is on display in the entrance.   

There’s a full restaurant in The Blasket Centre, with indoor and outdoor tables and a menu of soups, sandwiches and more substantial meals. And just beyond Clougher Head, Tig Áine is a pretty restaurant where you can get fish and chips, cakes and homemade apple strudel with ice cream – the perfect treat as you near the end of the cycle.  

If you opt for the bus tour, you’ll have time in the afternoon for a sea kayaking adventure. Irish Adventures runs guided excursions twice daily (three hours each), starting with a gear fitting in their shop. They provide all the essentials – wetsuits, life jackets, helmets – though bringing gloves for your hands is a smart move. 

Once kitted out, you’ll walk to the marina as a group and launch your kayaks into Dingle Bay. From there, it’s an unforgettable paddle along the base of the peninsula’s sea cliffs, where towering slabs of rock jut dramatically from the water and cormorants swoop from their nests above. 

If conditions allow, you’ll even glide into sea caves – calm, echoing spaces carved by the waves, where you can spot sea urchins and soak up the eerie beauty of these tucked-away coves. It’s an exhilarating outing, but the views from these otherwise unreachable corners of the coast make it well worth the effort. 

Where to get dinner and check out a trad session in Dingle 

Looking for something a little more refined than fish and chips? Out of the Blue doesn’t do deep-fried. Instead, you’ll be handed a giant blackboard covered in chalk-scrawled specials – think roasted hake with gambas and cucumber raita, or pan-fried halibut in a leek and saffron sauce. Each dish comes with a little pot of baby potatoes and seasonal veg. Simple, fresh and seriously good. 

Just round the corner, Doyle’s Seafood Restaurant serves similarly inventive dishes, like a Spanish-style fish stew with fennel and tomatoes, or seafood linguine.  

Dingle lives and breathes music, making it the perfect town to catch a trad session. Cosy and candlelit, Kennedy’s hosts sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while just down the road, Curran’s sets the scene with vintage shop fittings and early sets played behind an old wooden counter. The walls are lined with posters of films shot locally, including Ryan’s Daughter and The Playboy of the Western World.  

For classic trad with a side of fresh air, O’Flaherty’s has a spacious beer garden, while O’Sullivan’s Court House, a local favourite just off the main strip, starts up around 8.30pm – though in true Irish style, you’re best banking on 9.