huckepack

Dingle Way

Slí Chorca Dhuibhne

Length

176 km: the stated length (The Dingle Way (Cosán Slí Chorcha Dhuibhne committee)).

Measured on our map line: 181.3 km, the route as OpenStreetMap maps it along the official track. The charts on this page run along the same line, and the search sorts trails by it, so lengths compare the same way.

176km

Difficulty

How hard a trail is, in three ways: the terrain, the climate in season and the length of the days. Each is rated from Easy to Hard with the same thresholds for every trail, and takes its hardest measure. It describes the trail, not how it will feel to you: that depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather you get.

  • Terrain: ModeratePath grade: ≈ T2
  • Climate: Demanding in Jun–AugWet days: 17 days (August)
  • Effort: HardLongest day: 9 h (stage 7)

All measures

Terrain: Moderate; Climate: Demanding in Jun–Aug; Effort: Hard

Days

No source suggests a number of days, so the page counts one day per main stage (8).

8days

Per stage

The 8 main stages' totals over their number (The Dingle Way (Cosán Slí Chorcha Dhuibhne committee)), so the averages come from one source.

22.3km
Season

Landscape

Land cover along the main route, from ESA WorldCover satellite data:

  • Grassland and shrubs: 77%
  • Forest: 8%
  • Bare rock and sand: 7%
  • Water, snow and ice: 5%
  • Farmland and villages: 4%

Landscape along the route

Mostly Grassland

Location

Country
Ireland
Regions
County Kerry
Start
Tralee
Finish
Tralee
Route type
Loop
Travel hubs
  • Tralee Casement0.9 km by road · 3 min
  • Kerry Airport (KIR)21.5 km by road · 23 min
  • Shannon Airport (SNN)126.3 km by road · 109 min
Managed by
Dingle Way Committee and Kerry County Council (National Waymarked Trail, Sport Ireland)Official website
Waymarking
Yellow waymarkers throughout; white arrows over the pass below Mount Brandon, for mist
  • Trail
  • Start
  • Stage start
  • Finish
  • Contour lines

Difficulty

Terrain

How hard is the ground to walk: the path, the climbing, the steep bits, the ground underfoot? Rated over the whole main route. The rating takes its hardest measure.

Path grade: the trail's SAC grade, stated, converted or estimated.

  1. EasyT1
  2. ModerateT2
  3. DemandingT3
  4. HardT4 to T6

Steep stretches: share of the route steeper than 15 %, up or down (terrain model).

  1. Easyunder 5 %
  2. Moderate5–15 %
  3. Demanding15–30 %
  4. Hard30 % or more

Natural ground: share on footpaths and trails (OpenStreetMap); never Hard on its own.

  1. Easyunder a third
  2. Moderatea third to two thirds
  3. Demandingtwo thirds or more

Moderate

  • SAC hiking scale

    Trails rate their difficulty in many local scales, or only describe it in words. We translate each rating into the Swiss Alpine Club's hiking scale, from T1 (easy) to T6 (very hard), so trails can be compared. It stays an estimate: how hard a trail feels depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather.

    This trail: T2 (our estimate). Mostly minor roads, boreens, field edges and long beaches; the committee calls section 6 "the most challenging part of the Dingle Way", over the pass below Mount Brandon on a mountain path with white arrows for mist, and advises another way to Cloghane in poor visibility. Beaches can be cut off by high tides. Mountain hiking on clear paths (T2), no exposed passages.

    1. T1 · HikingWell-made paths, mostly flat or gently sloping. No risk of falling; trainers are enough.
    2. T2 · Mountain hikingA continuous path, steep in places, where a fall can't be ruled out. Be sure-footed; wear hiking boots.
    3. T3 · Demanding mountain hikingThe path is not always visible; exposed spots may have chains or ropes, and you may need your hands for balance.
    4. T4 · Alpine hikingOften no path. Hands are needed in places, terrain is exposed, and there can be easy snowfields.
    5. T5 · Demanding alpine hikingMostly pathless, with easy climbing and exposed, demanding terrain. Needs alpine experience.
    6. T6 · Difficult alpine hikingPathless, very exposed, with climbing and glaciers. For experienced mountaineers only.

    The scale at the Swiss Alpine Club

    estimated T2
  • Steep stretches2 % of the way
  • Natural ground39 %

Climate

How hot, cold, wet and windy does it get? Rated for each month from 30 years of weather (ERA5). Without months picked (the search's When filter), the rating is for the trail's best run of at least two months in its season, and each measure shows its hardest month of that run; a pick re-rates it for your months. The rating takes its hardest measure.

Heat: mean daily high at the lowest point.

  1. Easyunder 22 °C
  2. Moderate22–27 °C
  3. Demanding27–32 °C
  4. Hard32 °C or more

Cold: mean nightly low at the highest point.

  1. Easy8 °C or more
  2. Moderate3–8 °C
  3. Demanding−2 to 3 °C
  4. Hardbelow −2 °C

Wet days: days a month with 1 mm of rain or more, the wetter of both points.

  1. Easyunder 10
  2. Moderate10–14
  3. Demanding14–18
  4. Hard18 or more

Snow: days a month with 1 cm of snow or more at the highest point.

  1. Easyunder 1 day
  2. Moderate1–3 days
  3. Demanding3–6 days
  4. Hard6 days or more

Wind: mean of the day's strongest wind (hourly mean, 10 m above ground), the windier of both points.

  1. Easyunder 15 km/h
  2. Moderate15–20 km/h
  3. Demanding20–25 km/h
  4. Hard25 km/h or more

Demanding in Jun–Aug

  • Heat · July18 °C by day
  • Cold · June7 °C at night
  • Wet days · August17 days
  • Snow · June0 days
  • Wind · August25 km/h

Effort

How long are the days? Rated by the longest main stage; a time range counts its upper end. The rating takes its hardest measure.

Longest day: walking time of the longest main stage, stated or by DIN 33466.

  1. Easyup to 4 h
  2. Moderate4–6 h
  3. Demanding6–8 h
  4. Hardmore than 8 h

Hard

  • Longest day · stage 79 h

Climate

Days in season · lowest point
9–18°C
Nights in season · highest point
1–9°C
Wet days a month
14–19
Daylight
7.7–16.7h
SeasonDay high and night low−10 °C0 °C10 °C20 °C30 °CWet days, at the highest point5101520Daylight8.2 h9.8 h11.7 h13.8 h15.7 h16.7 h16.3 h14.7 h12.6 h10.5 h8.7 h7.7 hJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Climate by month, 1995–2024 average
MonthLowest point, day high / night low (°C)Highest point, day high / night low (°C)Wet daysSnow daysFrost nights at the highest pointDaylight (h)
January8.7 / 4.34.8 / 1.3192.98.98.2
February9.3 / 4.54.9 / 1.416.52.58.29.8
March10.4 / 4.75.6 / 1.515.727.711.7
April12.6 / 6.27.2 / 2.814.10.52.813.8
May14.9 / 8.79.2 / 515.400.215.7
June17.1 / 11.211.3 / 7.214.40016.7
July18.3 / 12.912.6 / 8.916.20016.3
August18.2 / 1312.9 / 9.217.10014.7
September16.8 / 11.611.9 / 815.20012.6
October14.1 / 9.49.5 / 618.100.210.5
November10.9 / 6.76.8 / 3.619.30.82.38.7
December9.1 / 55.3 / 219.1277.7

Climate by month

Averages for 1995–2024 from ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, at the trail's lowest and highest point, adjusted to each point's elevation. Bars span the mean night low to the mean day high; wet days have at least 1 mm of rain, snow days at least 1 cm of snow. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset in the middle of the month. The shaded months are the trail's season.

Stages

RouteDistanceAscentDescentElevationTime
1Tralee Camp18.0 km10 → 70 m5–7 h
2Camp Annascaul17.0 km70 → 30 m4–6 h
3Annascaul Dingle23.0 km20 → 10 m5–7 h
4Dingle Dunquin20.0 km10 → 30 m5–7 h
5Dunquin Feothanach20.0 km40 → 20 m5–7 h
6Feothanach Cloghane24.0 km20 → 10 m6–7 h
7Cloghane Castlegregory29.0 km10 → 10 m7–9 h
8Castlegregory Tralee27.0 km10 → 10 m6 h 30–8 h 30

Totals and averages count the main stages only. ≈ marks our estimates where the source gives no figure: heights from the terrain model (Copernicus DEM, 30 m grid, sampled every 100 m), to the nearest 10 m.

Terrain

Highest · lowest point
651m high0m low

Gradient

The steepest 500 m of the trail in walking direction, uphill and downhill. On this trail the steepest climb is 24 % (13°, 120 m up over 500 m) on stage 6, the steepest descent −31 % (17°, 153 m down) on stage 6.

A gradient is height per distance: 20 % means 20 m up for every 100 m forward. Percent and degrees don't grow alike: 100 % is 45°, not 90°.

GradientAngleFeels like
10 %6°Noticeable on a road
20 %11°A steep path, slow going
30 %17°Very steep, often steps
100 %45°Scrambling

Averages over 500 m from a 30 m terrain model: short pitches within them, such as steps and ladders, are steeper.

24% ↑−31% ↓

Steep stretches

How many kilometres of the main route climb or descend at 15 % or more (9°, 15 m of height per 100 m), measured in 200 m stretches: on this trail 1.6 km up and 2.2 km down, the darkest parts of the profile. Such stretches are slow going uphill and hard on the knees downhill.

3.8km

Surfaces

  • Natural ground: 39%, 70.5 km. Earth, grass, rock and roots: footpaths and forest trails. Can be muddy after rain.
  • Gravel: 43%, 76.5 km. Gravel, compacted and stony surfaces: mostly forest roads and farm tracks.
  • Paved: 18%, 33.2 km. Asphalt, concrete and cobbles: roads and village streets.

39% natural43% gravel18% paved
0 m200 m400 m600 m651 mStage 1Stage 2Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 7Stage 80 km180.3 km

Terrain along the route

Heights from the Copernicus terrain model (30 m grid, every 100 m along the main route); it measures the treetops in forests, so heights may differ from signposts by some metres.

The profile colours each 200 m by its gradient in walking direction: the steeper, the darker, climbs warm and descents violet, from level ground to ±30 % and beyond.

The strip under the profile shows the ground underfoot, from OpenStreetMap; for the 62% of the route without a surface tag, the type of way decides (footpaths natural, tracks gravel).

Landscape

Forest8%Grassland and shrubs77%Bare rock and sand7%Water, snow and ice5%Farmland and villages4%Stage 12Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 7Stage 80 km180.3 km

Landscape along the route

Land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (10 m satellite map), every 100 m along the main route; each point takes the most common class within 30 m, so the path itself doesn't count as bare ground. Its eleven classes are folded into the six groups shown. It says what the landscape looks like, not which plants grow there.

Sleeping

20.8 km without a bedCamping6Huts0Hostels15Rooms60Stage 12Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 7Stage 80 km180.3 km

Places to sleep along the route

One tick per place to sleep along the main route, from OpenStreetMap: 6 campsites, 0 huts, 15 hostels, 60 guest houses within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end (stage towns often lie off the trail). Hotels and day shelters are left out. The shaded column is the longest stretch without any, from km 34.3 to 55.1. The map may miss places or list ones that have closed, so book or check locally.

Water & Supply

Clean water

9 fountains, taps and springs marked as drinkable in OpenStreetMap within 500 m of the trail, and 1 places to sleep OpenStreetMap marks as having drinking water. Clean water also counts the 56 huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites within 500 m where hikers usually fill a bottle: guests come first, and many close out of season, so ask, and carry a little more than the gaps need. Places OpenStreetMap marks as without drinking water are left out. The counts include the approach and variant; the chart shows the main route.

Rated by the longest stretch of the main route without clean water: frequent up to 10 km, regular up to 20 km, scarce beyond. Here: from km 34.3 to 55.1, stage 3.

20.8kmScarce

Any water

Clean water, and the 14 springs within 500 m of the trail whose water is of unknown quality: filter, boil or treat it, and expect some springs to run dry in late summer. Here the longest stretch without any water runs from km 161.8 to 180.3. Rated like clean water: frequent up to 10 km, regular up to 20 km, scarce beyond.

18.5kmRegular

Shops

48 supermarkets, convenience and general stores and petrol stations with a shop in OpenStreetMap, within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end (stage towns often lie off the trail). Small village shops are often missing, and opening hours vary: check before relying on one. Here the longest stretch without runs from km 66.3 to 124.1.

57.8km
Water · 18.5 km withoutPublic drinking water · 58.6 km withoutSprings (treat before drinking) · 42.6 km withoutRefills at places to sleep · 20.8 km withoutShops · 57.8 km withoutSupermarkets · 94.3 km withoutConvenience and general stores · 57.8 km withoutStage 1Stage 2Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 7Stage 80 km180.3 km

Water and shops along the route

One tick per place along the main route, from OpenStreetMap: drinking water and springs within 500 m, refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites within 500 m, shops within 1 km or 3 km of a stage's end. The shaded band in each lane is its longest stretch without; "Water" counts every kind, and opens into one lane per kind, each with its own. The map may miss places or list ones that have closed or run dry, so check locally.

Wildlife

Wildlife

Animals that can be dangerous to hikers on this trail: large animals, venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders, ticks, and plants that harm on touch. The level is ours, read from the official source: High where a bite of a species it calls common can be life-threatening within hours; Moderate where it warns of attacks or serious harm, or places the trail in a risk area for tick-borne encephalitis; Low where the harm is mostly minor or treatable, or avoidable by how you behave. What to do comes from the official source: HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

The silhouettes come from PhyloPic, not to scale; each one's maker is named with its advice. The landscape is the trail's own, drawn by us.

TicksLow

Ticks (Lyme disease)

Low danger

Ticks are active across Ireland from spring to autumn; the HPSC names walking paths bordered by long grass, fields and vegetation near lakes and seaside beaches among the places they are most likely.

If you meet one

  • Cover exposed skin with long trousers tucked into socks or boots, long sleeves and closed shoes or boots
  • Use a repellent containing at least 20 % DEET, picaridin or IR3535 on exposed skin
  • Check your skin and clothing every 3 to 4 hours in tick areas, and do a full-body check after you get in
  • Grip an attached tick as close to the skin as possible with fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool and pull steadily away from the skin, then wash the bite and apply antiseptic
  • See your GP if a rash, especially a spreading bull's-eye rash, or flu-like symptoms follow a tick bite, and tell them about the bite

Don't

  • Twist or crush the tick when you remove it
  • Use a lit cigarette, a match head, alcohol or petroleum jelly to remove a tick

Advice: HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre. Level: ours. Silhouette: Guillaume Dera (Ixodes ricinus), PhyloPic, public domain.