Dingle Peninsula Without Crowds
Ireland's Southwest Promontory is Off-Season Treat
Historic sites like Slieve Mish and Burnham House plus Irish gardens, wildflowers, Dingle Town hospitality and traditional breakfasts provide a winning combination.
Some places are better visited off-season. Ireland’s Dingle Peninsula is one of them.
Although the weather may be chilly and damp in other parts of the country, Dingle’s climate is milder than in most of Ireland, with palm trees and an abundance of migratory birds. There are hosts of daffodils in the spring, and wild primroses in the hedges. The lush grounds of Colaiste Ide (Burnham House), former residence of the area's principal landowner, Lord Ventry, delight nature lovers as dozens of species of trees and shrubs from around the world are planted in its gardens. And when you want to explore the Peninsula's historic gems, you won't find tour buses around every site.
Dingle's landscape is varied, much of the country is pastoral, with sheep grazing in meadows bordered by fuschia bushes. By contrast, the seacoast is anything but tranquil, especially during storms when what the locals refer to as "mountainous waves" beat against the cliffs.
On Clear Days, You Can See Almost Forever
On clear days from Slea Head, most westerly point on the mainland of Ireland, you'll get marvelous views of the Blasket Islands and find it hard to believe that when the seas are rough, getting to the islands can be well nigh impossible. In fact, it was because of the islanders' isolation during bad weather and several successive seasons of poor fishing that the residents of the Blaskets were resettled on the Irish mainland in 1953. There are mountains on the peninsula, too. The Slieve Mish range rises to heights of 2,795 feet (852 meters) and Mt. Brandon in the northwest corner of Dingle is 3,126.6 feet (953 meters).
Getting Around
You have a choice of several means of transportation for exploring the peninsula. Getting around is easiest by car, but not everyone copes easily with driving on the left side of the road. For those people, fortunately, there are taxi drivers who were born on Dingle and know every curve and historical fact. Bicycles are for rent in Dingle town. Too, on fine days you might consider exploring the peninsula's coves and inlets by boat. The way you'll get the truest flavor of the Dingle Peninsula, however, is by traveling on foot if you remember to greet everyone you meet, even if you have passed that person fifteen minutes before.
The "Smile and Say Hello" Key
Another advantage to an off-season Dingle visit is that Dingle Town, the largest settlement on the peninsula, won't be full of tourists, and the locals will have more time to chat. Smiling and saying hello is the key to discovering the Dingle Peninsula's greatest treasure -- its people. Pubs are marvelous places to meet them. Almost everyone, sooner or later, drops in to have a harness mended, buy a loaf of bread, or drink a "jar" of Guinness. Don't hesitate to join in the conversations. People will expect you to. And they, in turn, will let you know what's going on in the area, whether it's the weekly bingo game at the town center or a ceili (kay-lee), a country dance featuring a sort of fast-footwork square dancing.
If you decide to overnight on the Dingle Peninsula, you'll absorb maximum flavor by staying at one of the inns or bed and breakfasts in Dingle town. It's a good idea to look at rooms in the B & Bs before you arrange to stay as there is a wide variation in both amenities and cleanliness (during high season the best places are often fully booked in advance). Wherever you stay, your room rate will usually include a full Irish breakfast -- juice, porridge, eggs, sausages, bacon, toast, brown bread, marmalade, and tea or coffee.
