Kerry is the most technically demanding county on the Irish Atlantic coast for a classic campervan. The mountain passes are real, the roads around Slea Head are genuinely narrow, and the summer heat combined with long climbs creates real overheating risk for an air-cooled T2. Kerry is also, without question, the most dramatic landscape you'll drive in Ireland — and the anti-clockwise Ring of Kerry in a Bay Window, with the Atlantic on your left and the MacGillycuddy's Reeks on your right, is one of the great campervan experiences on this island.
This guide is written for classic campervan owners. For rental-specific Ring of Kerry advice — operators, booking, and modern campervan considerations — see the Ring of Kerry guide on campers.ie. Note that Killarney Campervans offer a Kerry-based pickup — useful context if you ever want to compare your classic experience to a modern hire.
Route overview
The Ring of Kerry is a ~170km circuit around the Iveragh Peninsula, with Killarney as the base. The Dingle Peninsula adds a further 80km and 2 days. Together they make the most scenically dense section of the Wild Atlantic Way — and the section that requires the most careful planning for classic campervan owners.
The key rule for the Ring, which applies even more forcefully in a classic than in a modern van: drive anti-clockwise. Killarney → Killorglin → Glenbeigh → Cahirciveen → Waterville → Sneem → Kenmare → Killarney. This puts the coach tour convoys (all of which go clockwise) coming towards you rather than behind you. In a T2 that cannot accelerate away from following traffic, this is not a stylistic preference — it's a practical necessity.
~170km anti-clockwise circuit. 2 days at classic pace.
+~80km and 2 days. Highly recommended but note Slea Head and Conor Pass restrictions.
HIGH on sustained climbs. Moll's Gap, Conor Pass, Ladies View approach. Check oil, fan belt, thermostat before Kerry.
Non-negotiable in a T2. Go anti-clockwise or don't go at all.
Day-by-day itinerary
| Day | Route | Distance | Classic notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Killarney → Killorglin → Glenbeigh → Cahirciveen | ~90km | Anti-clockwise. Gentle for the first 40km; the road narrows approaching Cahirciveen. Stop at Rossbeigh Beach. |
| 2 | Cahirciveen → Waterville → Sneem → Kenmare | ~90km | The most dramatic section. Monitor oil temp on the climb above Waterville. Derrynane Bay is worth a long stop. |
| 3 | Kenmare → Killarney (Moll's Gap) | ~35km | Moll's Gap is the key T2 challenge: sustained climb, exposed, potential overheating. Take it slowly. Stop at the top. |
| 4 | Killarney → Inch Beach → Dingle town | ~70km | Inch Beach for a swim. Dingle town in the evening — the classic car community here is active in summer. |
| 5 | Dingle — choose your route west | ~50km loop | Slea Head: compact T2 under 5m with experienced driver only. Conor Pass: achievable, check preparation first. Ventry alternative: flat, fine for any classic. |
Day 2 — Waterville to Sneem: The road above Waterville climbs to a viewpoint before descending to the Coomakista Pass — the highest point on the Ring of Kerry proper. The gradient is sustained enough to test a T2 in July heat. Pull over at the Coomakista viewpoint (there's a parking area), let the engine cool, and appreciate the view south over the Kenmare River to the Beara Peninsula. Derrynane Bay, below the house of Daniel O'Connell, is one of the most beautiful sheltered beaches in Kerry. Sneem village — two squares, painted houses, the River Sneem — is an extremely pleasant overnight stop if the campsites allow.
Day 3 — Moll's Gap: The N71 from Kenmare to Killarney climbs over Moll's Gap, with Ladies View as the main stopping point on the descent. For a T2, this is the most demanding section of the whole Ring circuit. The climb is long and sustained — particularly the upper section approaching the Gap. Monitor your oil temperature carefully. If you smell burning or the engine feels laboured, pull off immediately, stop the engine, and wait 20 minutes. Do not attempt to push through an overheating air-cooled engine. The road has adequate pull-off points for a safe emergency stop.
Overnight stops
| Location | Notes for classic campervans |
|---|---|
| Killarney area | Best campsite cluster in Kerry. Multiple options with good facilities. Classic VW owners often use Killarney as a base for multiple Kerry sections. |
| Glenbeigh / Cahirciveen | Campsites on the western section of the ring. Good facilities. Quieter than Killarney. |
| Waterville | Campsite on the bay. Pleasant setting; classic cars photograph well against the Waterville seafront. |
| Kenmare | Good campsite options. Kenmare town is excellent for an evening — fine food and pleasant streets. |
| Dingle town | Town-edge campsite. Walking distance to the pubs and restaurants. Dingle has a notably warm welcome for classic campervans. |
| Ventry area | Smaller campsites at Ventry Beach. Sheltered and quieter than Dingle town. |
Road notes
Kerry is honest in what it asks of classic campervans. The roads are not technically impossible — but they demand respect and preparation:
- N70/N71 (Ring of Kerry main road): Variable quality. Good sections alternate with narrower, older-surface sections particularly between Waterville and the Coomakista area. Manageable for all classic campervans at appropriate speeds.
- Moll's Gap / N71 Killarney-Kenmare: The key gradient challenge on this route. Sustained climb. Pre-check: oil level, fan belt tension, thermostat condition. In high summer temperatures (above 20°C), factor in longer recovery time at the top.
- Conor Pass (Dingle): Achievable in a well-prepared T2 — steeper than Moll's Gap but shorter. The approach from the Dingle side is more gradual than the Castlegregory descent. Check weather and cloud level before attempting — poor visibility on Conor Pass in cloud is dangerous in any vehicle.
- Slea Head Drive: Single-track in places. A compact T2 Bay Window (under ~5m body length) with an experienced classic-van driver can manage this road. A standard or longer T2, or any T3/T4 campervan, should avoid Slea Head Drive. The views from the Slea Head car park are excellent without driving the full single-track loop.
- Gap of Dunloe: Don't drive it. It's a valley track for walkers, cyclists, and jaunting cars. Even if a local tells you "a car got through last week" — don't drive it in a classic campervan.
Classic campervan notes
Pre-Kerry preparation: Before driving a T2 in Kerry, check the following without exception: oil level and condition, fan belt tension and condition (carry a spare), thermostat function (check that the engine warms to normal temperature, not higher), points gap and distributor condition, brake condition on all four wheels (drum brakes on a T2 require confidence on Kerry's descents).
Overheating protocol: If your T2 begins to overheat on a climb — engine feels sluggish, oil temperature needle rises unusually, you smell hot oil — pull over immediately. Do not reach for the next passing place if there's one 200m ahead; stop now. Switch off the engine. Do not open the engine bay hatch immediately — wait 5 minutes, then open carefully. Pour water over the engine bay exterior (not into the engine) if very hot. Wait 20 minutes with the engine bay open before restarting. This happens. It is not a disaster. It just requires patience.
Breakdown in remote Kerry: The AA and RAC both operate in Ireland. Confirm classic vehicle coverage is included in your policy before departure. Recovery times in remote Kerry (particularly the Iveragh Peninsula west of Cahirciveen) can be 2–3 hours. Carry basic tools. The following numbers are worth having: AA Ireland (01 617 9999), RAC Breakdown Ireland. The nearest garages with any VW knowledge are in Killarney — see our specialists directory.
Anti-clockwise and pace: In a T2 at 70km/h, you are the slowest vehicle on the Ring of Kerry. The coach tours will pass you on the wider sections. Accept this, use every passing place generously, and enjoy the fact that you're seeing more of the landscape at your speed than the coaches see at theirs. The anti-clockwise direction means you encounter coaches head-on rather than with a convoy behind you — vastly preferable in a vehicle that cannot accelerate away from following traffic.
The T3 (water-cooled from 1982) handles Kerry's passes significantly better than the air-cooled T2. The water-cooling system manages sustained climbs more robustly, and the later T3 engines have more power for Kerry's gradients. The T4, with its front engine and modern drivetrain, is effectively a modern vehicle with vintage aesthetics — the passes present no particular challenge. If you're choosing a classic vehicle specifically for a Kerry tour, the T3 or early T4 is the more relaxed choice.
Ferry options
Killarney is the base for this route. Getting to Killarney from Britain with your own classic:
- Cork ferry crossings: The most direct approach. Cork to Killarney is 90 minutes via the N22. Brittany Ferries operate Cork–Roscoff (for France/continent). Irish Ferries operate Rosslare–Pembroke or Rosslare–Fishguard — Rosslare to Killarney is approximately 3 hours via Waterford and the N24/M8.
- Dublin–Holyhead: Dublin to Killarney is 3–3.5 hours. Most UK-based T2 owners arriving via Dublin take the M7/N21 from Dublin; the M8 via Cork is an alternative that adds 45 minutes but puts you through Cork city.
- Swansea–Cork: When operational, the most direct crossing for West of England T2 owners. Confirm current operator and schedule before planning.
- Tarbert–Killimer ferry: The Shannon Estuary car ferry. Relevant if approaching Kerry from the Limerick direction or combining with a Connemara tour (Galway to Kerry via the ferry rather than via Limerick).
Practical tips
- Fuel: Standard unleaded throughout Kerry. Killarney, Kenmare, Cahirciveen, Waterville, and Dingle all have fuel. Fill up at each town rather than assuming the next one is close.
- Calor Gas: Available in Killarney and Kenmare. Limited on the Dingle Peninsula beyond Dingle town. Stock up before heading west on Dingle.
- Classic car community: Kerry has a good summer classic car community. Dingle in particular — with its pub culture and appreciation for individual vehicles — is a warm welcome for a Bay Window. The summer car shows in Killarney occasionally include a vintage campervan category worth checking for timing.
- Weather: Kerry is Ireland's wettest county. Rain is likely at some point regardless of forecast. Pack for all conditions; the landscape in rain is extraordinary and the drama of low cloud on the MacGillycuddy's Reeks has a quality that clear-sky Kerry doesn't match.
Best time for classic campervan touring in Kerry
May and early June: Our strongest recommendation for a T2 in Kerry. Temperatures are cool (12–17°C typical), overheating risk on passes is lower, campsite availability is good, and the crowds at the headline Kerry attractions are manageable. The rhododendrons on the Killarney National Park paths flower in May — spectacular.
June: The best month overall for Kerry. Good weather windows, excellent light, and the landscape is at peak green. Busier than May but not at the coach-tour saturation of July/August.
July–August: Warmest but most crowded and highest overheating risk for T2s on sunny days with the passes. Manageable with careful preparation and early starts.
September: Excellent for classics — lower temperatures (good for air-cooled engines), beautiful autumn light, and the crowds have cleared from Dingle and Killarney. Several good classic car events happen in September in the region.