The Meelin Hill Looped Walk gives a trip to Anascaul a clear focus on hiking: the challenging loop is 9 km long, includes 270 m of ascent, and starts and finishes at Annascaul Post Office. White markers with a purple arrow mark the route; dogs are not permitted. Check local conditions before setting out.
Walking routes with different highlights
The Meelin Hill Looped Walk passes over the three summits of Meelin, Brackloon and Knockafeehane above Annascaul. Along the way, it offers views of the Slieve Mish Mountains, the Com Dubh river system, Inch Beach and Dingle Bay. The described route therefore combines a stated amount of ascent with views of mountains, river scenery, beach and bay.
The Annascaul River Walk has a different character: it starts in the village, follows Derrygorman Road to the old bridge, Sean Droichead, then passes through woodland and along the riverbank. The Dingle Way passes directly through the village. The Tom Crean Trail starts at Tom Crean Garden in the village centre. These routes have different connections to the village: a challenging summit loop, a route with woodland and riverside sections, and routes that pass through the village or start there.
Bridges, memorial and local history
Anascaul Bridge is a humpbacked, four-arch road bridge over a river, built around 1830. In July 2003, a statue of Tom Crean was unveiled opposite the South Pole Inn, in a small memorial garden in the village centre. The work was created by Eamon O’Doherty. Tom Crean and his wife had already opened the inn in the village in 1920.
The Jerome Connor Trail is also connected to a specific place in the village: it ends at the Jerome Connor Garden and Gallery. Together with the Tom Crean Trail’s starting point at Tom Crean Garden, these provide two different landmarks for routes associated with the names Tom Crean and Jerome Connor.
Travelling by bus
Two bus routes are listed for connections between Annascaul and Dingle: Bus Éireann route 275 travels via Annascaul to Dingle; Local Link Kerry route 276 runs from Dingle to Annascaul. Take the direction of travel into account when planning, and check the current timetable before departure, as timetables and service arrangements are subject to change.
More topics in the wider destination of County Kerry
The wider destination of County Kerry offers other distinct cultural and heritage attractions. The Blasket Centre in Dunquin tells the story of the Blasket Islands and the Irish-speaking community that lived there until the mid-20th century. The centre features renewed interactive exhibitions and a fully accessible cliff-top viewing platform. Access to Gallarus Oratory via an OPW public path is free; check access information before travelling for possible changes. When planning a longer trip, you can consider these regional cultural attractions as a separate focus alongside the walking routes and local history in Anascaul.
Discover more destinations: Kilgarvan, Lauragh, Lispole, Muckross, Sneem, Cloghane, Valentia Island, Tuosist.
View the wider travel guide: County Kerry.
