Beaufort offers several ways to plan a trip combining architecture, early writing and time outdoors. When planning, it is worth distinguishing between sights in the village, places in its immediate surroundings and the route through the Gap of Dunloe. This makes it possible to tailor your stay to your interests without combining very different themes into a single itinerary item.
Country Houses and Castles
Beaufort House is a detached, two-storey country house with a U-shaped floor plan. Its centrally positioned ground-floor portico is prostyle tetrastyle in design: the term refers to a projecting colonnaded porch with four columns. This makes the house a specific architectural point of interest in Beaufort.
Castles also tell stories of different periods and functions. Dunloe Castle was built in 1215 by the Norman Fitzgeralds, the Earls of Desmond. The castle served to control the river crossing to the Gap of Dunloe. Its historical significance is therefore directly connected to the river crossing and the Gap. The gardens at Dunloe Castle are also notable for their diverse selection of trees and shrubs, including species that are rare or not found elsewhere in Ireland.
Nearby, northwest of Beaufort, stands Ballymalis Castle, a state-owned National Monument in the care of the Office of Public Works. It is a typical Irish tower house. Comparing it with Beaufort House reveals two different building forms: a detached house with a U-shaped floor plan on the one hand, and an Irish tower house on the other.
Ogham Stones and Early Writing
The nearby Dunloe Ogham Stones consist of eight large, upright stones bearing examples of Ogham, the earliest form of Irish writing. Seven of these stones were carved in the 5th and 6th centuries. The figures describe different aspects of the site: eight stones make up the collection, while seven date from the period mentioned. Those interested in early writing will find here not only the form of the stones but also a point of reference in time.
The Gap of Dunloe and Nature
The road through the Gap of Dunloe runs from Kate Kearney’s Cottage to Lord Brandon’s Cottage and is about 11 kilometres long. The route is used for walking and cycling. Plan the route as a focus in its own right. Check road conditions and access rules before travelling.
Tomies Wood offers a different connection with nature; it is one of Ireland’s oldest natural woodlands. The two places have different characteristics: the Gap of Dunloe is a named route with well-known endpoints, while Tomies Wood is distinguished by its classification as an ancient natural woodland.
Wool, Food and Music
Kerry Woollen Mills is a 17th-century mill in Beaufort that has been producing fine wool fabrics and yarn for over 300 years. Fabrics and clothing made from pure wool are also produced and sold there. This gives the place a distinctive connection with craftsmanship and wool production.
Kate Kearney’s Cottage serves dinner and bar-kitchen dishes, and has a craft shop offering a wide selection of local gifts and products. The cottage is also a venue for evenings of traditional Irish music. As the food offerings, merchandise and music programme may change, check in advance what is available during your travel dates.
Planning Your Stay in Beaufort
When choosing a hotel in Beaufort, you can start by deciding which themes you would like to shape your stay: country house and castle history, the Ogham stones, wool production or the route through the Gap. These are different areas of interest and do not automatically form a single day’s itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Lispole, Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Fossa, Gunsborough, Ballynaskreena, Kenmare, Ballylongford.
For the main travel overview: County Kerry.
