The Gap of Dunloe: how to do the classic Gap-and-boat day

The Gap of Dunloe is a narrow glacial pass cut between the MacGillycuddy's Reeks and the Purple Mountain, west of Killarney. The classic way to see it is a day-long loop that has been running in roughly this form since the 1800s: you cross the Gap by pony trap, on foot or by bike, then take an open boat back through the three lakes of Killarney to Ross Castle. It is one of the great days out in Ireland, and it takes a bit of planning to do it well.

Kate Kearney's Cottage

The Gap road starts at Kate Kearney's Cottage, a pub and restaurant at the mouth of the pass named after a woman who, the story goes, sold illicit poteen to passing travellers in the 1800s. It is the staging point: car park, food, toilets, and the place where the jaunting cars and pony traps wait. Cars are not meant to drive the Gap road itself, and in practice you should not; it is single-track, unfenced and busy with walkers and traps. Park at Kate's and go on from there under your own steam or by trap.

The jaunting cars and pony traps

A jaunting car is a horse-drawn trap, and the driver is a jarvey. They run from Kate Kearney's Cottage up through the Gap, a journey of about 11 to 12km that takes roughly one and a half to two hours, with the jarvey pointing out the lakes and the landmarks as you go. Expect to pay cash on the day, and expect the price to be per car rather than per head, so it works out cheaper split between four. Agree the price and what it covers before you set off. The traps are not gentle on a sore back over rough ground, but it is the traditional way and the jarveys are usually good company.

The classic Gap-and-boat loop

The full day combines the Gap with a boat trip, and the two main directions work like this. One way, you start at Ross Castle and take the boat first, up through Lough Leane, the Middle Lake and the Upper Lake to Lord Brandon's Cottage at the far end, then cross the Gap from there back to Kate Kearney's and transfer to Killarney. The other way, you cross the Gap first from Kate's down to Lord Brandon's, then take the boat back through the lakes to Ross Castle. Boats generally leave Ross Castle mid-morning and the return boats leave Lord Brandon's in the early afternoon, so the timing is fixed around those departures. Tour operators sell the whole thing as a package with the transfers included, which is the simplest way to do it.

Doing it on foot or by bike

You do not have to take a trap. The Gap road is a fine walk, around 11km from Kate Kearney's to Lord Brandon's, climbing past a string of small lakes to the top of the pass and dropping into the remote Black Valley beyond. Reckon on a few hours at a walking pace, more with stops. Plenty of people cycle it too, and you can hire bikes near Ross Castle or in town. If you walk or cycle the Gap, you can still book just the boat leg back, which is the part most people would not want to miss.

Practical notes

This is a weather-dependent day. The boats do not run in bad conditions, and the Gap is exposed, so a fine forecast matters more than the date. Bring layers, rain gear and water whatever the morning looks like. Carry cash for the jarveys and the boatmen, as card is not a given out here. Book the boat-and-trap package ahead in summer, since the boat slots are limited. And whatever you do, leave the car at Kate Kearney's or Ross Castle rather than trying to drive the pass itself; it is genuinely not built for it.