AttractionEasyHalf a day to several days

Killarney National Park

About

Killarney National Park is the reason the town exists in its modern form and still the main event. It was the first national park in Ireland, formed around the Muckross estate given to the State in 1932, and now runs to more than 10,000 hectares of lake, mountain and woodland, designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It holds Ireland's largest remaining native oak and yew woods, its only wild herd of native red deer, and the three lakes the whole town is arranged around. You can walk or cycle straight in from the edge of the town through the Knockreer estate, and access on foot is free and open all year.

Photos

Highlights

✓Ireland's first and oldest national park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
✓The three Lakes of Killarney: Lough Leane, Muckross Lake and the Upper Lake
✓Native oak and yew woods and the only wild herd of native red deer in Ireland
✓Free, open pedestrian access from the edge of the town

Tips

→Walk or cycle in through the Knockreer entrance opposite the cathedral; no car needed.
→Autumn (late September to October) brings the red deer rut and the best colour in the woods.
→Mountain and lake weather changes fast; bring a waterproof even on a clear morning.