view of blasket islands with sea thrift from lúb na cille walking trail at dunquin kerry ireland

Lúb na Cille - Dúnchaoin

Spectacular way-marked coastal walk in Dún Chaoin, West Kerry

This 5km looped walk starts and finishes in the Blasket Centre car park in Dún Chaoin. It offers beautiful Atlantic views of the Blaskets and surrounding areas. It is a moderate walk suitable for people of varying fitness levels and will take about 90 mins - 2 hrs to complete. The initial part is uphill but is easy enough after that. This walk is on minor roads, sandy paths, coastal track with about half a dozen stiles to climb. The final section is along a cliff so you need to be attentive if walking with young children.

The Lúb na Cille walk offers incredible views of film locations used in Ryan's Daughter, Far and Away and Star Wars. 

 

 

map of dún chaoin kerry ireland showing lub na cille walking trail on wild atlantic way

Lúb na Cille - Route

A-B. Leaving the car park of The Blascaoid Centre, turn left and follow the green arrow for 200m to reach a crossroads. Cross the road with caution and follow the green (and yellow) arrows uphill on a narrow roadway. The yellow arrows are for the long-distance Dingle Way - you will be overlapping with it for a short distance. After 500m the roadway rounds a right bend - watch for a sandy lane on your left. Turn left here. After 30m veer right at a Y-junction and continue to follow the green and yellow arrows as the loop ascends gently to reach a ‘crossroads’ of lanes where the Dingle Way goes straight - but you turn left.

B-C. Follow the sandy lane as it takes you around a large rocky outcrop (An Mionnáin Mor) and then descends to reach the R559. Cross the road with care and descend gently to reach a track that runs parallel to the coastline. Be aware that there are cliffs on your right as you follow the path for nearly 1km to reach a dilapidated building which served as the schoolhouse in the film Ryan’s Daughter. At the end of the building there is a spur to your left to St Gobnait’s Well (50m) and St Gobnait’s Church (Cill Gobnait) 100m. The loop continues straight on.

C-D. After 100m the loop joins wire fences and follows them along the indented coastline for nearly 1km - be aware that there are cliffs on your right. At the endof this section you exit a kissing gate and join a sandy roadway at a footbridge. Turn left here.

D-A. Follow the sandy roadway uphill for 200m to reach the trailhead!

lub na cille dunquin walking map showing dún chaoin dingle peninsula ireland

Lúb na Cille - Irish 

A-B.Tosnaíonn an tsiúlóid seo i gcarrchlós Ionad an Bhlascaoid mar a bhfuil clármhapa den tsiúlóid crochta in airde, leanaimid na marcanna Uaine agus Bán, ag casadh ar chlé i gcoinne an aird ó thuaidh i dtreo Brú An Óige. Trasnaigh an R559 go cúramach agus lean suas bóthar na Ceathrún.

B-C. Cas ar chlé den mbóthar ar shean bhóithrín agus buailfidh tú le crosaire beag. Féadfaidh tú do rogha slí a roghnú anseo ach coimeád do dhúil amach don marc Uaine agus Bán. Tabharfaidh an dá chosán seo tú go bun an Mhionnáin Mhóir, seanláthair bolcáin, atá léirithe ar an mapa. Tá radharcanna breátha le feiscint de na Triúr Driféaracha agus Ceann Sibéal anseo. Uaidh seo tabhair aghaidh siar arís i dtreo na farraige agus an Oileáin agus na radharcanna iontacha. Leanann an cosán siar ar bharr na bhfailltreacha arda os cionn na farraige. Ní fada nó go mbainfidh tú amach láthair na seanscoile a tógadh don scannán Ryan’s Daughter. Ar chúl na scoile, tá Tobar Gobnait marcáilte agus is sa tobar beannaithe seo atá dealbh de cheann an naoimh déanta ag an ealaíontóir Clíodhna Cussen. Tamaillín suas an cnocán tá iarsmaí de Chill Gobnait, cill a meastar a tógadh sa séú haois, chomh maith le Cros Luath Chríostaíochta.

C-D  Iompaigh arís i dtreo na farraige agus lean ort ar bharr na bhfailltreacha chomh fada le geata beag a thabharfaidh amach arís ar an mbóthar tú i mBéal Átha.

D-E  Lean an bóithrín seo cúpla céad slat go dtí Ionad an Bhlascaoid. Ba cheart d’éinne a thugann faoin siúlóid áirithe seo cuairt a thabhairt ar an Ionad taibhseach seo. Déantar ceiliúradh ann ar litríocht, cultúr agus teanga na mBlascaodaí agus an cheantair.

Fad: Thart ar 5 Km. Am: thart ar 1.5-2 uair
Airde/ Height: 130 méadar/ 130m
Oiriúnach do gach leibhéal. Bróga maithe Siúl ag teastáil. Bí ciallmhar agus tú ag siúl.
Tosnú: Ionad an Bhlascaoid

aerial photo of the car park and buildings of the blasket centre dunquin dingle peninsula ireland

Blasket Centre

The Lúb na Cille loop walk starts and ends in the car park of the Blasket Centre Dunquin.
ruined school house on sea cliffs at dunquin dingle peninsula a film location from ryan's daughter

School House from Ryan's Daughter

These windswept ruins are all that remain of the Hollywood constructed school house, film location for Ryan's Daughter 1969. 
metal fence stile on lub na cille walking trail dunquin dingle peninsula ireland

Fence Stile - Lub na Cille

Children will love climbing over the stiles which are used to cross fences on this walk.