Ireland: Coastal Hikes, The Beara Peninsula & Killarney National Park — Self-Launched

Land at Dublin Airport and take the Airlink 747 or Dublin Express bus (€8–10, ~40 mins) into the city centre, or the cheaper public 16/41 bus (~€2). Check into a hostel or guesthouse near Temple Bar, Smithfield or St Stephen's Green. Spend the afternoon on a free orientation wander: Trinity College and the Book of Kells (€18.50 if you want it), Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral and a pint in a traditional pub. If you want a welcome dinner with live music, book a trad session pub such as The Cobblestone or O'Donoghue's and eat there.

🚌Airlink/Dublin Express airport bus ~£8; walking

🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse, Dublin city centre (~£22–35/night)

• →Self-guided Trinity College & Dublin Castle walk
• →Evening traditional music session in a city pub

Take the DART commuter train from Connolly or Tara Street to Howth (~€3.70, 25 mins) — one of the cheapest coastal train rides in Europe. Hike the Howth Cliff Loop (the Howth Head / Bog of Frogs path, ~7km, 2–3 hours) with big views over Dublin Bay and Lambay Island. Look for seals in the harbour and get fish and chips at Beshoff Bros. Return to Dublin by DART in the afternoon; the evening is free for a pub dinner or a walking tour (a free-tip historical walking tour is a good option).

🚌DART train Dublin–Howth return ~£7

🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse, Dublin city centre (~£22–35/night)

• →Howth Cliff Loop hike (free, self-guided)
• →Harbour seal spotting & fish and chips
• →Optional free-tip historical walking tour

Take an early Expressway bus or the train from Dublin to Cork (~€20–30, 3–3.5 hrs). Leave luggage at your hostel, then catch a Dublin–Cork bus that stops at Cashel to see the Rock of Cashel (€8 entry, 1.5 hours is plenty) before continuing south — or do Cashel as a stop on the bus one way and arrive in Cork mid-afternoon. Alternatively use the Cork–Cashel bus (Bus Éireann route 245/X8 connections). In the afternoon/next morning, take the local ferry from Kennedy Pier, Cobh to Spike Island (€22–25 return incl. guided tour and storyteller; book online in advance). Overnight in Cork city.

🚌Expressway bus Dublin–Cashel–Cork ~£22; local bus to Cobh ~£4 return ferry crossing

🛏Hostel dorm in Cork city (~£20–30/night)

• →Rock of Cashel entry (€8)
• →Spike Island ferry + guided tour with storyteller (€22–25)
• →English Market wander in Cork

Bus from Cork to Kenmare (Bus Éireann route 236, ~2 hrs, ~€13), then a local bus or shared taxi down to Sneem (~€8). Use the day to hop between Beara Peninsula villages: the bus route 236 serves Kenmare, Parknasilla and Sneem, and you can reach Glengarriff and Castletownbere on route 236/local links. Alternatively hire a bike in Kenmare (~€20/day) and cycle part of the peninsula. Wander Sneem's colourful village square and the riverside walks, then settle into a family-run B&B or hostel.

🚌Bus Éireann 236 Cork–Kenmare–Sneem ~£18; optional bike hire ~£20

🛏Sneem or Kenmare hostel/B&B (~£30–40/night)

• →Beara Peninsula village-hopping (Sneem, Parknasilla, Kenmare)
• →Riverside walks at Sneem
• →Optional bike hire on the peninsula

Your DIY 'OMG day'. Book a half-day sea-kayaking session on Kenmare Bay directly with a local operator (Star Outdoors Kenmare or similar, ~€55–65 for 3 hours, book ahead) or take a scenic boat trip around the bay's coves and inlets (~€25–35). Both give you the same wild coastline views the group tour gets. Local operators will collect you from Kenmare if you ask. Afternoon free for a coastal walk and a pub dinner in Sneem.

🚌Local walk / operator pickup; short bus or taxi to Kenmare ~£6

🛏Sneem or Kenmare hostel/B&B (~£30–40/night)

• →Half-day sea kayaking on Kenmare Bay (~€60)
• →OR scenic boat tour of Kenmare Bay (~€30)

Take the bus from Sneem/Kenmare to Killarney (~1 hr, ~€9). Check in, then spend the afternoon in Killarney National Park: walk from the town centre to Muckross House (free grounds, house tour ~€10 if wanted) and on to Torc Waterfall (~2 hrs round trip on the well-marked Muckross and Torc paths). Everything here is free and self-guided. Evening in Killarney's lively pubs — try a trad session on Main Street.

🚌Bus Kenmare–Killarney ~£8; walking in the national park

🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Killarney town (~£25–35/night)

• →Killarney National Park walk (free)
• →Muckross House & gardens (optional €10)
• →Torc Waterfall hike (free)

Bus from Killarney to Tralee, then on to Dingle (Bus Éireann 279/40, ~2 hrs total, ~€15). Leave your bag at the hostel and hike part of the Dingle Way or the Slea Head coastal trail out of Ventry — the coastal stretch beyond Dingle gives you the steep cliffs, rocky shore and sandy beaches without needing a car. If you want the full Slea Head loop, join a local Slea Head minibus/walking tour (~€25–35) or hire a bike (~€20). Stay the night in Dingle.

🚌Bus Killarney–Tralee–Dingle ~£14; optional bike hire ~£20

🛏Hostel or B&B, Dingle (~£25–35/night)

• →Dingle Way / Slea Head coastal hike (free)
• →Optional Slea Head minibus tour (~€30)
• →Dingle harbour & town wander

Bus from Dingle back to Tralee, then to Limerick and on to Adare and Ennis (Bus Éireann 13/14, ~3 hrs in total, ~€18). Stop off at Adare, Ireland's thatched-roof 'prettiest village', and walk the river and abbey ruins (free). From Adare take the local bus to Bunratty Castle & Folk Park (€16–20 entry, book online) — a 15th-century fortress with a recreated folk village. Continue to Ennis (bus ~€6) for the night.

🚌Bus Dingle–Tralee–Limerick–Adare–Bunratty–Ennis ~£20

🛏Hostel or family-run B&B, Ennis (~£25–35/night)

• →Adare village and abbey walk (free)
• →Bunratty Castle & Folk Park entry (~€18)

Early bus from Ennis to Doolin (~50 mins, ~€8). Take the Doolin ferry to Inisheer, the smallest Aran Island (~€30 return, ~30 mins; book ahead). Hire a bike on the island (~€12) to loop past the shipwreck, the Bronze Age stone fort and the tiny harbour beaches, with tea and scones at a local cottage cafe. Return on the ferry and walk the Cliffs of Moher coastal path from Doolin (between the Hags Head and Doolin viewpoints, ~2 hrs) — free and better than the crowded visitor centre. Bus back to Ennis in the evening.

🚌Bus Ennis–Doolin return ~£14; Doolin–Inisheer ferry ~£26; bike hire ~£10

🛏Hostel or family-run B&B, Ennis (~£25–35/night)

• →Inisheer ferry + island bike loop (~£35 total)
• →Cliffs of Moher coastal walk from Doolin (free)
• →Tea & scones at an island cafe

Depart at any time. Shannon Airport is a 25–30 min bus/taxi ride (local bus 343, ~€3; taxi ~€20). For Dublin Airport, take the Expressway bus or train from Ennis (~3.5–4 hrs, ~€20–30). If you have time, walk Ennis's medieval lanes and the Friary before heading out.

🚌Bus or train Ennis–Shannon/Dublin ~£5–25

🛏-

• →Ennis town walk
• →Ennis Friary (optional)