North Kerry Way
Long Distance Waymarked Way · Kerry
North Kerry Way is a 43.7 km moderate waymarked linear route in Kerry, starting near Tralee.
Grade
| Activity | Grade | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Moderate | Moderate | 2 days |
Getting there
Starts at Tralee.
Finishes at Ballyheigue.
- Trailhead coordinates
- 52.26702, -9.70647
- Irish Grid reference
- Q 835 141
- Ordnance Survey sheets
- Discovery Series Sheets 63 and 71
The National Trails Register's own latitude and longitude fields are empty for all 1,186 trails on it. This trailhead comes from Sport Ireland's separate Trailheads dataset, matched to this trail on its register ID.
Public transport
At Start: Bus and train to Tralee, Kerry International Airport 18 km from Tralee. At End: Very limited bus to Tralee, (not daily). Check with Bus Eireann.
About the trail
The North Kerry Way is a 48 kilometre linear walking route through the northern part of County Kerry in the south west of Ireland, starting in the county town of Tralee and ending in the town of Ballyheigue. While not as well known as the Iveragh or Dingle Peninsulas of the same county, North Kerry has much to offer, including spectacular seascapes, the finest beaches in Ireland and a multitude of ancient sites, churches and field monuments. The route heads out of Tralee with the Dingle Way to Blennerville with its fine traditional windmill: there the routes part and the North Kerry Way heads north west along a sea wall at the back of Tralee Bay. From the village of Spa it goes cross country onto the white sands of Banna Strand to reach the village of Ballyheige and the beginning of a scenic mountainous area on Kerry Head, which it loops around before finishing at Ballyheigue. The terrain consists of mainly quiet country roads, firm beach sand (except at high tide), tracks, bog roads and field paths. The route is flat except for the last 18 kilometres where there are some short ascents, with an aggregate climb of 370 metres. There are some short loop walks which link with the main route of the North Kerry Way.
Before you go
16 kms or 36% of the Way follows local roads. ***Dogs on lead only***
- Waymarking
- Yellow arrow on black background
- Dogs
- Yes
Who manages it
North Kerry Walks Ltd
North Kerry Walks | email: [email protected]
Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.
Trails nearby
Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.
- Dingle Way 0 m away · 162.9 km trail
- Kingdom of Kerry Greenways - Tralee to Fenit 651 m away · 13.6 km trail
- Keel Uphill Downhill Loop Walk 11 km away · 12 km trail
- Glanageenty - Bernard Brothers Loop 11 km away · 9.5 km trail
- Glanageenty - Lenihan Loop 11 km away · 5.6 km trail
- Glanageenty Loop 11 km away · 3.7 km trail
Common questions
How long is the North Kerry Way?
43.7 km, recorded as a linear route on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 450 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 2 days.
How hard is the North Kerry Way?
Sport Ireland grades it Moderate. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.
Where does the North Kerry Way start?
Starts at Tralee. The trailhead is at 52.26702, -9.70647 (Irish Grid Q 835 141).
Can you bring a dog on the North Kerry Way?
Yes. The register records dogs as allowed. Much of the Irish trail network crosses working farmland, so keep a dog under close control near livestock.
Can you get to the North Kerry Way without a car?
At Start: Bus and train to Tralee, Kerry International Airport 18 km from Tralee. At End: Very limited bus to Tralee, (not daily). Check with Bus Eireann.
Who manages the North Kerry Way?
North Kerry Walks Ltd. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.
More in Kerry
This trail crosses private land by permission
Annual Closure Notice: Some of the property traversed by the North Kerry Way is private property. Access is available by kind permission of all the landowners/holders on the route. It is understood that persons entering do so by permission with the consent of the landowner and no matter how often they enter, or in what numbers, they do not do so as of right. As further evidence of the permissive nature of the access, the route will be closed for one day on the 28th February each year in agreement with the landowners. Nothing in this notice shall impact or address any pre-existing public rights of way.
Trail data from the Sport Ireland National Trails Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Trailhead coordinates from the companion Trailheads dataset. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13.