June 7, Torc Waterfall to the Black Valley, 16 km, 430 m
The Kerry Way is Ireland’s longest way-marked National Trail at over 200km, and also one of its most popular for its spectacular scenery as it loops around the Iveragh Peninsula. My plan was to do a section of the trail, 77 km from Killarney to Cahersiveen. I had already done the first 6 km from Killarney to Torc Waterfall and now I set out to do the 16 km stage from Torc Waterfall to the Black Valley. I was able to travel by bus to the waterfall and I knew that once I arrived I would immediately have to climb up past the waterfall on over 260 stone steps – my first challenge with my overly-loaded big pack on my back!
It wasn’t so bad! The Kerry Way then continued steadily upwards on a wide road through a deciduous forest bursting with green. The shade was welcome on what was already proving to be another warm and sunny day.
After the section of forest, the views opened up!
The road continued to rise, more gently now, and it was exciting to see it stretch out far ahead in the distance. More amazing countryside to see!
There were fabulous views in all directions, both near and far.
Later the road dwindled out into a trail that rose to pass over several expanses of blanket bog, with the walking made easy by narrow boardwalks. I did get slightly wet knees from getting down low to photograph tiny bog orchids, cotton grass, and purple thistle.
There were some descents into gullies, thick with mature oaks, deep moss, and bracken,
and there were crossings over small rivers and streams, some with gentle waterfalls. Almost all of today’s walk on the Kerry Way is within Killarney National Park. Thank goodness all of this land, including its large tracts of ancient woodlands, is being protected and conserved for the future.
After several hours of very happy walking, the Kerry Way came to a T-junction at an old road where one chooses whether to walk the rest of the Kerry Way in a clockwise or anti clockwise loop. I turned right, the shorter path to my eventual destination of Cahersiveen. What a view looking forward!
I was now heading towards Killarney’s Upper Lake but before reaching it I would need to walk several more kilometres to where the Kerry Way crosses the N71 Ring of Kerry road at Galway’s Bridge, with the Derrycunihy Church nearby.
After crossing the N71 the trail descended on a steep rocky path to arrive at and pass through a small forest of very large, very old oak trees.
There were tiny glimpses between the trees of the lake below and then finally an open view of the far western end of Killarney’s Upper Lake.
After another kilometre or two through an open grassy heathland,
the path descended to lake level but stayed some distance from the shore. It was so fun to see the tree-covered islands and surrounding mountains that I had passed by the day before on my Gap of Dunloe boat trip.
The path left the lake behind and continued across a beautiful wide field, headed towards Lord Brandon’s cottage.
The cafe there was nearly empty of visitors, a far cry from the day before where it had been full of people who had just disembarked from the tour boats and were about to board jaunting cars to travel through the Gap of Dunloe, or who, like me, had just traversed the Gap and were about to embark on the boats. There was time to have a leisurely early supper at the cafe as the dinner provided at my very nice accommodation in the Black Valley was on the pricey side. Restored and rejuvenated, and very very happy with the my first real day on the Kerry Way, I hefted up my big pack (now seemingly heavier!) to walk the last two kilometres along a quiet paved road to my accommodation in the Black Valley. The scenery today had been nothing short of spectacular and I was excited to see what the next days five days of walking would bring!