Top Travel Days of 2025, Biking Killarney National Park
After days of gray skies and drizzle, the sun finally made an appearance at the most important time on our trip to Ireland in February, just as we were about to jump on bikes and ride into Killarney National Park. We woke up to a glorious vista from our balcony at The Europe Hotel, overlooking the blue waters of Lough Leane and the highest peaks in the country on the opposite shores. This stupendous view would be by our side all day as we pedaled on trails (no car traffic) alongside the lake past a herd of red deer nestled together on a golf course.
The narrow path then led us though a forest of oak to 15th-century Ross Castle, perched on the shores of the lake. Next up was a mountain estate called the Muckross House, once visited by Queen Victoria in 1861, and worth touring the interior to see works of art by one of its former owners. To top off one of the most memorable day rides I’ve taken, we pedaled over to the raging Torc Waterfalls, and then backtracked to our final stop, the ruins of Muckross Abbey, started by Franciscan monks in 1448. A massive centuries-old yew tree still stands majestically in the middle of the structure to add to the allure.
I was prepared for the nightly dose of live music at practically every pub in the country, and the steady diet of fish and chips, but was surprised to find the bevy of architectural wonders like the 12th century Rock of Cashel, its limestone round tower a small part of the building that still stands valiantly, Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile which links the gothic 13th-century St. Canice’s Cathedral with a Norman castle, or the Bee Hive stone huts on Dingle Peninsula, which early Christian monks used as homes. These structures of yore are even better appreciated when you slow down on two wheels, get off the bike, and stroll around both the castle and the maze of walls still standing within the abbey.
We returned our bikes with the concierge at The Europe Hotel, who had arranged the rentals in advance. Then headed to the hotel’s indoor/outdoor hot tubs and pools to soak our tired bodies and take in the glorious lake and mountain views.
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Backroads just announced