County Kerry · Ireland
Conor Pass
R560Dingle to Cloghane
The R560 crosses from Dingle to Cloghane in 7.3 miles, a narrow mountain road that tops out at about 410 m with passing places for oncoming cars.
The R560 Conor Pass climbs to about 410 m across the spine of the Dingle Peninsula, one of Ireland’s highest and narrowest public roads, a single-track shelf cut into the mountainside with corrie lakes below and the Atlantic on both sides. Spectacular and tight; mind the oncoming cars, the rock walls, and the weather rolling off the sea.
A single-track ribbon up the spine of the Dingle Peninsula, past dark lakes and dripping rock, then the land falls away to bay and Atlantic light. Tight, deliberate, breathtaking.
Why we picked it
On the road
The road runs from Dingle to Cloghane. The R560 climbs out of Dingle to a summit car park between the peaks of Binn Dubh and Sliabh Mhacha Ré. It then drops down the northern side towards Cloghane. Traffic in both directions shares one lane, with lay-bys for passing.
The northern side is the tight part. The road is at its narrowest for about 1.2 miles (2 km) below the summit. Look well ahead and pull into a lay-by early. Sometimes one car simply has to reverse. Vehicles over 2 tonnes may drive up from Dingle to the summit, but not beyond it. That rules out coaches, caravans, campervans and lorries on the northern side. If cloud comes down, use fog lights.
Stop at the summit car park, one of the viewing points on the Wild Atlantic Way. On a clear day you can see Dingle Bay and the Iveragh Peninsula to the south. Kerry Head and Loop Head lie to the north. Lower down the northern side there is a small car park by a waterfall. A short rocky path climbs from there to Pedlar’s Lake, also called Lough Doon, a corrie lake left by glaciers.
Scenery
Best seasons
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Conor Pass on the map7.3 mi · point to point
Navigate to the start: Apple Maps · Google Maps
Character
Corners
busiest around mile 7Elevation
under 4%4 to 8%over 8%13 to 410 mFrom the road
Points of interest3 stops
- An ChonairViewpoint4.2 mi in
- SugarloafViewpoint1.7 mi in
- An Bhinn DubhViewpoint3.7 mi in
Hazards
- Single-track with sheer drops
- Oncoming cars at passing places
- Fast sea weather
Sources
“the most dramatic and scenic way of crossing from the north to south coast of the Dingle Peninsula”
Route traced from OpenStreetMap, with its stats measured from that line. How the roads are mapped
Routes for iPhone carries Conor Pass offline, with live weather and a 7 day forecast.
Nearby roads
The closest great drives to Conor Pass.
