Cahersiveen to Dromid
May 25, 2025
I had reserved the earliest time for breakfast at the hostel that morning. It was just me and a young German woman in the dining room. She had taken a rest day yesterday and was walking the same route as me today, so we ended up walking together. To return to the main Kerry Way route, it was a 6-mile walk on back roads and through fields. This is the part I had missed yesterday by taking a taxi. At least this morning was mostly sunny with no rain, yet.
Once back on the Way, we quickly climbed a steep hill and began the long, undulating path following the mountain ridges. It was very exposed with a wicked wind coming from the right. The views were stunning! In the distance, you could see the ocean shore with crashing waves and the green patches of farmland. You could also see the rain clouds quickly coming towards us, then passing by.
The day became a series of ups and downs with rain followed by sun, followed by more rain. The wind, however, never let up! The views on both sides of the mountains were beautiful, with the ocean far off to the right and green fields with well-placed wind turbines to the left. Just when we thought we were climbing our last hill, there would be another.
Eventually, we did reach the end of the ridge walk and descended to a road. She was continuing to Waterville for the night, and I was staying in Dromid. I had planned my stay at the Dromid Hostel because I had planned on walking an alternative route the next day. (That didn’t happen, but more on that tomorrow.) The hostel was another mile and a half or so from where we split. I ended up walking 13 miles for the day but it seemed much longer than that for some reason.
It was a Sunday, which meant the hostel wasn’t staffed, so they left my key in an envelope inside. I had a private room and only one other person was there that night, although I never saw them. There was a bar and a very small store nearby, so I walked over to find something for dinner. The bar didn’t serve food so I had to get creative with what I could find in the store for dinner and breakfast. At least I had a kitchen at the hostel.
I was watching the weather for the next day, and it wasn’t looking good. Rain. All. Day. And it was going to be a long day. I would see my new German friend the next night as we were staying at the same place in Caherdaniel. In the meantime, I had some decisions to make that included looking up the bus schedule.
Where I stayed:
I stayed at the Dromid Hostel, which is an alternative to walking to Waterville from Cahersiveen. The hostel is part of a community center, but since I was there on a Sunday evening, it was deserted. Next to the center is the bar and shop. I stayed in one of their private rooms. The main floor had a living room and a large kitchen/dining room. It is a little way off the main Kerry Way but is in a nice spot if you’re planning on walking the inland route to Caherdaniel, like I was. I booked my room on Booking.com and paid €46.