Sneem Beaches 3 best in Kerry

When one thinks of Sneem on The Ring of Kerry, beautiful nearby beaches come to mind. You can reach the beaches easily even though Sneem itself is a small distance inland from the sea. Having three of the finest beaches in Kerry on Sneem's doorstep makes them a wonderful attraction.

Renowned for their sparklingly clean water, sand and wonderful settings, the lack of crowds means you have plenty of room to enjoy your day on the beach.

Are the Beaches in Sneem worth visiting

A beautiful 30 min drive from Alaind Lodges in the direction of Catherdaniel are the Sneem beaches. They are three of the finest beaches you will find in Kerry or indeed anywhere.  Water quality is consistently excellent and collectively the beaches offer something for everyone.

The small family favourite White Strand is the first of the Sneem beaches you'll meet. Because of its sheltered and flat cove, families love this beach and its safe reputation.

Further along the road it's hard to miss Carroll's Cove beach, with it's silver white sands and turquoise water.  With larger swells, this beach has a loyal following many of whom are regulars in the onsite mobile home park.  Right on the beach front is a Carroll's bar and restaurant, where the fun continues into the night.

The third and largest is Derrynane Beach with parking and toilet facilities.  The extensive fine sanded beach is attended by lifeguards during the summer months.

How to get to the beaches from Sneem

You can reach all three of Sneem's from the N70 Ring of Kerry main driving route. When departing Sneem, take what is commonly called the Waterville Road. Even the journey itself to Sneem's beaches is a beautifully scenic one with sea views along the way.

This is also the route to the small coral beach at Gleesk Pier, the turn off for which is signposted 8km from Sneem. Although definitely worth a visit, that coral beach is small and not suitable for swimming. So ignore that turning and continue until you see the brown sign post for the White Strand beach.

The White Strand Beach near Castlecove

Approximately 13km from Sneem lies a very safe beach known as the White Strand beach. As a sheltered cove, currents don't really feature here and its safe waters and flat firm sands are a family favourite.

Here, parents can keep an eye on their families at all times, making it particularly suited to small children. Furthermore, it's flat sands and short beach make it ideal for running and playing games.

Access to the beach from the main Ring of Kerry route is easy and its cleanliness and water quality make it perfect for a quick swim too.

Carroll's Cove Beach

Carroll's Cove beach lies further along the Ring of Kerry road from Sneem and beyond the village of Castlecove. Missing Carroll's Cove beach is unlikely due to its bright white sands and turquoise water. With the right blue sky conditions, this beach takes on a perfectly tropical appearance for wonderful holiday photos.

Compared to The White Strand beach, Carroll's Cove is more open and features larger waves and deeper waters. It seems, teenagers particularly love this Sneem beach for its rock jumping and watersports.

Carroll's Cove's popularity becomes quickly apparent largely due to its authentic beach bar and busy restaurant. You may suspect that beach bars in Ireland are not common and you'd be correct. Even though parking can be at a premium in the area, stopping at this Sneem beach for a refreshment is a fantastic experience.

Also worth knowing is that the onsite mobile home park to the rear of the beach, sees many guests return annually. Quite a friendly community exists here and you can expect good craic at the bar into the night.

Derrynane Beach near Caherdaniel

The third and final of the Sneem beaches is Derrynane Beach near the village of Caherdaniel. You reach it by taking a left turn at the crossroad in Caherdaniel and follow along a small country road for 2km.

Lifeguards oversee the beautiful sheltered Derrynane Blue Flag Beach during the summer months. The internationally recognised blue flag status is awarded to well-managed beaches with excellent water quality, safe and well serviced amenities and environmental education programmes.

At the North end of the beach is Derrynane's Abbey Island and Burial ground. This makes for a lovely short walk with beautiful views of the Atlantic and Skellig Michael in the distance. If you happen to be here of an evening, Abbey Island is great for sunsets across the sea.

A short stroll across the beach's sand dunes will bring you to Derrynane House, the home of Irish hero Daniel O'Connell. Daniel O'Connell, known as the Liberator, fought successfully for improved rights under British Rule for Ireland's Catholics. In 1924 Dublin's authorities renamed Sackville Street to Dublin's O'Connell Street in his memory.

If you have a little more time, I recommend the Derrynane Mass Path Loop Walk, which starts at the pier just beyond the beach. This 'Moderate' class walk along a way marked trail of circa 6km and will take 2.5 - 3hrs. You will require boots and jacket at a minimum. 

On the Southeastern section of the beach and far away from the bathers, some local companies operate horse and pony riding tours.  

If you like the sound of spending time on Sneem's beaches, you can book a Sneem bed & breakfast break with us directly for the best rates.