Tralee: The ‘poor cousin’ of Co Kerry no more

A Kerryman once joked to me that Tralee is "like the poor cousin of Killarney and Dingle". Indeed, the town best known for the Rose of Tralee competition and the capital of the county, is often overlooked for the latter by holidaymakers wishing to spend a few days in the Kingdom.

Having visited the town briefly once before, I was keen to see how Tralee would fare with a over a weekend of outdoor adventures.

The first port of call for my friend and I is check-in at the Ballygarry House Hotel and Spa (ballygarryhouse.com), which is situated on the outskirts of the town centre.

An overnight stay for two, with breakfast, dinner and a glass of prosecco on arrival is €145 per person

The hotel is currently developing a dedicated on-site ceremony venue for weddings (due for completion in January) and has been in the McGillicuddy family for three generations. It also features a great spa and would be perfect for a luxury night away.

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Hotel guests are greeted by concierge Noel Ryan, who is a walking encyclopedia of Tralee and can point you in the direction of where is best to eat, drink or what to do depending on the time of the year. He suggests a cycle around the nearby Ballyseedy Woods given the glorious weather that particular weekend.

An overnight stay for two, with breakfast, dinner and a glass of prosecco on arrival is €145 per person. There is also a midweek offer which provides the same, plus a €50 spa voucher, for €169 per person.

With our bags dropped off, we are collected for a guided walk of the Dingle Way, a 15-minute drive from the hotel.

Local man Maurice Whelan operates Ireland Walk Hike Bike (irelandwalkhikebike.com), which offers guided and self-guided tours around the country.

In recovery from a knee injury, I’m not as mobile as usual, so Maurice tailors our walk to ensure the trail isn’t overly steep or strenuous. Despite the sun splitting down on us, mist on the mountains clouds what we are told is a stunning bird’s eye view across Tralee and Caherconree.

For those not used to hiking, having some sort of guide is recommended, as Kerry Mountain Rescue says it responded to dozens of callouts during the summer, in particular to people trying to climb Carrauntoohil and experiencing difficulty and potentially very serious injury.

Ireland Walk Hike Bike day tours range from €40 to €70 per person, and are available from Kerry, Cork, Clare, Connemara, Dublin and Wicklow. Self-guiding tours from four to 10 nights range from €440 to €995. Guided hiking tours for seven nights range from €1,500 to €1,600.

It's worth booking a taxi or getting the number of a local driver in advance if you're having a few drinks as they can be hard to come by in the town

With some time to spare before dinner, I decide to take Noel’s advice and go for a cycle through Ballyseedy Woods, a sustainable woodland recreational amenity which extends to about 30 hectares and has more than 20 varieties of native trees which are marked with their Irish and English names.

The hotel has a number of complementary bikes for use by hotel guests. A small number of children’s bicycles are also available, making it easy for families looking for a ramble close by.

For dinner we head to Croi restaurant (croirestaurant.com/croi) on Prince's Street, where their menu emphasises locally foraged food and is known for their tasty cocktails. This turned out to be one of the most enjoyable meals I've had post-lockdown, and with a well-heated and sheltered outdoor area we could make the most of the late summer's evening.

It’s worth booking a taxi or getting the number of a local driver in advance if you’re having a few drinks as they can be hard to come by in the town.

We have another early start the next day for kayaking around Fenit Lighthouse, a 25-minute drive from Tralee. Wild Water Adventures (wildwateradventures.ie) is a family-operated business run by John and Michaela Edwards and provides a host of water activities including coasteering, sea kayaking and wild swimming tours.

Wetsuits and life jackets are provided for kayaking and you’re advised to bring an old pair of runners for your feet.

The area is steeped in history, with Fenit Lighthouse built on Little Samphire Island (located a few hundred metres west of Fenit Pier) in 1851.

John guides us in our kayaks around the lighthouse with some fantastic views of the Slieve Mish Mountains and Dingle peninsula (to the south) and Brandon Mountains (to the west). We got lucky with unseasonably warm weather, which lingers around 23/24 degrees for the weekend.

We make a stop-off on the island where samphire is grown (though the lighthouse itself is closed off to visitors, which is a pity).

A bronze statue of St Brendan the Navigator, a native of Fenit and patron saint of seafarers and travellers, stands on the (larger) Samphire Island beside the marina.

As we make our way back in our kayaks, we spot some dolphins around the lighthouse. According to John, dolphins were seen on about 80 per cent of their kayaking tours over the course of the summer.

The kayaking is a definite highlight of the trip and would be a great activity for a group of friends looking to do something a little different, or a family with teenagers to cater for.

We opt for another short cycle around the Ballyseedy Woods in order to build up an appetite for dinner at Ballyseede Castle

The Fenit Lighthouse tour lasts for about three hours and is €45 per person. If I was visiting the area again (and provided it was a clear evening), I would try the sunset kayaking tour around the lighthouse which is €35 per person.

A quick dip in Fenit beach is a must afterwards as well as a trip to Mike’s beach shop and cafe for some tea and cake (which also has some very appealing vegetarian options on offer).

We opt for another short cycle around the Ballyseedy Woods in order to build up an appetite for dinner at Ballyseede Castle (ballyseedecastle.com).

Stepping into the 16th century castle you’re faced with a grand oak staircase as you enter and impressive drawing rooms to your right and left, which are lit up by marble fireplaces. The castle served as a fortress for the Fitzgerald clan during the Geraldine Wars of the 1570s and 1580s.

Today, it is a popular venue for weddings and civil ceremonies and is a beautiful spot for some afternoon tea (which is €24.95 per person).

For those who enjoy fine dining with an aristocratic twist, Ballyseede would be right up their street. Dessert is followed by an obligatory selfie with Mr Higgins (an Irish wolfhound that lives on the grounds).

Before we hit the road the following day, a morning swim is on the agenda, so we head for Banna Beach, which is situated in Ballyheigue Bay and around 12km north west of Tralee.

The blue flag beach is historically associated with Roger Casement who was captured there on April 21st, 1916, having landed from a German U-boat with Captain Monteith in an attempt to land arms for Irish Republicans. A monument of him stands near the dunes.

The waves (which wake me up right up) are probably more suited for surfing than swimming on this particular morning, so it is worth checking tides and currents before heading out.

Ballyheigue Beach, which also has a blue flag, is the next beach over (about a 10-minute drive northwards) and another recommended swimming spot.

Sarah Burns was a guest of Fáilte Ireland (discoverireland.ie)