Drive the pass
The R560 crosses the mountains for 12 km between Dingle town and Kilmore Cross, climbing to about 456 m. The road is narrow and twisting and tightest at the top, so go slowly and use the lay-bys to let oncoming traffic past.
An Chonair / Conor Pass
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About
An Chonair, or Conor Pass, is the highest mountain pass in Ireland — a narrow, twisting road over the Dingle Peninsula with corrie lakes, a waterfall and sweeping views to the Atlantic on both sides.
Things to Do
Lough Doon (Pedlar's Lake)
A rocky scramble above the north-side car park leads up to this corrie lake sitting in a steep hollow — the most accessible place to read the ice-carved landscape, with its striated rock lip and boulder-strewn moraines.
Conor Pass Waterfall
After heavy rain, water sheets down the mountains, and the road passes close to a waterfall on the north side, where a small pull-in and viewing area sits beside the stone bridge, directly below Lough Doon.
Read the glacial valley
Below the road the whole ice-shaped valley opens out, holding moraine-dammed and kettle-hole lakes, with Lough Doon's corrie cliffs above. The pass is a textbook example of glaciated mountain scenery.
Stop at the summit car park
A small car park marks the highest point and a Wild Atlantic Way discovery point. Look south over Dingle Bay to the Iveragh peninsula and the Skelligs, north to Kerry Head and Loop Head, and on the clearest days as far as the Aran Islands.
On foot or by bike
A short walk of about 20 minutes from the summit car park reaches the hidden lake above the road, and the bicycle ascent over the pass is one of the most famous and demanding climbs in Ireland. Walkers and cyclists share the narrow road with traffic.
Plan Your Visit
- Admission: Free — there is no admission charge to drive the pass or use the car parks
- Parking: Small car park at the summit viewpoint with wheelchair-accessible parking, a small pull-in beside the waterfall on the north side, and a larger parking area on the Dingle side.
- Food: Nothing on the pass itself; the nearest cafés, pubs and restaurants are in Dingle town, about a 10-minute drive away.
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