A beacon on the edge of Ireland since 1670 — climb 23 metres to a balcony 90 metres above the Atlantic for views from Kerry to Connemara, then explore the light keeper's cottage and the wild cliffs of the Loop Head peninsula.
Climb 74 steps (with three landings) to the top of the 23m tower and step out onto the balcony. On a clear day you'll see south to the Blasket Islands and north to the Twelve Pins in Connemara. Tours run every hour; first at 10:30am, last at 4:30pm. Pre-booking strongly recommended — capacity is limited to 12 per tour.
The ground-floor exhibition in the keeper's cottage tells the story of Irish lighthouses and the lives of the keepers and their families through interactive displays and an audio-visual experience. This area is wheelchair accessible, unlike the tower.
Stroll the level clifftop around the lighthouse, carpeted with wild flowers — pink thrift, yellow vetch and white campion. Look north to four great promontories and cathedral-sized caverns. The lighthouse is a Signature Discovery Point on the Wild Atlantic Way.
The balcony and cliffs are prime spots for spotting whales, dolphins and seals in the waters below. The rock ledges and caves host noisy colonies of seabirds including fulmars and kittiwakes.
Near the lighthouse, huge white letters spelling 'ÉIRE' are cut into the grassy clifftop — one of 85 such signs placed along the western coast during WWII to signal neutral territory to passing pilots.
Book the newly renovated 3-bedroom lightkeeper's cottage for a truly unique stay. It sleeps 6, has a fully equipped kitchen, terrace and sea views, and sits inside the lighthouse compound just 100 metres from the tower. Guided tours are included in high season.
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