She Took Us Through The Sphincter Pass

On Friday we were looking at our map of Kerry and John’s carefully applied lines showing where we had been on other days indicated that our choices of outings were limited. We had done Dingle one might say with a cheery laugh. We had explored most of the other roads. But the road south to the Beara Peninsula was unmarked. So off we charged with Von at the wheel. 

I must say that Von and I have done a marvellous job driving. Our confidence is growing by leaps and bounds. Von even claims to know where the front corners of the vehicle are now. Crazy girl. The trip began with a bit of retracing back along the south part of the Ring of Kerry to Kenmare. Then after picking our way down the main street of this tourist mecca, we turned right onto the Beara Peninsula.

The road was very good if a bit twisty at first. We began to climb into the Caha Mountains. As we proceeded the road began to turn back and forth like a snake. Then at one point we in the back seat actually passed Joh and Von in the front seat. They waved at us.

The builders had blasted tunnels through the rock in a few places. But the views were so beautiful even though the clouds had moved in to shroud the hillsides. 

We came down into Glengarriff. This is a little village with one main street lined with colourful flower boxes. 

We stopped and had a wander and found lunch in a pub. There was a small ferry that took you to an island that had been turned into a garden. But time restraints sent us on our way to the Healy Pass. This road was much more open, if just as twisty. 

We stopped to take a few pictures along the way and at one stop I chatted with an elderly chap who was the only person in sight. He told me he lived just down the road but he came here, “Just to look.”

 At the crest of the pass there was a large crucifix scene where we stopped for and said a prayer of thanks! This pass was called a famine road because the local MP got funds for this make work project to give the starving locals jobs. I don't think the road had been touched since. John was talking Australian politics with an Aussi and an Irish man. 

The road took us back down to complete the loop back to Kenmare. At this point some discussion ensued about the best way home. To return along the Ring of Kerry as we had come would take us passed lots of tour buses. So Sheelagh suggests another, “Less travelled” route. This track, I won’t call it a road, has been dubbed the Sphincter Pass. Sadly we have no pictures that do it justice. I was screaming, and everyone else was pretending to be sympathetic. The drop off on both side was shear. At one point, I had to BACK our standard transmission Nisson UP a hill to let another driver get past us. We have agreed that we have never been on such a road in our lives.

We finally made it back to our digs and it was agreed that I should have a half of some beverage very soon.