Kerry’s Conor Pass is a 1,496 foot high mountain pass that connects the Dingle Town side of the peninsula to the Castlegregory side.
It is, for some drivers, a scary drive as the road is very narrow and it is flanked on one side by a large cliff face and on the other by beautiful valley with a large drop.
For most, driving Conor Pass will be very doable, and likely very memorable.
In the guide below, you’ll find where to park at the pass, what to look out for (e.g. the waterfall) and how to drive it if you’re nervous. Cheers!
Some quick need-to-knows before visiting Conor Pass
It’s roads like Conor Pass that make Ireland an absolute joy to explore. It’s unique, the scenery that surrounds it is sensational and it’s an experience and a half. Here’s some key info:
1. Location
You’ll find Conor Pass on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry a 10-minute drive from Dingle Town.
2. Length
The ‘main’ section (i.e. the narrow stretch of road you see above) is 1.5km in length and it will take you around 40 seconds to drive.
3. Parking
If you look at the map above, you’ll see the entrance to the large parking area on the Dingle Town side (here on maps) and the small pull-in area on the Castlegregory side (here on maps) beside the Conor Pass Waterfall.
4. You don’t have to drive it to admire it
If you’d like to see Conor Pass but you don’t fancy driving it, you can pull in at the viewing point car park on the Dingle side. From there, you’ll have a view out over the valley and you’ll also be able to watch cars navigating its bends.
About Conor Pass
Photos by The Irish Road Trip
At 1,496 feet high, Conor Pass, along with Priest’s Leap in West Cork, is one of the highest mountain passes in Ireland, and it’s a joy to drive.
Standing at 410m above sea level, it is part of the now-famous Dingle Peninsula Drive. The tight, narrow road here snakes along the mountain and weaves its way along a sharp cliff face on one side and an enormous drop to the other.
Those that visit can expect spectacular mountain views, gorgeous corrie lakes and a big, sharp cliff face on one side and a massive valley on the other. Some things to remember when driving it are:
1. Speed
You need to take your time when driving Conor Pass. Go slow and steady and expect the unexpected. The road here tends to be wet a lot of the time, so care is needed.
2. Dealing with oncoming traffic
It’ll be tempting to keep glancing out at the views as you drive Conor Pass, but proper care and attention is needed at all times.
Keep on the lookout for oncoming vehicles. If you see one approaching, pull into one of the little pull-in areas that are dotted along the pass.
3. Vehicle size (warning!)
Vehicles like campers, caravans trucks, tour buses and commercial coaches should avoid drive Conor Pass.
Things to see along Conor Pass
The map above shows the area around Conor Pass. There are several things to see/keep an eye out for here.
1. The viewpoints
If you walk down to where the yellow arrow is on the map above, you’ll be treated to a magnificent view out over the valley.
It’s from near here that you can watch the cars negotiate the narrow bends (be careful walking on the road).
You’ll also get a great view of the valley from the discovery point in the car park.
3. Lough Doon and the ‘waterfall’
The blue arrow is where you’ll find a very small waterfall. It’s also from this point that you can get up to Lough Doon (aka Pedlar’s Lake).
You have to scramble up a very rocky path right above the pull in area to get to Lough Doon. You’ll get some great views of the valley from here along with the lake (be careful!).
Things to do near Conor Pass
If you’re staying in one of the hotels in Dingle and you’re exploring the peninsula, I’d recommend seeing Conor Pass first and then doing the Slea Head drive.
When you’re ready, you then have plenty to see nearby:
- Coumeenoole Beach (32-minute drive): A glorious beach with dangerous rip-tides
- Dun Chaoin Pier (30-minute drive): One of Slea Head’s highlights
- Gallarus Oratory (20-minute drive): A tiny early-Christian church
- The Blasket Islands (40-minute ferry): An island steeped in history. Boats leave from Dingle and Dun Chaoin
- Dingle Town (10-minute drive): There are plenty of restaurants in Dingle for a feed (there’s plenty of pubs in Dingle, too!)
Frequently asked questions
We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘is Conor Pass dangerous’ to what to do nearby.
In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.
How long does it take to drive Conor Pass?
The main bit of the pass (i.e. the narrow bit that you see in the photos above) takes around 40 seconds to drive without traffic.
Is Conor Pass safe?
The pass is safe to drive and cycle once care and caution is used. This is a narrow pass with sharp turns that arguably should be avoided by novice drivers.
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent much of the last 13 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 40 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.
Beth Austin
Sunday 4th of April 2021
I never heard of Conor Pass. I was taking a solo trip of Ireland and it was my first time driving on the left side. I was driving to Dingle at night! I had no idea on what road I was driving. All I knew was that it was narrow, twisty, dark and had a waterfall come splashing down on me. It wasn’t till the morning when I researched this road, what I had endured in the dark. I was disappointed that I didn’t see the views during the day.
Brendan Glynn
Friday 20th of March 2020
I remember driving up it in a borrowed Morris Minor in 1970 on my 1st holiday with my now wife - we looked up and saw cars way up in the distance and said 'are we going up there' and we did - a great memory
David Stapleton
Tuesday 17th of March 2020
the road along the coast outside Glenbeigh towards cahirsiveen- now thats scary !
Rachel
Friday 13th of March 2020
We live local and as such drive this often. Lots of people keep their eyes on the scenery and not on the road.. and then of course on occasion.. you get the odd bus who decides to ignore all the extra warning signs and still attempt to tackle it..but it's a decide road as long as you treat it with the respect it deserves. Going up from Castlegregory has right of way as you just cant see much.. coming down you can see most if not all the road. Do not overtake.. even if someone has stopped... there are so many tight corners that often people are stopped to wait for traffic. Watch for falling sheep or rocks. But it is magnificent and on a good day you can see as far North as Co Clare and as far south as Valentia and Skelligs.
Friedhelm Weckbach
Saturday 15th of February 2020
Cince the Slea Head Drive is open for Busses, Conar Pass is my favourit way to Dingle. There are few drives like this left in Ireland.