Overview

The Coomakista Pass is a dramatic mountain pass and Wild Atlantic Way Discovery Point on the N70 Ring of Kerry road between Caherdaniel and Waterville, on the southwestern Iveragh Peninsula. The pass rises to roughly 215 meters (700 feet) above sea level and is consistently cited as one of the most photographed viewpoints on the entire Ring of Kerry.

From the pull-in, the view sweeps down over Derrynane Bay, the outer reaches of the Kenmare River estuary, and three offshore islands - Abbey Island just below the shore, and the more distant Deenish and Scariff Islands further out to sea.

What You'll See

The main pull-in is a large, dedicated car park with benches and picnic tables that looks directly south and west over the bay. On clear days, the panorama extends from Waterville village in the distance across to the islands scattered in Kenmare River, with the rolling headlands of the southern Iveragh Peninsula framing the scene.

An ancient Iron Age stone fort sits nestled in the landscape below the viewpoint, visible from the pass on a clear day. Deenish and Scariff Islands are frequently mistaken for the Skelligs, but the Skelligs lie much further north on the opposite side of the Iveragh Peninsula.

Tips

Coomakista is one of those stops where the weather genuinely changes the character of the view - clear sunny days give the classic postcard image, but moody overcast days with low cloud dragging across the bay produce some of the best photos you'll take in Kerry.

Combine naturally with Derrynane House and Derrynane Beach just below the pass, Caherdaniel village for a meal or a pint at The Blind Piper pub, and Staigue Stone Fort inland from Castlecove for a strong half-day along this stretch of the Ring of Kerry.

If you're traveling the full Ring of Kerry in a single day, Coomakista is a natural lunch or break stop roughly at the halfway point.

Coomakesta Pass Guide: https://www.wildatlanticwayonline.com/map-of-kerry-wild-atlantic-way/discovery-points/coomakesta-pass