If you love to drive, you’ll love the road to Caha Pass in Ireland

Caha Pass is a mountain pass at an elevation of 320m (1,049ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary between Cork and Kerry counties, in the peninsular southwest region of Ireland.

Caha Pass

How long is the Caha pass?

Tucked away on the Beara Peninsula, the road to the summit is totally paved. It’s called N71. The pass is 27km (16.77 miles) long running south-north from Glengarriff (in County Cork) to Kenmare (in County Kerry). The summit is located inside the Caha Tunnel (Turners Rock Tunnel). The road was built in 1842 and at the time was known locally as The New Line.

How long does it take to drive the Caha pass?

To drive the road without stopping will take most people between 25 and 30 minutes. However, the drive is scenic and it’ll take longer. This route offers incredible views of the great Irish wilderness. The road can be quite popular in summer.

Is the Caha pass difficult?

Set high in the Caha Mountains, the road to the summit, known locally as 'The Tunnels', is curvy and pretty narrow. It’s pretty steep, hitting a 9% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Sometimes, the fog adds an even more authentic atmosphere. On the Kerry side there are multiple tunnels carved into the line of the rock that the road narrows and passes through.