Savour the silence on Ballaghasheen Pass, the highest road climb in the Reeks District. Highlights along the way include haunting Lough Acoose, the foothills of Upper Glencar and, of course, the pass itself.

This route is more than just a tough ride though as it’s steeped in Irish history. The pass takes its name from Oisín, the son of the greatest hunter warrior in Irish mythology Fionn MacCumhaill. It’s said that he returned here after spending 300 years in Tír Na nÓg – the Irish name for the otherworld.

With an average gradient of eight per cent and ramps of 20 per cent, the climb is not for the faint of heart – but it’s rewarded with jaw-dropping views at the top. And the return along the N70 Ring of Kerry road offers the chance to take in the Wild Atlantic Way at a more leisurely pace for the perfect end to a tough day in the saddle.