Priest’s Leap and Borlin Loop

Level: Difficult

Distance: 55km (height gain: 1,170m)

A tough route with a remote feel that takes on two of the hardest mountain passes in the country. The first, Priest's Leap, is a brutally tough climb and while the second, Borlin, is a little easier, you still need to keep plenty of energy in reserve. There isn’t much traffic on either of the passes and the views are excellent. As a variation, you could swap either of the two climbs with the Beara’s Caha or Healy Passes.

Pit-stop: The only facilities on this cycle are at the Kilgarvan Motor Museum (kilgarvanmotormuseum.com), which opens Tuesdays to Saturdays from April to October. Alternatively, you could divert the short distance to the village of Kilgarvan, which has a shop and a few pubs or to the town of Kenmare, which adds about 5km.