The Windy Gap is a mountain pass underneath Seefin mountain in
the parish of Glenbeigh. In the old days it was the main road from
Glenbeigh to the isolated valleys of Glencar and the Black Valley
beyond it.
If you come from Glenbeigh village (up the hill past the church)
you should turn north at the picnic table and Kerry Way Sign (N 52°
02.784’, W009° 56.623’). From there follow the tarmac
road till you come to a small quarry (N 52° 02.492’, W009°
56.226’). If you are driving, leave your car here. Now follow
the road, pass through the wooden gate (remember to close it again
behind you!) and walk up the old boreen. From here the whole walk
should take between 1 and 1.5 hours.
A boreen is a narrow, and often overgrown, country lane. The
name comes from the Irish bóthrín meaning small road. This boreen
is as good as they come. Always changing from grass, to rocks, to
gravel, to being a little stream and back to grass. It is still
being used quite frequently by hikers following the Kerry Way,
horse treks and even (so I was told) by people taking a shortcut
home after a night in the pub.