Killarney, Lakes of

Lakes of Killarney
Location	Killarney, County Kerry
Coordinates	52°2′30″N 9°33′0″W / 52.04167°N 9.55°W / 52.04167; -9.55Coordinates: 52°2′30″N 9°33′0″W / 52.04167°N 9.55°W / 52.04167; -9.55
Basin countries	Ireland
Average depth	13.4 m
Max. depth	60 m
Islands	Innisfallen Island

The Lakes of Killarney are a renowned scenic attraction located near Killarney, County Kerry, in Ireland. They consist of three lakes - Lough Leane, Muckross Lake (also called Middle Lake) and Upper Lake.

Lough Leane (from the Irish: Loch Léin meaning "lake of learning") is the largest of the three lakes. The River Laune drains Lough Leane to the north towards Killorglin and into Dingle Bay.

The lakes lie in a mountain-ringed valley starting in the Black Valley. The mountains include:

• Carrauntoohil (3,406 ft, Ireland's highest mountain)
• Purple Mountain (2,739 ft)
• Mangerton Mountain (2,756 ft)
• Torc Mountain (1,755 ft)

Ladies View is a scenic stopping point on the N71 road from Killarney to Kenmare that offers a view of the lakes and valleys.

There are many sites of natural, historic and religious interest on the lakes which are mostly contained in the surrounding Killarney National Park. On the shores lie Ross Castle, Muckross Abbey and Muckross House. On Lough Leane is Innisfallen Island.

Ross Island, a peninsula on the eastern shore of Lough Leane, is the site of copper mines dating back 4000 years to the Bronze Age, the earliest known copper mines in the British Isles. The area was also extensively mined in the early 19th century by the Herbert family of Muckross House.

Muckross Peninsula, which separates Lough Leane from Muckross Lake, contains one of the few yew woods in Europe.

The lakes are renowned for their trout fisheries.

Gallery

The lakes from nearby Torc Mountain.	Lakes of Killarney as viewed from Ladies View.	Another perspective from Ladies View.	Muckross Lake.
A bridge between islands.	The lakes in November.

See also

• List of loughs in Ireland

External links

• Ross Island
• Live Images of the Lakes of Killarney with Castle and Mountain Views

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