Wild Atlantic Way
5
Day Itinerary •
Ireland
Five days on the Wild Atlantic Way takes you along the most spectacular section of the world's longest defined coastal drive, from the extraordinary Cliffs of Moher through the remarkable Burren limestone landscape, past Connemara and north through Sligo's extraordinary literary landscape to the dramatic sea cliffs of Donegal, the wildest and most remote county in Ireland. This route covers the northern arc of the Wild Atlantic Way from Clare to Donegal. The extraordinary Cliffs of Moher, the remarkable Burren karst landscape, the extraordinary Aran Islands visible from the Cliffs, the remarkable Achill Island, the extraordinary Slieve League sea cliffs taller than the Cliffs of Moher, and the remarkable Malin Head, the most northerly point on the island of Ireland.
Best Time To Visit
May to September
Getting There
Fly Shannon (SNN) or Knock (NOC), drive north
Getting Around
Rental car essential throughout
Budget Per Day
Approx 90 to 160 EUR per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, coastal cliff and beach walking
DAY 1
CLIFFS OF MOHER AND THE BURREN
MORNING
THE CLIFFS OF MOHER
The Cliffs of Moher on the Atlantic coast of County Clare are the most visited natural attraction in Ireland, their extraordinary 214-metre sheer face stretching 14km along the coast with the Aran Islands visible offshore on clear days. O'Brien's Tower at the highest point gives the finest view. The cliffs are most dramatic in a westerly wind when the Atlantic waves crash against the base. Arrive before 9am or after 5pm in summer to avoid the worst crowds. Entry approx 8 EUR. Drive: 15 min drive
MIDDAY
THE BURREN LIMESTONE LANDSCAPE
The Burren of County Clare is the most extraordinary landscape in Ireland, its extraordinary grey limestone pavement stretching across 250 square kilometres and harbouring the most remarkable combination of flora in Europe: Mediterranean, Arctic and Alpine plants growing together in the crevices of the remarkable karst. The Poulnabrone Portal Tomb, a 5,700-year-old megalithic grave on the open pavement, is the finest prehistoric monument in Clare. Entry free. Drive: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
DOOLIN VILLAGE AND THE ARAN ISLAND VIEW
Doolin is the finest traditional music village in Ireland, its remarkable three pubs all hosting authentic sessions nightly and the extraordinary combination of Atlantic coast, the Cliffs of Moher to the south and the Aran Islands visible across the sound making it the finest setting of any music village in the country. The Doolin Cave nearby has the longest stalactite in the northern hemisphere. The cliff walk from Doolin to the Cliffs of Moher takes about 2 hours. Free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Cahercommaun stone fort near Carron in the Burren, a remarkable Iron Age triple-walled fort on a cliff edge above a gorge, is the finest and most dramatic prehistoric site in Clare. Almost entirely unvisited. Free. A remarkable hidden gem of the Burren.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Hotel or B and B near Doolin Early start for the Cliffs before the crowds arrive. | Lunch: Cafe at the Cliffs visitor centre Simple lunch after the extraordinary cliff walk. | Dinner: McGann's Pub, Doolin The finest traditional music pub in Clare. Great seafood chowder.
DAY 2
CONNEMARA AND ACHILL ISLAND
MORNING
CONNEMARA COAST AND THE SKY ROAD
Drive north along the Wild Atlantic Way through the extraordinary Connemara coast, stopping at Clifden for the remarkable Sky Road, the finest coastal loop drive in Ireland. The extraordinary 12km circuit above Clifden Bay gives the most remarkable Atlantic views, bog landscape and the extraordinary Twelve Bens mountain backdrop of any coastal drive in the west. Drive anticlockwise from Clifden town for the finest views. Free. Drive: 1.5 hours drive
MIDDAY
ACHILL ISLAND, THE LARGEST ISLAND IN IRELAND
Achill Island connected to Mayo by a road bridge has the finest beaches in the west of Ireland, the extraordinary Atlantic Drive coastal road and the remarkable deserted village of Slievemore abandoned during the Famine. Keem Bay, at the far western tip of the island, is the most extraordinary horseshoe-shaped beach in Ireland, its remarkable turquoise water in the sheltered bay entirely surrounded by cliffs. Entry free. Drive: 1 hour drive
AFTERNOON
WESTPORT TOWN AND CROAGH PATRICK
Westport is the finest Georgian planned town in Connacht, its extraordinary tree-lined Mall above the Carrowbeg river and the remarkable octagonal town centre making it outstanding. Croagh Patrick, the holy mountain where St Patrick fasted for 40 days in 441 AD, rises 764 metres above Clew Bay behind the town. The extraordinary view of Clew Bay with its 365 islands from the summit is the finest in Connacht. The pilgrimage climb takes 2 to 3 hours. Free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Keem Bay on Achill Island is one of the finest hidden beaches in Ireland, its remarkable horseshoe of turquoise water entirely enclosed by cliffs. Basking sharks are frequently visible from the cliff walk above in summer. Free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Doolin B and B or hotel Early start for the Connemara drive north. | Lunch: Clifden cafe or Achill beach picnic Simple Atlantic coast lunch. | Dinner: The Helm, Westport The finest seafood restaurant in Mayo. Outstanding local catch.
DAY 3
MAYO AND SLIGO
MORNING
CEIDE FIELDS, THE WORLD'S OLDEST FIELD SYSTEM
The Ceide Fields in north Mayo, discovered in 1934 beneath the blanket bog, are the oldest known field system in the world, their extraordinary 5,000-year-old stone walls preserved intact under 4 metres of peat. The remarkable visitor centre designed as a pyramid gives the finest interpretation of this extraordinary prehistoric landscape. The cliff edge walk above the fields gives the most dramatic view of the north Mayo Atlantic coast. Entry approx 5 EUR. Drive: 1 hour drive
MIDDAY
STRANDHILL BEACH AND THE SURF CAPITAL
Strandhill in County Sligo is the finest surf beach in Ireland and the remarkable seaweed bath town where the extraordinary combination of Atlantic surf and hot seaweed baths has made it one of the finest wellness destinations in Ireland. Knocknarea, the extraordinary flat-topped hill above Strandhill with its remarkable cairn said to be the tomb of Queen Maeve, gives the finest view of Sligo Bay from the summit. Free. Drive: 1.5 hours drive
AFTERNOON
CARROWMORE MEGALITHIC CEMETERY
Carrowmore near Sligo is the largest megalithic cemetery in Ireland with 60 prehistoric monuments concentrated in the most remarkable prehistoric landscape in the country. The extraordinary dolmens, portal tombs and passage tombs, the oldest dating to 5,400 BC, are set in a remarkable natural bowl with Knocknarea above. The site predates Newgrange by nearly a thousand years. Entry approx 5 EUR.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Inniscrone seaweed baths in north Sligo, hot Victorian cast-iron baths filled with steaming Atlantic seaweed, are one of the finest and most extraordinary wellness experiences in Ireland. Entry approx 25 EUR.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Westport hotel Good breakfast before the long drive to north Mayo. | Lunch: Ceide Fields visitor centre cafe Simple lunch at the world's oldest field system. | Dinner: Montmartre, Sligo town The finest French-Irish restaurant in Sligo. Outstanding local produce.
DAY 4
DONEGAL: SLIEVE LEAGUE AND GLENCOLMCILLE
MORNING
SLIEVE LEAGUE, THE TALLEST SEA CLIFFS IN EUROPE
Slieve League in County Donegal rises 601 metres above the Atlantic, making it three times the height of the Cliffs of Moher and the tallest sea cliffs in Europe. The extraordinary cliff walk from Bunglass gives the most dramatic coastal walking in Ireland. The One Man's Pass, a remarkable knife-edge ridge on the cliff top, is extraordinary. Drive to the upper car park at Bunglass for the finest view. The extraordinary Atlantic light on the cliffs is outstanding. Free. Drive: 1.5 hours drive
MIDDAY
GLENCOLMCILLE AND THE IRISH LANGUAGE
Glencolmcille in the Donegal Gaeltacht is the most remote and extraordinary Irish-speaking valley in Ireland. The remarkable Folk Village with its reconstructed thatched cottages showing rural life from the 1700s to the 1900s, the extraordinary cliff walk to the Donegal Gaeltacht coast and the remarkable community that has created one of Ireland's finest examples of rural regeneration are all outstanding. Entry folk village approx 5 EUR. Drive: 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
DONEGAL TOWN AND CASTLE
Donegal town, with its extraordinary Diamond square and the remarkable 15th-century Donegal Castle on the banks of the Eske river, is the finest small town in Ulster. The castle, restored in the 17th century by the Brooke family who introduced the remarkable tapestries and fireplace, is outstanding. The extraordinary Donegal craft village has the finest selection of Donegal tweed, pottery and Aran knitwear in the county. Entry castle approx 5 EUR.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Killybegs, the largest fishing port in Ireland by value of catch, has the most remarkable harbour of working trawlers in the country. The extraordinary fish processing industry and the remarkable harbour activity give a genuine working port experience unlike anything on the tourist trail. Free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Sligo hotel Early start for the long Donegal drive. | Lunch: Pub in Carrick near Slieve League Simple Irish lunch before the cliff walk. | Dinner: The Olde Castle Bar, Donegal Outstanding seafood and Donegal lamb in the castle town.
DAY 5
WILD DONEGAL: MALIN HEAD AND FANAD
MORNING
MALIN HEAD, THE MOST NORTHERLY POINT IN IRELAND
Malin Head at the tip of the Inishowen Peninsula is the most northerly point on the island of Ireland, its extraordinary cliff headland with the remarkable Banba's Crown watchtower giving the finest view of the open Atlantic and the Scottish islands on clear days. The extraordinary remoteness, the remarkable Celtic cross and the wild headland vegetation make it one of the finest points on the entire Wild Atlantic Way. Free. Drive: 1.5 hours drive
MIDDAY
FIVE FINGER STRAND AND THE INISHOWEN PENINSULA
Five Finger Strand on the Inishowen Peninsula is the most extraordinary beach in Donegal, its remarkable 5km of wild Atlantic sand entirely backed by sand dunes with no development and the open ocean ahead. The remarkable Pollan Bay nearby and the extraordinary coastal scenery of the Inishowen cliffs are outstanding. The drive around the Inishowen Peninsula, the largest peninsula in Ireland, passes through the finest Donegal coastal landscape. Free. Drive: 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
FANAD HEAD LIGHTHOUSE AND FINAL ATLANTIC VIEWS
Fanad Head lighthouse on the northern Donegal coast, first lit in 1817 after the extraordinary wreck of the HMS Saldanha in the bay below, is the finest lighthouse on the Wild Atlantic Way. The remarkable 1960s bungalow style of the lighthouse buildings and the extraordinary views over Lough Swilly and the Inishowen Peninsula are outstanding. The lighthouse is open for tours and accommodation. Entry approx 8 EUR.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Grianan of Aileach, a remarkably preserved Iron Age stone ring fort on a hilltop above Lough Swilly on the Inishowen Peninsula, gives the most remarkable view of the Donegal and Derry countryside from any accessible point in Ulster. Entry free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Donegal hotel Early start for the Malin Head drive north. | Lunch: Cafe in Malin village Simple Irish lunch at the most northerly point in Ireland. | Dinner: Final dinner, Letterkenny or Donegal Farewell to the Wild Atlantic Way.
Where To Stay
Doolin, Night 1 Best base for Cliffs of Moher and Burren. Approx 80 to 150 EUR. Westport or Achill, Night 2 to 3 Mayo coast base. Approx 80 to 150 EUR per night. Donegal town, Nights 4 to 5 Base for Slieve League and the north. Approx 80 to 140 EUR.
Top Tips
1. The Cliffs of Moher are most dramatic in a westerly wind when the waves crash at full force below.
2. Slieve League in Donegal is three times the height of the Cliffs of Moher and far less visited.
3. The Burren wildflowers in May are extraordinary: Mediterranean, Arctic and Alpine species together.
4. Achill Island has the finest beaches in Mayo. Keem Bay is the most extraordinary in Ireland.
5. Carrowmore megalithic cemetery near Sligo is the largest in Ireland. Entry approx 5 EUR.
6. The Wild Atlantic Way route markers are blue with a wave. Follow them to stay on the coastal road.
Total Budget
145 to 255 EUR/day