Wild Atlantic Way
View of Skellig Michael, off the coast of south County Kerry
The Wild Atlantic Way (Irish: Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin) is a tourism trail on the west coast, and on parts of the north and south coasts, of Ireland. The 2,500 km[1] (1,553 mile) driving route passes through nine counties and three provinces, stretching from County Donegal's Inishowen Peninsula in Ulster to Kinsale, County Cork, in Munster, on the Celtic Sea coast.[2]
The route is broken down into five sections:[3]
- County Donegal
- County Donegal to County Mayo
- County Mayo to County Clare
- County Clare to County Kerry
- County Kerry to County Cork
Along the route there are 157 discovery points, 1,000 attractions and more than 2,500 activities. The route was officially launched in 2014 by Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, T.D.[4]
Key points of interest[]
The North West - Counties Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo[]
- Malin Head, Ireland’s most northerly point
- Lough Foyle
- Lough Swilly
- Isle of Doagh
- Carrickabraghy Castle
- Fort Dunree
- Buncrana
- Grianán of Aileach (Greenan Fort)
- Ramelton
- Rathmullan
- Fanad
- Rosguill
- Doe Castle
- Derryveagh Mountains
- Horn Head
- Tory Island
- Árainn Mhór (Arranmore Island)
- Gaoth Dobhair
- The Rosses
- Errigal
- Malin Beg beach
- Slieve League cliffs
- Blue Stack Mountains
- Donegal Town
- Bundoran - popular with surfers
- Tullaghan
- Mullaghmore Head
- Spanish Armada shipwrecks at Streedagh Beach
- Rosses Point Peninsula
- Aughris
- Easky
- Enniscrone
The West - Counties Mayo and Galway[]
Sheep in a paddock by the Great Western Greenway near Mulranny. November 2014
- The Céide Fields
- The Mullet Peninsula
- Achill Island
- Clew Bay
- Croagh Patrick
- Clare Island
- Inishturk - accessible by ferry from Louisburgh, County Mayo
- Doolough
- Killary Harbour
- Connemara
- Clifden
- Inishbofin - accessible by ferry from Cleggan, County Galway
- Oileáin Árann (Aran Islands) - accessible by ferry from Inverin County Galway and Doolin County Clare, and by plane from Connemara Airport Rossaveal County Galway.
- Salthill
The Mid West - Counties Clare and Limerick[]
- The Burren
- The Cliffs of Moher and the Doolin Cliff Walk
- Loop Head
- The Shannon Estuary and the Shannon dolphins
The South West - Counties Kerry and Cork[]
Cliffs in West County Kerry
- Allihies and the Allihies Copper Mine Museum on the Beara Peninsula
- Bere Island
- Cape Clear
- Derrynane beach
- Garnish Island in Glengarriff
- The ruined cottages of Great Blasket Island and Blasket Centre in Dunquin
- Dingle, Ireland’s largest Gaeltacht town
- Rossbeigh beach
- The Skellig Experience Visitor Centre
- Dursey Island - Accessible by Ireland’s only cable car - is one of 7 inhabited West Cork islands and is located at the end of the Beara Peninsula
- Long Island
- Sheep's Head - One of the European Destinations of Excellence for sustainable tourism, the Sheep's Head peninsula is home to the Sheep's Head Way walking and cycling routes.
- Mizen Head - Ireland's southernmost point, with views of Fastnet Rock and Lighthouse
- Kinsale
- Whiddy Island and Whiddy Island view on R572 road
See also[]
- Atlantic Corridor
- Atlantic Ocean
- Celtic Sea
- EuroVelo 1 Atlantic Coast Cycle Route
- Ireland's Ancient East
- Western Rail Corridor
- Antrim Coast Road
References[]
- ^ "Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way aims to rival California's Pacific Coast Highway". Belfast Telegraph. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- ^ Charles Karel Bouley (23 March 2014), "Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way: Heading West On Adventure", The Huffington Post, retrieved 31 March 2014
- ^ "The Wild Atlantic Way". 28 January 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- ^ "Minister Ring officially launches Wild Atlantic Way", Fáilte Ireland, 27 February 2014, retrieved 28 June 2016
External links[]
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Wild Atlantic Way. |
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Categories:
- Long-distance trails in the Republic of Ireland
- Scenic routes
- Tourist attractions in the Republic of Ireland
- Tourism regions of the island of Ireland