Ireland: Into The West, 21-28 days
Ireland: Into The West, 21-28 days
This trip is under advisory warning! That might be all I would need to read to go somewhere else --- like Nigeria. Under Advisory Warning sounds like something that the State Department issues to travelers who are taking extreme risks by visiting a country of bomb throwers and exploding buildings.
My warning is of a different bent. The West of Ireland is stunningly rugged and beautiful beyond description, but the West is frustrating. Why is that you might well ask. Because it is impossible, not difficult, but impossible to describe the West to someone who doesn’t have first-hand experience of western Ireland. OK, then show your friends pictures. Pictures don’t help. OK, show some videos --- nope,videos are getting a little better, but they must be accompanied by a rather large tub of cold salt water frequently tossed in your face. Now we’re starting to get somewhere.
It didn’t take me long to check out how others, more sophisticated than I, wrote about the West. Words and phrases commonly used to describe the West include destructive power, carved by glaciers, thundering waves, pounding, dramatic, rugged, massive, limestone landscape, violent erosion, raw, dramatically shifting hues of green-blue waves, rocky outcrops, harrowing narrow roads, and drastic drop-offs. And by far the most common word to describe the West is WILD.
Never did I read that the western part of Ireland was inviting, peaceful, restful, gentle, calming, soothing, placid, or pastoral.
Now, if you’re still with me let’s get ready to go to the most spectacular part of Ireland. The West is truly amazing.
But first, are you ready? Deed wants you to fully understand this ain’t no high-end shopping trip, nor will you find great museums. Not all trips are for everyone. I don’t pretend this is the Amazon where the natives have mosquitoes as pets, but it will be windy-wet and cold.
The West Country
I don’t know this for a fact, but I suspect that there are more sheep in the West Country than people so right away that’s a point in favor of the West. Now what is the West Country, and what is its attraction? Whip out a map of Ireland and locate these points on the map. Let’s start with the town of Galway, then Clifden, Westport, then up to Donegal, now to Horn Head, up to Malin Head, and now turn the car south to Letterkenny, back to Galway, and end at Shannon.
How would I describe the drive you have just completed. I would begin by saying it was exhausting. Would I do it again? In the blink of an eye.
In our travel memories this might be near or at the top.
Now, let’s do it.
Major points of interest include:
GALWAY It is our recommendation that you fly into Shannon (SNN) Airport, but if the connections don’t work then arrive at the Dublin Airport and work your way over to Galway --- the town, not the county.
The driving distance from the Dublin Airport to Galway is about 132 miles (212+ k) and about 2 ½ hours and for much of the time you will be on the motorway.
Tip! Before you depart make sure you have a couple of power adapters, chargers, cables, medicines, and all numbers and reservations in 2-3 locations.
However, if you flew into Shannon you will be on “normal” Irish roads with lots of roundabouts with only about 60 miles (93+ k) and about 1 ½ hours to Galaway. I expect by going into Galway you will be traveling N83/R338.
Galway certainly gave us the impression of a vibrant (read noisy) town filled with young people doing what young people do. Our trips to Galway served the purpose of getting rejuvenated from the flight and the impact of travel time. But most of all Galway will be your launch pad into the West.
Galway, a university town of about 90,000, unless you go to Dublin, will be the largest city on your trip. Galway is a city that feels like a town and an excellent place to begin your Irish adventure.
We recommend that your stay in Galway be 2-3 nights, and a central hotel or B&B would be a wise choice rather than a holiday rental because most other lodgings on your trip will likely be holiday rentals. But wherever you stay make certain that you have a dedicated parking space, because parking in Galway can be difficult to find and will be expensive.
We recommended Galway not for what it offers culturally or historically but as a gateway to the Wild Atlantic Way (see below.)
Recommended activities in Galway include:
Rest and relaxation
Shopping for necessities
Independent walking tour of Galway
Overnight trip to Arran Islands on your departure day. Confirm booking on Inishmore, and ferry schedule.
Tip! We recommend that you primarily use Galway to shop for the necessities that will make your trip a great adventure. What necessities do we have in mind? Deed, as you may well know, loves to picnic --- but not on this trip. The weather might be too harsh even with good warm clothes. You will certainly spend many hours of the day outside in Irish weather so the last thing you will want to do is to eat wet food and pretend you’re relaxing under gale force winds.
There is an Irish substitute for the Italian picnic. It’s called the pub. During our trips into the West the pub was our safe harbor. After spending a good part of the morning walking the windblown cliff paths there is nothing better than a cozy pub fireplace and a steaming hot bowl of freshly made soup. Irish pubs serve many functions, none more important than as a friendly shelter.
Galway is the final place to check out and upgrade your gear so that it will meet your particular needs.
Essentials: waterproof gear from top to bottom, walking stick, sunscreen, wool sweaters, scarfs and billed cap (Deed always has a balaclava). In your backpack stick in a small sheet of plastic or plastic bags, first aid kit, maps, nuts, fruit, power bars, knife, matches, whistle, cords, extra socks, shirt and water. And yes, you will need sunscreen.
Naturally you never go anywhere without your ID and your smartphone.
With that your backpack should be half empty.
THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY Interestingly, the Wild Atlantic Way (WAW) will be the heart and soul of your trip. Reading about the WAW for the first time in the comfort of your own cozy home it may be difficult to grasp the raw beauty and the narrow stone-lined roads that lie before you.
On leaving Galway for Clifden it is essential to make an adjustment in your thinking about driving times and distances. Whatever you use, Michelin, Map Quest, RAC, or any other guide on your drive along the WAW they will be misleading because all drivers will respond to the drive in individual ways. You must calculate according to your own driving plan, stops, and adventures.
If I can offer two suggestions it would be that we found it took us more time to cover fewer miles than we thought possible. Also, gas stations are open or closed or nonexistent so keep an eye on your gas tank.
CLIFDEN, CONNEMARA Leave Galway for a short drive to the ferry village of Rossaveel and leave your car in the parking lot to catch the ferry to the Aran Islands and an overnight on Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands. When you are walking or going by bike rental on this small dot of an island you will understand why we did not waste your time going to the Cliffs of Mohr. Deed had us booked for 3 nights in a lovely B&B near the harbor. Great decision.
After Inishmore drive to Clifden a small coastal market town of about 1,400 on the Owenglin River. Clifden will be your base for exploring the region (5-6 nights).
TIP! I am a coward. I make certain that my car is asleep before it gets dark --- and in the off season in Ireland it gets dark early --- because I will not drive the WAW in the dark. No way! No time!
For that reason we recommend that your lodgings on the remainder of the trip be in towns and not in the country. Also, the towns like Clifden have nice restaurants, pubs, and shops. If your trip is in the summer months then country lodgings make sense.
Things to do in Connemara include:
Diamond Hill (Connemara National Park) with its excellent moderate trails with great views of Twelve Bens mountains. Plan several visits to the park.
Kylemore Abbey is nestled along a magical lake at the foot of Doughrough Mountain and is now the home of Benedictine nuns and a convent school. Also on the grounds are walking trails, gardens, and a Gothic church.
Connemara Loop drive (6 hours) is a driver’s drive passing through beautiful country with stunning views of Connemara.
Sky Road (16+ miles).
Clifden Castle (ruins).
Alcock and Brown landing site (cross Atlantic flight, 1919).
Mannin Beaches.
Various castles and churches of Connemara.
On leaving Clifden take the coastal drive to Westport, a charming market town that can be your base (4-6 nights). A legitimate question is what in the world is there to do in these small towns like Clifden, Westport, and Donegal. Actually they are short on operas and that kind of stuff, but they are rich in beauty and a great place to feed your soul.
WESTPORT If we had discovered Westport 50 years ago, and had our wits about us, we could have moved there and ended our travels. Westport (7,000) is a small Georgian market town on the edge of the North Atlantic with its obligatory castle, abbey, and manor house (Westport House). Westport also offers the traveler fine shops, restaurants, and multiple quality lodging options. If you booked Westport for 10 nights or longer we would simply cheer your good decision-making skills. We recommend that you stay for at least 5-6 nights.
Things to do in and around Westport include:
Great Western Greenway is a hike/bike trail that goes from Westport to Achill Island. There is a bridge connecting the mainland to the island. It’s a long bike ride and an even longer hike so we just drove to the island but did our fair share of walking around the island.
Achill Island is a simply beautiful and boggy island with beaches and walkable shorelines. Remember beaches in Ireland are Irish beaches and must not be confused with beaches in the Caribbean or Mediterranean. The last women to wear a Bikini on Achill died of pneumonia the next day. There are two villages, one a pleasant active village with all the basic services (pubs, restaurants, shops, and lodgings) and the other village --- ruins from another age. Both are interesting.
Céide Fields on the edge of the Atlantic are Neolithic farming sites older than the Egyptian pyramids, or Stonehenge. There is a visitor center that helps tourists understand the magnitude of the ancient farm system.
Croagh Patrick is Ireland’s holy mountain, but the walk up is now a bit too much for these old legs.
Clew Bay is about 5 miles from Westport with sheltered beaches and dotted with small islands. The bay offers great views of the distant mountains.
Westport House is a grand manor house and grounds.
Note: I wrote a small post for this site about a dentist in Westport concerning “humility.” The dentist had to do a quick patch job on Deed who while we were hiking the cliffs on Achill Island stumbled and lost her balance striking her mouth on a rock. He worked a miracle and asked for payment in postage stamps.
TIP! Sorry to keep pounding on this but it is really critical to the success of your trip. Remember, in Ireland there is no bad weather --- just bad clothing. Don’t be cold. Don’t get wet.
It might be time to continue the journey and say goodbye to Westport and County Mayo and drive to the town of Donegal in County Donegal (about 3 hours, 100+ miles). While it’s difficult to leave, other great adventures await as you head north.
When we first suggested this trip we thought you should plan for 21-28 days but it seems that we (that’s the royal we) are suggesting more days than 28. It’s not that we can’t count or can’t get organized it simply comes down to the fact that we love Ireland.
We apologize. But as an independent senior traveler the itinerary is based on your interests and your realities.
DONEGAL Situated on the Eske River, Donegal (3,000) is a charming town overlooking Donegal Bay with a market square at its center. Staying 5–6 nights allows ample time to explore the area. The town has quality restaurants, pubs for dining, and a variety of shops.
TIP! I can’t get away saying “at our age”, so I’ll say “at my age” I need to pace myself and at some point I will add 1-2 days of rest and relaxation. During R&R we will schedule little, or nothing outside the town.On this trip R&R would likely be taken in Westport, but certainly no later than Donegal. I know what you’re thinking. We had R&R in Galway right after the flight. On a 28+ day trip these old bones like rest.
TIP! There are a number of quality country-house hotels in the area at very reasonable rates. Unfortunately, our suitcase does not have the proper clothes to meet the standards of the fine country hotels, but you might have planned and packed for just such an occasion.
SLIEVE LEAGUE SEA CLIFFS
Be prepared for some wind and within 15 minutes of arrival there will be a change in the weather so make sure you have what you need in your backpack. Nearby is the Silver Strand Beach with over 100 steps down (AND THEN YOU HAVE TO WALK BACK UP) and the beach at the height of the season may have 7-8 bathers, I mean idiots doing their beach thing. Remember, everywhere you go on this trip you have your backpack --- even when you go out for dinner. Also, you will find a series of defensive towers on the cliffs that were built to defend against attacks from Napoleon, but standing on the cliffs it’s easy to understand why an attack would have been foolhardy.
Things to do in and around Donegal include:
Turlough Park and the National Museum of Ireland
Belleek Pottery
Boat tours and charters
Railroad Heritage Center
Craft Village
Cultural activities and festivals
Salmon fishing
Hiking trails from the town
Downpatrick Head
It’s time to drive toward Shannon. Unless you’re able to perform a full blast tantrum it is inevitable that the trip comes to an end. It is difficult for me to muster the kind of maturity needed to leave Ireland, fortunately I have What’s-her-name to get me on the airplane.
But it ain’t over yet.
TIP! By the final days of your trip you have been around sheep so much that you may feel that you would like to be around some humans for a few days --- in fact, lots of humans. If that’s the case add a few days by including Dublin at the end of your trek.
Deed just raised her hand. Back in a minute.
Deed says go home. Dublin throws the entire trip out of balance. Again, Deed is right.
But it’s your call.
If you go to Dublin check our notes on Dublin.
If you have been around me long enough to know that my role in the marriage is to be the “idea man” while Deed adds logic, reason, and a high success rate. On the other hand my success rate, not for lack of enthusiasm, has taken some very serious hits.
For example the last time we were in Donegal a local suggested that we should head north to Malin Head the most northerly point in Ireland. I have always been attracted by things that are preceded by “the most” so I convinced a reluctant partner to go to Malin Head for our final night in Ireland.
Deed, with superior logic, pointed out that Malin Head was in the wrong direction and would add hours of needless driving to reach Shannon. In listing Deed’s strength I failed to list one of my own. I am really very good at whining and pouting (which I consider one, not two strengths). Anyway, we went to Malin Head.
When you leave Donegal don’t go to Malin Head. Point the car south for a 5-hour drive to the pretty village of Adare (1,500) for your final 2-3 nights. I realize 5 hours is a long drive, but Adare will be worth the effort. The Wild Atlantic West is gone as is the biting wind and rain of the rocky cliffs. Adare is situated on a quiet river surrounded by woods and fertile fields and the streets feature a number of beautiful, thatched roof cottages and quaint shops and restaurants.
Many of the cottages are centuries old and Main Street looks as if time has passed the village by. We will list a few excursions outside of the village, but it is likely that you will park the car and simply enjoy this charming village.
Things to do in and around Adare include:
Augustinian Friary
Golf
Bunratty Castle
Hiking trails from Adare
It is suggested that you lighten your luggage for the flight home by mailing from Adare as much as you can.
At the airport :
The car drop off at Shannon will be as easy as it gets with well-marked signs but as insurance I always review the process on the internet.
Review our “We’re Glad You’re Here” entry, as well as Deed’s Guidepost and Essentials for detailed guidance on:
Counting Days and Budget
Packing
The Aging Process
Perspective and Pacing
Stress and Endurance
Car Rental in helping you prepare for your trip
Plan well, travel well, and savor the experience.