OOn the edge of pretty Mannin Bay, there is a barrel-shaped sauna with a convex panoramic window overlooking the white sand and translucent Atlantic Ocean. It is the perfect place to warm up after a morning of kayaking around the rugged shoreline, which changes dramatically with the rise and fall of the tide. We walk back to Connemara Sands hotel, just a few steps from the sea, passing the spa's outdoor seaweed baths, the hot tub and the sheep grazing in the garden.
I’m on the west coast of Ireland, exploring part of the Wild Atlantic Way, one of the world’s longest marked coastal routes. The route, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, was conceived after the 2008 financial crisis to attract people to the region, with a 2,500-kilometre route from County Cork in the south-west to County Donegal in the north-west, crossing nine counties and taking in some of the most spectacular scenery in Europe. In terms of marketing ideas, it has been a huge success, attracting an extra 2 million visitors each year and creating around 35,000 jobs.
“There’s something magical and alluring about long-distance routes, like Route 66 in the USA or the Garden Route in South Africa, that really touches hearts and minds,” says Alice Mansergh, CEO of Tourism Ireland. “The Wild Atlantic Way offers a real sense of travel and adventure, with so much incredible scenery, culture and history to explore. The aim is to spread tourism to all regions and all seasons – it’s a beautiful place all year round.”
THE website makes it easy to plan a trip on one or more of the 14 legs of the route, with interactive maps and suggestions for accommodation, activities, ‘discovery points’ and visits along the way (you can also cycle or walk). I drive a section from Galway to Donegal, covering about 720 miles in five days, sleeping in a different place each night.
It's early Friday evening when we arrive in Galway and the city is bustling. The bar at Tig Choili is lined with pints of Guinness, and laughter and chatter mingle with live traditional music, in true Irish fashion. More surprising is the city's vibrant food scene. We opt for Kai in the Westend, a chic but cosy place run by a New Zealand and Irish couple, and enjoy the freshest oysters with rhubarb and John Dory with Hispi miso. On the way back to the hotel, I mentally note down the bars and restaurants to discover another time.
While the nightlife is certainly part of the charm of a trip here, it’s the scenery that keeps us constantly dazzled. Leaving the city the next day, we pass through the colourful, gallery-filled Clifden, and are soon awestruck by the views of the coast and scattered islands from the scenic Sky Road. Further into Connemara National Park, we follow one of the marked trails through grasslands, rocks and bogs, with the Twelve Bens mountain range as a backdrop and sweeping views of the ocean.
We easily fall into a routine that balances driving with plenty of outdoor adventures, complemented by consistently delicious meals. Achill Island – one of the stars of The Banshees of Inisherin – is a wild place to walk, with free-roaming curly-horned sheep, high cliffs and sparkling white beaches. We cycle through some of the The Greenway of the Great West From Mulranny, through forests and along the shore of Clew Bay. In Wild Nephin National Park, a boardwalk winds through Atlantic blanket bog to the water, where petrified tree stumps twist from peat banks, and red algae and bright green moss colour the ground.
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Rain and timing prevent us from climbing Croagh Patrick, the sacred mountain and pilgrimage site overlooking Clew Bay and its islands, and so we miss out on the promised redemption of sins. No matter: an evening in Westport, a pretty Georgian town on the Carrowbeg River, awaits us. After feasting at Arno's Bistro (its owner, Arnaud, is originally from Paris and everything, including the Killary mussels, is delicious), we immerse ourselves in a night of live traditional music and banter at Matt Molloy (whose owner is a flautist with the Chieftains) and the doorman's house neighbor.
The route is packed with historic sites, from the Neolithic fields of Céide in County Mayo (where a new interpretation centre reveals the secrets of the world’s largest Stone Age monument) to Drumcliffe Church in County Sligo, where WB Yeats is buried. But our focus remains on the great outdoors, which is why we meet Melanie White, founder of Rebel Surfbased in the new National Surfing Centre.
The grey skies and drizzle don't discourage us as we splash around in the waves, trying (and sometimes succeeding, yeah!) to get up. Then we relax our muscles in the Voya seaweed bathsright on the seafront. Freshly harvested, mineral-rich seaweed fronds float in the warm water as I bask in the half-light of a private room. A traditional treatment to hydrate the skin and stimulate circulation, it’s deeply relaxing—before I know it, nearly an hour has passed.
The final day brings us to one of the highlights of the trip: the Slieve League cliffs, about an hour’s drive from Donegal. Three times higher than the Cliffs of Moher to the south, they are among the highest in Europe. In high season, this place is crowded, I think, but other hikers are few and far between as we follow the winding cliff paths, watching the light play constantly on the shimmering ocean.
Then we retreat to the surrounding area Rusty mackerel for bowls of soup and homemade soda bread. At the bar, locals chat and joke, and pints of the dark stuff flow. Another day on the Wild Atlantic Way – and all seems well with the world.
The trip was organised by Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. For more information, visit the website The Wild Atlantic Way
