The Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland
The Basics
The Wild Atlantic Way is one of THE great road trips. The kind of drive you tell stories about when you’re older, where you can’t help but fall backward into adventure, where something will happen that you look back on with wonder and joy. There are a few of these treks in the US, each with their own, unique flavor. Driving route 101 around Olympic National Park, near the rainiest point in the contiguous 48 is one of these. The road from Phoenix, through Sedona to the Grand Canyon is another. Old Route 66 is different, and just as memorable. Though generally not taken in a car the Camino de Santiago de Compostela is another, much longer, trip that leaves an indelible mark.
Though the most attractive and beautiful parts of the Wild Atlantic Way were always present, just waiting for someone to come by for a visit, the official route and affiliated sites and activities were enumerated and announced in 2014 by the government of Ireland. Cashing in on the fantastic potential that is the glut of interesting tidbits and natural beauty in Ireland, the Irish have embraced the marketing necessary to turn those natural and historic attractions into tourism dollars, and they’ve done a mighty fine job of it.
The Wild Atlantic Way is a route you can drive by car from Kinsale in County Cork on the south coast of the island all the way up the west coast and around the north coast to the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal, a drive of exactly 2,500 kilometers, or 1,553 miles. You can start in the north and go the other way as well. Along the way there are so many things to do and see that to list them all would be foolish and pointless. Use our travel guide as just that, a guide, and do your own research to plan your perfect trip.
To get the most out of a trip through most of Ireland, you’ll need some background. Ireland as an island is composed of 2 countries which are themselves composed of 32 counties, 26 in the Republic of Ireland (referred to locally as Southern Ireland) and 6 in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom along with Scotland, England, and Wales. Further codifying the island are 4 provinces, Connacht, Leinster, Munster, and Ulster. While the provincial divisions are mostly geographical today, the counties are much more important in day to day life and are integral to the ruling and governing of both countries.
The WAW passes through 9 counties and all the provinces except Leinster, which makes up much of eastern and central Ireland. It is likely that anyone driving the length and breadth of the country will by flying into and/or out of Dublin, so will pass through Leinster regardless. Whether you start in the north or in the south, the whole of the route is gorgeous, and while the countryside changes over the miles, all of it contains the Irish charm and beauty we love.
The WAW is clearly marked along its entire length by road signs, and cell service is quite good as well. Do not be afraid that you will get lost along the way, there are innumerable villages, towns, and cities to get your bearings if you are turned around.
Not technically part of the WAW, but close to its starting point, is the city of Cork. This large Irish city is vibrant, thriving, and fun, and is one of the most populous cities on the island. If you are looking for city life outside Dublin, this a one of the best places for it. And just outside of Cork is Blarney, in which stands the Blarney Castle, in which resides the Blarney Stone. Legend states that kissing the Stone will make one eloquent, though that magical effect may or may not have worn off after so many millions of kisses. Fear not for germs, they disinfect the Stone after each purse of the lips, so pucker up.
Blarney Castle
Along the Way
The southern starting point of the northbound WAW is the Old Head of Kinsale. A small peninsula near the town of Kinsale, the Old Head is currently occupied by an old lighthouse, surrounded by a much newer golf course. This course is private, so no sightseeing allowed. Just before the entrance there is a parking lot, another lighthouse, and a small museum dedicated to the Old Head of Kinsale and the sinking of the RMS Lusitania. The combination of the peninsula and the sea cliffs at its edges, the beautiful country round about, and the historical significance of the Lusitania make Kinsale a great starting point, the tragedy of that historical even notwithstanding. This particular little peninsula is the land closest to the sinking of that ship, about 11 miles to the south. The loss of the Lusitania and 1,197 passengers in 1915 to a U-boat was a contributing factor in the US entering World War I, and the event is commemorated at the museum and in Kinsale itself. A small seaside town, Kinsale boasts fortresses, colorful houses, lighthouses, and museums.
After Kinsale the trail leads west along the southern coast, and it swiftly becomes apparent that there are more interesting tidbits along the drive than you can stop for. Beaches and quaint towns aside, there are Neolithic or megalithic ruins, museums, and art installations enough to spoil the casual tourist. The Liss Ard Sky Garden and the Drombeg Stone Circle
Old Head of Kinsale
As you turn north up the coast, you enter County Kerry and encounter the Ring of Kerry. The Ring is a road, or series of roads, creating a circle that navigates the whole Kerry peninsula. Parts of the Ring of Kerry are included in the WAW, so you can kill two birds with one stone and see some great scenery at the same time. The most notable site on the Ring of Kerry has to be the Kerry Cliffs.
The Kerry Cliffs are tall, gorgeous rock formations where Ireland meets the Atlantic, rising over 1,000’ from the water’s edge. To walk along the Cliffs and view them in all their splendor up close, you have to park at a car park on private land. The parking lot costs around €5 and the walk to the sea is a bit steep. There is a café onsite with food, and some animals to look at and possibly pet. The hours for the site can depend on the weather, so look ahead.
After the Kerry Cliffs, or potentially before depending on your mood, at the base of the peninsula, you can stop by Carrauntoohil, the tallest natural point in Ireland. There is a neat camping place there called Cronin’s Yard, which costs €2 to park at, and in its season has a café. This is also one of the starting points for the hike into MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, the mountain range where Carrauntoohil resides. That puts you in striking distance of Killarney and Ross Castle as well.
Continuing north you reach the Dingle Peninsula. Home of the Dingle Distillery, Hussey’s Folly, and a handful of waterfalls, Dingle is a nice place but lacks the punch and the show stopping quality of the rest of the WAW.
Liss Ard Sky Garden
The Cliffs of Moher are one of the wonders of the natural world, or at least one of the natural wonders of the world in Ireland. Standing proud in County Clare, the Cliffs of Moher rise 700 from the waves of the Atlantic at their highest, and stretch for 5 miles along Ireland’s west coast. The name is derived from an Irish word meaning “ruins of the old fort”, or something similar, and as you might imagine there was a fort standing on this same coast until the mid 1800s.
Incredibly accessible by Irish standards, there is a car park, a visitor center, viewing platforms, restaurants, a few shops, and restrooms at the main viewing point. The car park is pay to park, and is a bit steep. We suggest going before or after hours to avoid the toll. If you want to see the cliffs during the day, either arrive before the employees or pay the price.
There are a couple of towers along the path at the top of the cliffs, which is paved around the parking area but becomes a dirt causeway as you move further from it. It would take several hours to walk the length of the cliffs without stopping, at best, but with majestic views like the ones on offer here, we don’t know why you you’d want to rush the experience. Visible from the Cliffs are the Aran Islands, which can be visited by ferry. You can also make out Galway Bay and the Blasket Islands to the south, in Kerry.
Carrauntoohil
The Cliffs of Moher
The Burren is a very interesting area of Ireland that is currently known to be home to 70% of the flora of the island. Past generations, unaware and probably less interested in the natural diversity of the plant life had less use for the rocky, difficult terrain and its inability to sustain any kind of large scale agrarian society. While by no means a desert, the Burren has never supported a large population because of its hills, rocks, and poor dirt. In a bit of exaggeration, a soldier in 1651 quipped that the Burren was: '… a country where there is not water enough to drown a man, wood enough to hang one nor earth enough to bury one … yet their cattle are very fat'. A popular and clever quote, and right to the point. It is this kind of odd nature that brings people to Burren National Park, for its plants, flowers, hiking trails, and odd landscapes in an otherwise green, lush, and verdant island.
The Burren
The Aran Islands are a group of 3 islands outside of Galway Bay, visible from the Cliffs of Moher. It is possible to visit the islands, and if you do expect a quaint and quiet time of it. On a nice day it is good fun to rent a bicycle and see the whole of the islands under your own power. Gaelic is more prevalent on the islands and there is not a large city or town. Rather, the islands are crisscrossed by small, moveable fences made from karst limestone, much like what is found in the Burren.
The Aran Islands
Galway, the 4th largest city in Ireland, sits inland of the Cliffs of Moher on Galway Bay, where the River Corrib meets the sea. Despite its location on the west coast of Ireland, Galway Bay is protected by its protrusion into the island and offered a good spot for a trading port. Galway was a busy place in centuries past.
Though not a port of trade as it used to be, it is still a large metropolitan area in a country with very few of them, and a popular tourist destination to boot. If you are yearning for a taste of the city while near the Cliffs, the Burren, or anywhere on the west coast, Galway is likely to be your best, and closest, bet.
Kylemore Abbey
Photo by Kathleen Spangler
Kylemore Abbey evokes thoughts of medieval castles, knights, and tales of glory, which is kind of the idea behind building a castle. This particular building, though constructed as a castle in 1868, now serves as the home of the order of the Irish Benedictine Nuns. The beautiful castle and grounds which served as a frankly overly ostentatious house, were converted into the Kylemore Abbey in 1920 after the nuns were bombed out of Ypres in the fighting of World War I. Today the Abbey is one of the most visited attractions in Ireland, still serving the Benedictine Nuns and home to a gorgeous Gothic Church as well. The surprising story and reach of the Abbey extends even to the USA, as the Nuns have formed a relationship with the University of Notre Dame. We think it’s an excellent match: the Fighting Irish and the indomitable Benedictine Nuns.
Grave of W.B. Yeats
Sligo is a small city in northwestern Ireland that boasts a population of around 20,000. Don’t be deceived by the diminutive amount of people or square footage, this town is a great place to stop and enjoy some time off the road. The Garavogue River runs from Lough Gill to the east through the center of town and empties into Sligo Bay, a picturesque body of water in its own right.
The grave of the decorated poet W.B. Yeats lies at Drumcliffe Cemetery, just north of Sligo. This cemetery is in the yard of a 6th century monastery and lies under the shadow of the Benbulben rock formation, really a large hill or small mountain.
Yeats was influential in Irish politics and literature, and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923. He was buried in Drumcliffe at his own instruction, though he died in France in 1939, mere months before the outbreak of World War II. Due to the chaos that ensued, his remains were mixed with others in an ossuary, but an approximation of them was cobbled together to inter at Drumcliffe.
Whether or not they got it right in 1939 and the proceeding years, this is considered the final resting place of the great writer and dramatist. The church and cemetery are free to enter, and there are a couple of shops as well as a small café just adjacent.
Built by Red Hugh O’Donnel in the 15th century, Donegal Castle today is a prime example of a Gaelic castle, though with some later English additions and some 20th century restorations. Located in the heart of the small town of Donegal, population 3,000, entry is €5 per adult.
St John’s Point Lighthouse
St John’s Point Lighthouse in County Donegal is more than just a tower with a light on it. The complex around the tower enables the whole compound to be not just an Irish Trust location, but a hotel of sorts as well.
For a fee, you can schedule a stay at the lighthouse, on one of the longest peninsulas in Ireland by the way. This makes it one of the most unique stays on the whole island, and though the price is steep, it can sleep up to 8 people, making it quite reasonable if you split the cost. If that interests you, check out the Trust’s website, but do so well ahead of time as it is booked most of the time. There are other accommodations on the website.
Slieve League
Though technically a single mountain, Slieve League is probably better imagined as a series of sea cliffs that descend dramatically into the sea and extend for miles, meeting with other formations and creating a rugged coastline. Creating some of the highest sea cliffs in Europe, and the second highest in Ireland, Slieve League and the surrounding countryside are a real treat to drive through. Take your time on the WAW when driving through County Donegal, it is gorgeous. This is also where you may begin to notice quite a few more peat farms, and pick up on the peculiar, savory smell of peat burning.
Errigal
Errigal is a singular, unique peak that probably looks like the stereotypical “lone mountain” you’re thinking of. While not the tallest, or hardest, mountain to climb or hike, it does look quite nice and offers on of the best and least obstructed views of Ireland you’re likely to find with your feet still on the ground.
The Wild Atlantic Way ends, or begins, on the Inishowen Peninsula in the north of Ireland, quite near the border of Northern Ireland. Here ends one of the most beautiful and singular stretches of road in the world, and certainly one of the most wholesome and enjoyable. If you are contemplating a trip to Ireland you could do worse than the WAW.