Brought to you by Bradley Renault Galway
With 2,500 miles of coastline to explore, the toughest thing about planning your Wild Atlantic Way trip is deciding where to begin.
Once you put a pin in your starting point, all that’s left to do is fill up the tank, make a master list of cultural stops and gastronomic delights to sample along the way and hit the road.
One route, recommended on the official Wild Atlantic Way website, offers a true treat for foodies; it’ll see you set off in stunning County Sligo, taking in views of Donegal Bay. Later you’ll roam Mullaghmore Head, visit WB Yeats’ grave, Parkes Castle and The Model arts centre, all while sampling the menus in some of the country’s best eateries.
A few things to remember: Don’t plan to achieve more than an average speed of 65km per hour and remember; slow moving farm machinery is a regular fixture on country roads from March to October.
More importantly, don’t run out of petrol; petrol stations are a rarity in rural areas and 24/7 service is non-existent. Always refill once your tank is half empty.
Here, we present your ultimate 48 hours exploring the dramatic Wild Atlantic Way:
DAY 1
9am: Pull on your runners and take a bracing hike to the top of iconic Benbulben Mountain in Sligo.
11am: Walk the 4km Gortarowey Looped Walk for breathtaking views of Donegal Bay, Classiebawn Castle and the Signature Point Mullaghmore Head.
1pm: The fishing village of Mullaghmore is a surfer’s paradise (the mighty ‘prowler’ waves draw pro surfers from all over the world to Mullaghmore Head). Stop by Eithne’s for a fresh seafood lunch (you deserve it after all those calories you’ve burned) before a stroll on the beach between Cliffoney and Grange (and plenty of selfies with the stunning Atlantic views as a backdrop).
3pm: Visit WB Yeats’ grave in the church yard at Drumcliffe Churchyard. Look for a plot marked with a simple headstone with the inscription (the poet’s self-penned epitaph), “cast a cold eye on life, on death, horseman, pass by.”
4pm: Take the Sligo Craft Trail and meet indigenous craftspeople as they offer locals and visitors the chance pop by and see what they’re creating. Later make time to explore The Model in Sligo town, one of Ireland’s leading contemporary arts centres.
Evening: Kick back and relax with dinner at Coach Lane or the rustic tapas spot Knox.
DAY 2
9am: Drive to Parkes Castle (11km from Sligo), a beautifully restored castle dating from the early 17th century. It sits on the edge of Lough Gill, where you can take to the water with a local boat cruise if the weather is good.
12pm: In Strandhill, hole up in a cosy coffee shop for your caffeine hit or linger over a long lunch in one of the many cafés.
3pm: Explore Carrowmore’s amazing Megalithic Cemetery, one of the country’s oldest burial grounds with monuments over 5,500 years old.
DAY 3
9am: The pretty seaside village of Rosses Point is home to plenty of tourist attractions to keep you busy for a morning. Take a Historic Shipwreck and Famine Walk or explore the deserted (but atmospheric) 1830’s Elsinore Lodge, where the Yeats family spent their summers. Yeats wrote much of The Celtic Twilight there, yet it remains overgrown and mostly forgotten.
1pm: Afterwards, warm your cockles by a cosy fire in one of the local pubs and hit Austie’s for fish and chips.
3pm: Later, make your way back to Strandhill for a detoxifying seaweed bath at Voya (your skin will feel baby soft afterwards) before unwinding over pub grub and a well deserved glass of wine.
For details on the stunning range of Renault vehicles available now or to arrange a test drive, see Bradley’s Renault.
