It was around this time last year that a plan was hatched (over a few wee wines
funny how the best plans start this way) to take a long weekend and tour down the west coast of Ireland taking in some of the Wild Atlantic Way-a sign posted route right down the entire west coast. Over the next lot of months a detailed plan was made of how many miles per day we would do, the exact route we would take, rest stops, where we would eat, towns we would stop at, and B&Bs we would stay in.
HA HA you believe that youll believe anything, we were winging it.
It was decided we would gauge or trip on how day 1 went and go from there. As it turned out day 2 was planned over lots of pints of the black stuff at the end of day 1 and so on for the rest of the trip.
D-Day was at the end of May 2016 5 days Thursday through to Monday.
Day 1We left East Belfast and the plan was to get to Malin Head Irelands most northerly point and start our journey south from there, we got as far as the petrol station at Bridge end (btm of the Newtownards rd) and the heavens opened so all sorts of wet gear was put on and stayed on for the next 2 days it never stopped
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A rather damp and dismal Malin Head
We didnt hang about too long not much to see apart from all the vans and trucks up working on the new Star Wars movie lol
Headed south down through Letterkenny, Donegal,Bundoran with a wee pit stop at Glencar lake before heading on through Sligo to Aughris head where we would be stopping to end day 1.
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Glencar Waterfall.
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Heading down the valley into Sligo.
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Glencar Lake down in the valley.
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The Beach Bar at Aughris head
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No half rations here.
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The first of many.
DAY 2Still raining
we decided that today we would ride over and explore Achill Island and hopefully end our day in Westport.
We left the Beach Bar and headed for Ballina crossing the Famous River Moy with a quick stop to have a look at a few guys fly fishing in the Ridge Pool.
We then rode on through Crossmolina, Bangor Erris, down to Mallranny then over onto Achill island.
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Leaving on the morning after the night before a bit later than planned
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The Atlantic bashed coastline of Achill Island.
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After about an hour or so riding round the Atlantic drive it was decided enough was enough the rain was pelting down like 6 inch nails and we had renamed Achill the Isle of despair, we were just going to gun it straight to Westport.
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Our diggs for the night NOT TOO SHABBY.
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Westport quay
DAY 3Today was going to be a no frills hard ride down to Dingle through Galway, Ennis, Killmer, ferry across the Shannon estuary, Tarbert, Tralee, over the Conor Pass Irelands higest mountain pass before dropping down into Dingle. Oh and its stopped raining
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Waiting on the ferry.
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Tuck shop on the ferry i guess they like their sweet stuff down here
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Waterfall on the Conor Pass.
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The view down to Dingle and Dingle Bay.
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Dingle Bay.
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Another light wee meal.
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The Dingle Bar.
DAY 4Today the sun was out and it was a ride round the Dingle peninsula,Slea Head, back through Dingle town, Killorglin, The Gap of Dunloe, The Black Valley, Molls Gap, Killarney National Park, Killarney, Limerick and on to Killaloe on the Banks of Lough Derg.
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Slea Head coast road.
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The Gap Of Dunloe.
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The Top of Molls Gap looking back down the Black Valley.
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Bikes at Molls Gap.
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That more or less ended our trip we stayed the night in Killaloe at Lough Derg, lots more pints and bread and water for supper up the next morning to a good full breakfast and back on the road, a couple of hours of a straight run into Dublin a quick stop at the applegreen to let the blood back into our bums then a quick scoot back up into Belfast.
A fantastic trip with exactly 1206 miles done door to door. Breathtaking sights, met some fantastic people, the world famous hospitality and friendliness of the Irish people, we were treated like kings the whole trip.
So if its a road trip your thinking of give the Wild Atlantic Way a look.
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