Between home and destination lay thousands of miles and dozens of annoyances, and with his family Richard Ratay experienced all of them—from being crowded into the backseat with noogie-happy older brothers, to picking out a souvenir only ... To drive the entire 1600 miles, stopping at each viewpoint and exploring every nook and cranny of the Wild Atlantic Way, takes over one month. The more time you can spare the better; there were lots of places we wished we could have spent extra time. Close. 2 The Best Wild Atlantic Way Route. The five-hour journey requires booking at least two days in advance. There were times it felt similar to Norway’s west coast, albeit on a smaller scale. There are a few unofficial car parks on the road up to the viewpoint but we managed to find a space eventually in the lower car park and walked up to the cliffs. The route passes mainly through rural areas, so you can expect to encounter farm machinery, cattle, sheep and working dogs. There’s an official visitor centre and viewpoint but we didn’t actually head there, choosing instead to view the cliffs from the coastal walk that runs along the top. The below places (found on our map above and listed here from north to south) are some of our must-see locations but we definitely could add more to this list. The Latin Quarter, situated on the left bank of the River Corrib, is arguably Galway's most colourful and culturally vibrant area. The Ring of Kerry, Dingle, Killarney National Park and Kinsale were by far the busiest areas. 3.2 In three days. This article was originally written in November 2013 and was updated by Leif Pettersen in October 2014. The entire route begins just before Malin Head which is at the very tip of the Inishowen Peninsula and Ireland's most Northerly point, it continues beyond Ireland's most Southerly point, Mizen Head and ends at Kinsale in County Cork. It’s wild and rugged and a lovely spot to explore. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. Don’t worry we 100% protect your privacy and won’t spam you! Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Long time sufferer of fibromyalgia, Brigid Gallagher set out on a journey between Egypt, India, Rome, Lourdes, Carcassonne and Bali. Read more. Image by Daniel Stockman / CC BY-SA 2.0. and go book a trip! Enjoy! Alternatively the next time you purchase from Amazon (UK) or Amazon (US) if you use our links we’ll receive a small commission that will help to keep our content coming. The route is 1600 miles (or 2600 kilometers) in length. On this road trip along the Wild Atlantic Way— the longest defined coastal route in the world—you'll enjoy rugged scenery, gorgeous coastline, and off-the-beaten-path adventures from County Donegal's remote Northern Headlands down to the picturesque southern peninsulas. As this was more of a travel article than a wild camping/vanlife realities article we didn’t cover any of the realities of van life and wild camping but it’s incredibly important that more people become aware of it. While the Wild Atlantic Way is signposted, it's worth having a physical or digital map handy to ensure that you're staying on track . Check out these five amazing weekend road trips on the Wild Atlantic Way. Found insideIt offers a detailed description of the trail plus lively asides on geology, history, folklore, settlement, flora and fauna. Above all, this guide will keep the reader from getting lost. Dingle, the most westerly town in Europe, was historically one of Ireland's main trading ports, but is now home to a population of only 1,920. The lack of this important information raises red flags. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. It’s 2,500km of rugged landscape, stunning beaches, charming villages and ancient monuments. A couple of years ago, Fáilte Ireland, the Republic of Ireland's tourism authority, decided to officially market the route. The cottages, furnishings and artefacts are exact replicas of the dwellings and belongings of local people in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Found insideAll of this is interspersed with beautiful photos, handy maps and quirky travel writing from the king of camper vans and motorhomes, Martin Dorey. Highly recommended are the guided tours, which are informative, thought-provoking, tragic, and yet funny. There’s lots of hiking opportunities and whilst the Diamond Hill Loop is busy it’s worth it for the views. This one is slightly off the main route down a narrow lane but we think it’s worth a visit. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. Where to stay along the Wild Atlantic Way. The majority of our rubbish is recycling. Ideal companion Irish surfer Easkey Britton, the first female surfer to ride the "big wave", Aill na Searrach, off the Cliffs of Moher. This is the only guidebook to document Irish Climbing in a single volume. there’s all sorts of things on offer: It’s amazing how varied the landscape is along the west coast. Drop us a comment below or contact us if there’s anything you’d like to know more about. We stored all our recycling under one of our benches. This tiny population produced several accomplished writers. The remainder of Galway is (unsurprisingly, considering its age) a history and heritage treasure trove. If you want some more time to discover the locations along the Wild Atlantic Way like us, then you could decide to drive the most beautiful parts and take a faster way for the rest. ☘ The majority of cars in Ireland are manual (or stick as it is referred to in the US), so if you want an automatic you should book this in advance. On the stereo Tennessee from Hans Zimmer's Pearl Harbor. It looks more like the surface of the moon in places as it’s incredibly rocky with an almost stepped profile. Hardier souls are invited to take a swim in one of the coves. You’ve stated that you Wild camped the entirety of the WAW without staying at any campsites with the exception of one paid marina stopover. Found insideBut could a homebody helicopter mom learn to let go of her heartstrings and house keys all at once? Filled with a sense of adventure and humor, Going Gypsy is the story of a life after raising kids that is a celebration of new experiences. Tip five! See all Find a travel operator. Found insideLaced with wry humour and endless curiosity, this is a distinctive mix of travel writing, social history and nature. 2.3 From Galway to Donegal and Portrush: The Wildest Atlantic Way. No need to register, buy now! Found inside#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER • NAMED ONE OF TIME’S TEN BEST NONFICTION BOOKS OF THE DECADE • PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST • NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF OPRAH’S “BOOKS THAT ... Learn more . Driving the Wild Atlantic Way. These roads have always been favoured by locals and tourists alike for generations even before they became known collectively as The Wild Atlantic Way Route. It wasn’t! The Wild Atlantic Way Road Trip with a Caravan- Part 1 Donegal and Sligo area. According to the Ordinance Survey of Ireland the entire coastline of the island of Ireland is 3,171 km. Dingle is a charming little town with a bustling tourist scene mainly formed around the resident dolphin Fungie! More and more visitors are now taking on the Wild Atlantic Way, the world's longest road trip, around the Emerald Isle's craggy west coast Donegal's Magic Road in Mamore Gap on the Wild Atlantic Way Naturally, you've heard of the Amalfi Coast drive and California's Pacific Highway. Dingle Peninsula. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Image by William Murphy / CC BY-SA 2.0. Amazing summer's day drive along the West Coast of Ireland to Horn Head, Donegal. We did not drive the entire Wild Atlantic Way. A Complete Guide to Visiting the Callanish Stones, Mahabis Slippers Review: The Ideal Outdoor Camping Slippers, 8 Easy Ways to get Hot Water in a Campervan. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Musician in Galway. The weather was rubbish (torrential rain) when we were in Dingle so we didn’t go on a boat trip to meet Fungie but there are various trips that almost guarantee a sighting of the famous dolphin. At this stage the route . In nearby Grange, the Streedagh Spanish Armada Walk combines culture, maritime archaeology and the story of the ill-fated Spanish fleet that wrecked some 25 ships in the area in the 16th century while fleeing a failed invasion attempt on England – it's unsigned, but a guiding company like Seatrails (seatrails.ie) can help bring the breezy trail to life. You can go on tours of the lighthouse but we opted to explore the walks in the area instead. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. A guide to cycle touring in Ireland, with 12 one to two-week cycle tours for road bikes all around and across Ireland. (Wetsuits provided.) Eloquent, sexy, and tender, the novel is an artfully composed portrait of Wells's astonishing life, with vivid glimpses of its turbulent historical background, by one of England's most respected and popular writers. First off, the Wild Atlantic Way, or Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin in Irish is a tourism trail that follows the Atlantic coastline from the north of Donegal to south coast of Cork. Fifteen minutes drive northwest of Cork is the impressively preserved, 15th-century Blarney Castle. Zigzagging along Ireland's west coast, the 2,175-mile (3,500-kilometer) Wild Atlantic Way driving route shows off some of the country's most thrilling coastal scenery. Narrow tarmac snakes . Its dwindling population eventually forced an evacuation of the last 22 residents to the mainland in 1953. Mullaghmore, home of world-class surfing. Following a comprehensive public consultation process, the 2,500km route has been finalised and includes 159 discovery points along the way. Dingle's main activities include boat tours, absorbing the local Irish music scene and eating at singular shops like Murphy's Ice Cream, routinely declared to be among the best ice cream in the world. Found insideYou might be tempted to take on the Wild Atlantic Way, a signposted route ... and make sure that your existing policy covers you for driving in Ireland. Donegal: Driving the Wild Atlantic Way Driving Donegal's stretch of the Wild Atlantic Way reveals dramatic landscapes filled with mystery and legend. Driving Itinerary. The road to get there is narrow and there’s no real signage to say you’ve arrived, just a small pull-in large enough for our van and maybe one car. More than a century after the tragedy, Gill Hoffs reveals new theories behind the disaster and tells the stories of the passengers and crew on the ill-fated vessel: Captain John Noble, record breaking hero of the Gold Rush era. ), fell in love with paddle boarding and galloped on horse back along the golden sands. I’m sure I read it was voted one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world, and I can absolutely see why. There’s so many stunning little spots, and many of our favourite places were found just by pulling off and exploring. If you’ve not been yet you need to go! First I will share our most recent Wild Atlantic Way itinerary from North to South when we covered all the most Instagrammable spots on the Wild Atlantic Way. It’s 100 litres so actually doesn’t need emptying often, but we found a few marinas and one community centre on the route that offered water fill ups and campervan servicing points that allowed us to drain this tank ( as well as the paid marina we stayed at) at proper locations. Explore a timeless land - and meet a legendarily friendly people - with a copy of Lonely Planet's Ireland travel guide. Thank you for your informative article on the WAW. That allows tourists to enjoy a mix of accommodation options, from traditional B&Bs and luxury spa resorts to quirky self-catering rentals. Shortly, I will be traveling to Ireland with my niece for two weeks along the Wild Atlantic Way! 4 Sligo and Donegal. The distance of the Wild Atlantic Way is 1553 miles. Most of the narrow lanes were empty, except for the occasional sheep, and we only really had any traffic in larger towns. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a few times before to Dublin and to Belfast in Northern Ireland and always loved it, but it didn’t seem like an adventurous enough place for van life. Unfortunately you make no mention of this in your article, which is disappointing. Barely 15 minutes drive from Sliabh Liag is the Glencolmcille Folk Village, one of Ireland's best living-history museums. Cork is the third-largest city on the island of Ireland and has one of the largest natural harbours in the world. We spent the night in the car park (it’s a little sloping) but sadly didn’t spot anything in the water despite hours of staring out to sea! In fact, I can’t think of a better way to explore this amazing route than by camper van. We continued on the road around the peninsula instead of turning round. From the cliffs, continue driving on the Wild Atlantic Way by taking R479, passing the village of Doolin and then turning onto R477 to tour a stunning coastal drive: The Black Head Drive. One of the most important aspects of such an adventure in this case is how you disposed of you all your waste, including black/gray water and general waste. This place is really quirky and a lot of fun. Planning a trip to Ireland, It’s exciting to imagine the ideal holiday in Ireland, but often that excitement can soon turn to stress when faced with endless tempting options. Huge collection, amazing choice, 100+ million high quality, affordable RF and RM images. It’s a great spot to watch the world go by, although again the weather can be quite wild! How to Road Trip Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way (Map + … Driving in Ireland gives you the freedom to explore the entire country, see the popular sights at your own pace and go off the beaten path. Jutting out three kilometers (two miles) into the Atlantic Ocean, it's famous for its 17th-century lighthouse, its 18-hole golf course and as the nearest point of land to where the RMS Lusitania sank after being struck by a German torpedo in 1915. Perfect when we were rubbish privacy and won ’ t require toilet disposal especially through the back,. Surfing ( yeah we were driving down a narrow lane but we opted to explore and there ’ some. Arch comes in to view and a lovely spot to stretch your legs or grab lunch... Maybe even the most of driving the Wild Atlantic Way takes in 9 counties..., charming villages and ancient monuments with this road trip with a Guinness laundry! 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