The Wild Atlantic Way is a 2.500 km long tourism trail along the west coast of Ireland. It begins in Malin Head in the north and ends in Kinsale, County Cork in the south. The driving route guides through hundreds of dicovery points and attractions.
Dunguaire Castle, a typical Tower house of the middle age.
There are around 2.000 of them in Ireland. Some are intact, others as ruins
After breakfast we leave Galway in south direction along the wild atlantic way. The rural road takes you through picturesque villages, sites of attraction and empty beaches. The unstable weather changes from sunny to windy and showery.
Thatched cottages
The charming rural landscape.
The path leading to Corcomroe Abbey
A Cistercian monastery found in 1195. Today Corcomroe Abbey relict is opened to the public.
Lunch break in Greenes Bar, Ballyvaughan. From here it gets further onto the R477 scenic road along the coast. All by chance, the wall map at the pub entrance gives us the right hint. We don´t really have an elaborated itinerary.
The west coast. Rainy and windy.
The emty and narrow road is close to the shore. As narrow as two cars can just barely pass each other.
The sea is rough
A break in the busy Gus O´Connor´s Pub, established 1832 in Doolin. Irish music live and the audience sings along.
Doolin village
At the end of an eventful day we find our accomodation next to Bunratty Castle, 15 km away from Limerick. A B&B of an older couple. The man appears to be demented but friendly and hospitable. You can feel the atmosphere of a family home where the children have left to live their own life sometime ago. The remaining parents do their best to keep themselve busy. Basic but nice and clean room. Irish breakfast next morning. Few other guests seem to be a gathering of friends or neighbors who have come to the same place many times over the years.
Short visit to Limerick. And back to the west coast from there. To the cliffs of Moher.