The Wild Atlantic Way (WAW) is a well known coastal route which is easy to navigate by car and follows the west coast of Ireland. It’s an amazing journey encompassing steep cliffs, beautiful bays, colourful villages and ancient monuments.There are B&B’s, small hotels and castle hotels to stay in along the way. Take the ferry or fly to Ireland and you can hire a car for the trip.
John has taken a lot of photos here over the years and exhibited some of them locally on the Plaine de Nay,
We can’t wait to return to Ireland and continue the series of images capturing the amazing Wild Atlantic Way!
The Wild Atlantic Way, 1600 miles (2600 km) in length, is one of the longest defined coastal routes in the world. It winds its way all along the Irish west coast from the Inishowen Peninsula in the north down to the picturesque town of Kinsale, County Cork, in the south. This route from start to finish unfolds the wonders of nature, the power of the ocean and its imprint on the west coast of Ireland, and the stunning countryside in all its diversity. Enchanting villages are nestled along the coast as well as ancient monuments – their origins having long sunk into the mists of oblivion dot the landscape. Behind every bend on this magical coastal road a new delight awaits.
The wild Atlantic with its unrestrained and untameable tides and storms has continuously been moulding the west coast of Ireland. With a constant meeting of water and land, a deeply indented and wild terrain has emerged with towering cliffs, spellbinding bays and beaches, mystical islands, always changing and never reaching the end. In the isolation or perhaps expressed in a different way living near and with the Atlantic at your doorstep has ensured that old traditions and the Irish language have been preserved. A trip along the Wild Atlantic Way is also an encounter with the past
You can read more about it here on the unofficial website for the Wild Atlantic Way and start to plan your trip!
Stages of the Wild Atlantic Way
The Wild Atlantic Way is divided into four main regions and 14 stages:
The Northwest (County Donegal, Leitrim & Sligo)
Stages of the Northwest are:
• Inishowen Peninsula – Derry to Letterkenny • Fanad Head – Letterkenny to Bunbeg • Slieve League Coast – Bunbeg to Donegal Town • Donegal Bay and Sligo – Donegal Town to Ballina
The most important towns in the Northwest are Buncrana, Letterkenny, Dunfanaghy, Dungloe, Ardara, Donegal Town, Bundoran and Sligo
The West (County Mayo & Galway)
Stages of the West are:
• Erris – Ballina to Belmullet • Achill Island and Clew Bay – Belmullet to Westport • Killary Harbour – Westport to Clifden • Connemara – Clifden to Galway
The most important towns in the West are Ballina, Belmullet, Westport, Clifden and Galway.
The Midwest (County Clare, Limerick & Kerry)
Stages of the Midwest are:
The most important towns in the Midwest are Kinvarra, Doolin, Lahinch, Kilkee, Kilrush and Ballybunnion.
The Southwest (County Kerry and Cork)
Stages of the Southwest:
• Dingle Peninsula – Tralee to Castlemaine • Ring of Kerry – Castlemaine to Kenmare • Beara and Sheep’s Head – Kenmare to Durrus • West Cork – Durrus to Kinsale
The most important towns in the Southwest are Tralee, Dingle Town, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Sneem, Kenmare, Bantry, Skibbereen, Clonakilty and Kinsale.