Notes on the Wild Atlantic Way

[esullivan]

My wife and I did a bit of the Wild Atlantic Way during our holiday in Ireland this year. We spent four days/three nights doing most of the southern half of it, from Kinvara just south of Galway to around Cork. That included County Clare, and the Dingle, Kerry and Beara peninsulas. The route only opened last year, so I don't think many people will have heard of it.

The whole Atlantic Way is well marked, so a SatNav is only necessary to get you to some point along the route. At every intersection, roundabout or fork in the road, blue "wave" signs led the way. Most of it was on on R (Eire's equivalent of B) and L (even smaller) roads, and a few short stretches on N (A) roads. I don't recall any dual carriageways at all.

With few exceptions, the route hugs the coast. This could be an issue in bad weather, but the most we had to contend with was high winds on the first day. It can also be a problem if your bike has a short tank range, because petrol stations were relatively rare. My bike can do 150-170 miles on these kinds of roads and I didn't have any issues, but I filled up if I came across a station and I was less than half a tank.

There were also suggested detours, for various sights (mountain passes, cliffs, beaches, villages, etc.). The detours are also well marked, bringing us to the attraction (sometimes several kilometres away, like Brandon Point) and then back to the main route.

The roads were about as well-paved as those in England, so worse than in Wales or Scotland. I'm used to London (the worst roads by far) and found them acceptable. We went at the very height of the season (last week in July), so there was a fair bit of traffic when the route went through towns and villages, but we were rarely held up by it. Outside of the towns, we had to overtake the odd bus or caravan, but it was usually easy.

Even at that time of year, we had no trouble finding accommodation without reservations or getting into restaurants.

We were fairly lucky with the weather. It rained continuously when we travelled up from Waterford (visiting family) to Dublin (ditto) and then rained horizontally all the way from Dublin to Galway. But the next day, when we started on the Atlantic Way, it was clear and very windy. The gusty winds made the first bit of the trip a little "exciting", especially on narrow roads along cliffs, but the wind died down by the afternoon and it then stayed mostly sunny for the rest of the trip.

I highly recommend the route. Some of it was as good, in my opinion, as the Highlands and the Lakes District if you are lucky with the weather, as we were. Here are a few pics, just to give you an idea.

The Burren, an area south of Galway that looked other-wordly:
https://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/Eamonn_Sullivan/0-burren_zpspmqisjzq.jpg

County Clare:
https://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/Eamonn_Sullivan/1-clare_zpssziz8qjx.jpg
https://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/Eamonn_Sullivan/2-clare_zpsnkua4krl.jpg

Sunset in Ballybunnion. Our hotel (the Cliff House) overlooked this beach:
https://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/Eamonn_Sullivan/4-ballybunnion_zpsdnln2zfg.jpg
https://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/Eamonn_Sullivan/3-ballybunnion_zpsqtrgo4ek.jpg

Brandon Point:
https://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/Eamonn_Sullivan/5-brandonpoint_zpsfrq54vzl.jpg

Connor Pass, near Dingle. The ride up to here was amazing, but there was a bit too much traffic:
https://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/Eamonn_Sullivan/6-connorpass_zpsn54dfc3c.jpg

Some of the wide-open back roads in Kerry:
https://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/Eamonn_Sullivan/7-kerry_zps16eumlmz.jpg

The view out of our hotel room at the Smuggler's Inn in Waterville, and my wife walking along the beach:
https://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/Eamonn_Sullivan/8-smugglersinn_waterville_zpsdi5hl1tc.jpg
https://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/Eamonn_Sullivan/9-waterville_beach_zpsbhuanmtv.jpg

The Beara Peninsula was extremely rural and hard to get photos of. It was mostly single-track roads, but very pretty:
https://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/Eamonn_Sullivan/10-beara_zpsqqo6vhzp.jpg
____________________
Current: '14 VFR800X Test passed 31/10/12.
Previous: '12 NC700S, '11 CBF 125, '04 SH 125.

[delsol]

Nice report and great pictures.

Great place to visit on a bike, and if the weather is good it is fantastic, continue further north into Donegal and spend time exploring there to round it off.

Roads, questionable, take it relaxed and easy as there is not much in the way of quick biking stretches.

I'm going back next year, I've learned to take one day's R&R every 3 days, the night time distractions as irresistible

Also, wild camping is basically anywhere and without any hassel, if you want to keep the costs down.

[esullivan]