Celebrating an epic decade of adventures on the Wild Atlantic Way
The Picturesque Adventures Must Your Atlantic Is Ballinskelligs Bay A Wild See Way During
Going from being virtually unknown to a globally recognised name is no idle feat, but that’s exactly what the Wild Atlantic Way has achieved in just ten years.
It’s been a remarkable decade since the epic 2,750 km route — running all the way from the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal to Kinsale in Co Cork — was first developed as a brand by Fáilte Ireland in response to the global financial crash, and subsequently debuted to the tourism industry in 2014.
In fact, the brand’s impact has been so huge that Fáilte now estimates that almost 2 million more people visited the Wild Atlantic Way in 2023 than in 2013.
Each passing year brings new aspects and angles to this glorious trail traversing our south and west coasts, and builds further on hidden gems off the beaten track, away from the traffic.
To celebrate ten years of the now iconic visitor destination, here are ten of the best ways to set about exploring it yourself.
A few intrepid visitors take boat trips around the coasts — but a lot less than you’ll find crowding the buzzy streets and lanes in the major tourist towns. Hiring a boat and guide offers incredible views of the Wild Atlantic Way, unlike anything you’ll see on land. In the crystal clear waters around our coasts, a world of puffins, dolphins and hidden coves marks this maritime territory where nature’s wonder is around every headland. From Courtmacsherry to Baltimore all the way up the coast to Clew Bay, a different Ireland awaits.
In the many visitor reviews of their car journeys along the Wild Atlantic Way over the past decade, it is often the undiscovered corners that elicit the greatest memories. Away from the rumble and hum of the main roads, taking a turn into that leafy lane can open surprising doors to a vibrant ‘real Ireland’. Queen Maeve's cairn in Sligo is a prime example — a megalithic tomb, containing a 5,000-year-old passage. Yeats wasn’t wrong calling it “the land of heart’s desire”.
Half the world bought hiking boots during the Covid pandemic, and the passion for adventures on foot continues to grow among tourists and locals alike. In a nation blessed with trails to suit all levels of activity, Sheep’s Head Way in West Cork offers history and scenery as it passes through deserted famine settlements, wild heather prairies and glorious views of water at every turn. Beginning and ending in Bantry, there’s no shortage of pubs and restaurants to kick back in whilst comparing notes of your wild adventure.
We may not have the sunny climate enjoyed by California or Malaga, but nobody can deny the incredible options available for beach lovers ready to indulge a sense of curiosity. With miles of often deserted sand to jog, surf or swim, the Wild Atlantic Way coastline holds its own against any global comparisons. From Ardmore Point and Ballinskelligs Bay in the south, to Gorteen Bay on Connemara’s Errisbeg Peninsula and picturesque Tranarossan Bay on Donegal’s Rosguill, it’s a sure guarantee that your camera’s hard drive will be over-loaded with holiday pics to die for.
With the Wild Atlantic Way spanning nine counties and 2,750 km, the options for cycling this route are as dramatic or sedate as you could want. Cycling is another post-Covid habit that still gathers new converts every year, all intent on freewheeling across spectacular landscapes, stunning wildernesses and historic monuments.
The stunning beauty of the Burren was famous long before the Wild Atlantic Way was created — but now attracts even more visitors, fascinated by its rare plant life and unique flowers amidst the unique rocky terrain. The Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark deliver a natural beauty dating back 330 million years, highlighting ancient limestone peppered with a vast array of flora, including arctic and alpine flowers growing alongside Mediterranean species.
Though the dark spectre of climate change continues to plague the planet, Ireland remains a fertile home as the favoured habitat of many rare creatures. From Cork through Kerry, up to Clare and onwards to Mayo and Sligo, the Wild Atlantic Way has attracted nature lovers from all over the globe keen to witness an abundance of wildlife all but disappeared elsewhere. Gazing upward from dawn to dusk, be amazed at the spectacular avian collage of gannets, shearwaters, oystercatchers, terns and gulls. Add to those kingfishers, ravens, kestrels, sparrowhawks and falcons - sharing the skies with butterflies, bees, dragonflies and moths.
Time was when camper vans were a rare sight in Ireland - not anymore. Getting back to nature with a Woodstock sensibility has become an abiding passion for many converts to this unique way of doing the Wild Atlantic Way. On the back roads of Connemara or the Iveragh peninsula, couples and families are living a budget life, parked up overnight to spectacular sunsets and the freedom of the open road.
When it comes to luxury accommodation, the Wild Atlantic Way ticks every box from opulent country houses to ancient castles — all repurposed for the best of modern comfort. Ashford Castle and Dromoland Castle have built global reputations for maximum splendour — but are now joined by a host of boutique country houses where the highest of standards is the norm. There’s a style to suit all pockets.
While, admittedly, it may not have the Beach Boys sunny vibe, the surfing options on Donegal’s magnificent beaches are truly world class. With its laid-back atmosphere, Bundoran is the gathering place for beginners and veterans alike — all attracted to the proliferation of outstanding surf, often with nary another soul to break the magic spell. Surfing is one of Ireland’s fastest growing sports — and the beaches of Donegal are becoming a magnet for the world’s best.
