Till Mueller
fd17e800d1
- Belfast: star Black Cab Tour as a highlight with stronger description - WAW overview: add east coast extension note (Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow) - Dublin: add Newgrange day trip option (County Meath, 45min from Dublin)
5.6 KiB
Wild Atlantic Way — Overview
Type: Long-distance scenic drive + hiking route Total length: ~2,500 km (full route) Direction: North to south (Donegal → Kerry) Best for: Driving, coastal scenery, day hikes, cliffs, peninsulas, Gaeltacht culture
What Is It
The Wild Atlantic Way is a signed coastal route along Ireland's entire west coast — the world's longest defined coastal route. The west coast is the windward side of Ireland: constantly changing light, dramatic cliffs, remote peninsulas, and Irish-speaking (Gaeltacht) communities.
Rough Timeline: Aug 10 → Aug 30
Deadline: Dublin by Aug 29 evening (buffer day before Aug 30 game).
| Dates | Base | Nights | Drive from prev. | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 10 | Belfast | 2 | — (ferry arrival) | Titanic; Causeway Coast day trip |
| Aug 12 | drive only | — | 2h 45min / 155km | Belfast → Donegal Town |
| Aug 12–13 | Donegal Town | 2 | — | Slieve League, Glenveagh day trips |
| Aug 14 | drive only | — | 1h 45min / 90km | Donegal → Sligo |
| Aug 14–15 | Sligo | 2 | — | Benbulben, Strandhill, Carrowmore |
| Aug 16 | drive only | — | 2h / 105km | Sligo → Westport |
| Aug 16–18 | Westport | 3 | — | Achill Island, Croagh Patrick |
| Aug 19 | drive only | — | 1h 30min / 75km | Westport → Clifden |
| Aug 19–20 | Clifden | 2 | — | Sky Road, Connemara NP |
| Aug 21 | drive only | — | 1h 20min / 70km | Clifden → Galway |
| Aug 21–23 | Galway | 3 | — | City; Aran Islands day trip; Clare as day trip (Cliffs of Moher + Doolin, 1h 25min / 75km each way) |
| Aug 24 | drive only | — | 2h 40min / 140km | Galway → Dingle |
| Aug 24–25 | Dingle | 2 | — | Slea Head Drive; Skellig boat or Ring of Kerry |
| Aug 26 | drive only | — | 1h 30min / 55km | Dingle → Killarney |
| Aug 26–27 | Killarney | 2 | — | National Park; Ring of Kerry if not done from Dingle |
| Aug 28 | drive only | — | 1h 30min / 85km | Killarney → Cork |
| Aug 28 | Cork | 1 | — | English Market; evening in the city |
| Aug 29 | drive to Dublin | — | 2h 45min / 260km | Cork → Dublin; arrive afternoon |
| Aug 29 | Dublin | 1 | — | Settle, explore |
| Aug 30 | Aviva Stadium | — | — | 🏈 College Football |
Why this structure works
- Longer stays — Westport (3 nights) and Galway (3 nights) are the anchors; everything else is 2 nights minimum
- Clare as a Galway day trip — Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher are 75km from Galway (1h 25min each way). No need to move accommodation for 2 nights — do it in a day from Galway, leave early, beat the Cliffs crowds
- Dingle + Killarney split — Kerry is split across two bases so neither feels rushed; Skellig boats leave from Portmagee (45min from Killarney or Dingle)
- Cork 1 night — just enough for the English Market morning and an evening in the city; Kinsale becomes a day trip from Killarney on day 2 instead (40min drive), or skip it
- No nights under 1 — every stop has at least 1 proper night; most have 2+
What gets cut vs. the longer version
- Donegal: Malin Head skipped (add a day if you have it)
- Connemara: Inishbofin island ferry skipped
- Clare: no overnight in Doolin — do it as a long day from Galway
- Cork: Kinsale day trip either moved to a Killarney detour or dropped
Optional east coast extension (Cork → Dublin via coast)
If you have an extra day or two, the route Cork → Dublin via the east coast is worth considering: Waterford (Viking city, crystal heritage), Wexford (medieval town, good beaches), and the Wicklow Mountains (Glendalough monastic valley, the "Garden of Ireland"). The east coast is gentler and greener than the west — a nice contrast after the Atlantic. Currently not in the itinerary as there's no room, but if you shave a day elsewhere this is the extension to add.
EV Strategy Summary
| Section | Situation |
|---|---|
| Donegal | Sparse — worst section. Base in Donegal Town for day trips. |
| Sligo | Reasonable. Sligo town has fast chargers. |
| Mayo | Patchy. Charge fully in Westport before Achill. |
| Connemara | Gap: Clifden ↔ Westport (~90km coast road, no charger mid-route). |
| Galway | Good. Tesla SC + ESB rapids. Full recharge stop. |
| Clare | Reasonable. Charge in Ennis before Cliffs of Moher. |
| Kerry | Good in towns. Full battery before Ring of Kerry circuit. |
See individual section files for detailed charger locations.
Practical Notes
- Getting around: Drive between sections; park up and walk or take short day hikes at each stop
- Bike rental: Available in Galway, Westport, Clifden, Killarney, and Dingle for day rides — worthwhile on Achill Island and Inis Mór where roads are quiet and flat-ish
- Hiking gear: Bring trail runners or light boots — Croagh Patrick, Slieve League, and Diamond Hill all reward a proper walk
- Weather: August is best but pack waterproofs — Atlantic squalls arrive without warning
- Food: Never more than 20km from a pub serving hot food. Pubs stop food service around 9pm.
- Gaeltacht: Connemara, north Mayo coast, and Donegal are Irish-speaking. Signs are Irish-first. Any attempt at Irish is met with delight.
- Workation bases: Galway and Dublin are the best for heavy work days. Westport, Killarney, and Dingle for lighter days.