The Wild Atlantic Way & Antrim Coast - Ireland

[Flashman]

I can highly recommend a route several of us did last year up the west coast of Ireland and along the Antrim Causeway Coast. Amazing scenery, smooth roads with little traffic and a great craic to boot. It can be done relatively cheaply with the only the weather as a possible downside.

We took the Holyhead - Dublin ferry and rode to Brandon Bay via Dingle and the Connor Pass (not to be missed). We stayed here on the first night (Mount Brandon Hostel, Cloghane Village, Cloghane, Co. Kerry, Ireland) fairly cheaply with plenty of off road parking and a couple of excellent village pub/restaurants.

The following day we rode the Wild Atlantic Way which is clearly signposted. The EU have thrown lots of money at Ireland for road improvements and it hasn't gone to waste on the west coast. Our second night was spent in Westport (The Helm Apartments, The Quay, Westport, Co. Mayo, Ireland) where we enjoyed some excellent hospitality and fantastic live music.

The next day we continued our west coast route and rode to Londonderry, then on along the north Ireland coast to Ballintoy where we stayed for our final night (Hostel at 42A Main St, Ballintoy, Ballycastle, Moyle BT54 6LX).
Again some beautiful scenery was passed & enjoyed.

The final route back to Dublin was along the Antrim Causeway Coast (another fantastic road) to Belfast then followed the east coast to Strangford Lough where we took the short ferry ride from Portaferry to Strangford. From there we took the scenic route back to Dublin ferry port for the ferry home.

A brilliant trip which we were lucky enough to enjoy in the sunshine.

[eyore]

You really need five days to do it justice from Donegal to Cork or t'other way buy yes its brilliant. I took a group from a Triumph forum on it in 2014 and they had a ball.
Some pics from that trip

[andy griff]

That is nothing short of SPECTACULAR. That has given me an idea for a trip next year. Never done Ireland and now I want to.


Pardon me, but I was always told you needed a GS for the bumpy roads !

[slparry]

Don't suppose anyone has any Garmin routes?

[eyore]

Don't suppose anyone has any Garmin routes?

No,but......... http://www.wildatlanticway.com/trip-pla ... 9.924219|7

[slparry]

Don't suppose anyone has any Garmin routes?

No,but......... http://www.wildatlanticway.com/trip-pla ... 9.924219|7

Ta for that Kim, I've been looking at alternatives to Scotland and that may be a plan for 2017, next years Scottish trip is already in hand

Any particular routes you'd say "HAVE" to be done?

[bobtail]

Reckon I'd be up for that Steve.

Never 'done' Ireland except for a wedding in Belfast in darkest, snowy January so it would be good to see some more of it.

Bob

[slparry]

Reckon I'd be up for that Steve.

Never 'done' Ireland except for a wedding in Belfast in darkest, snowy January so it would be good to see some more of it.

Bob

Cool! Be a bit more of a challenge planning than the annual tour of Scotland as basically most roads north of Loch Lomond are fantastic and empty but it's one I'd like to plan out. Would be 5 or 6 days perhaps riding down to Fishguard and following the coast around to the north then back across via either Stranraer and loop to home

[eyore]

Personally I'd suggest crossing to Stranraer as you suggest Steve, ride the North Coast, calling to Giants Causeway,Bushmills Distillery and a oilgrimage to Ballymoney to Joeys Bar ,then start the WAW up at the top of Donegal. A lot of it is secondary roads so 200/220 miles a day is quite a lot, especially allowing
for photo stops, pit stops and cake stops . There are plenty of B&Bs which can be got for about €50 per night, lots of campsites for those who like that sort of thing.If you look at the mroute map you will see there are a lot of loops out to some of the sticky outy bits which take time and may be cut out if time is tight,but I'd strongly advise you to try and do the entire coast. The reason being the scenery ,roads and feel change dramatically all the way down . Having said that, anyone could bail out at either Galway or Clare and hit the motorway back to Dublin. Anyway of you get as far as Cork you have the option of motorway to Dubli for Holyhead ferry or Rosslare for Pembroke ferry.

If you do come over I'l join you for a few days. Free camping and Barbie at my place in Killimer ,near Kilrush where the ferry crosses the Shannon to Tarbert in Kerry.

[slparry]

Personally I'd suggest crossing to Stranraer as you suggest Steve, ride the North Coast, calling to Giants Causeway,Bushmills Distillery and a oilgrimage to Ballymoney to Joeys Bar ,then start the WAW up at the top of Donegal. A lot of it is secondary roads so 200/220 miles a day is quite a lot, especially allowing
for photo stops, pit stops and cake stops . There are plenty of B&Bs which can be got for about €50 per night, lots of campsites for those who like that sort of thing.If you look at the mroute map you will see there are a lot of loops out to some of the sticky outy bits which take time and may be cut out if time is tight,but I'd strongly advise you to try and do the entire coast. The reason being the scenery ,roads and feel change dramatically all the way down . Having said that, anyone could bail out at either Galway or Clare and hit the motorway back to Dublin. Anyway of you get as far as Cork you have the option of motorway to Dubli for Holyhead ferry or Rosslare for Pembroke ferry.

If you do come over I'l join you for a few days. Free camping and Barbie at my place in Killimer ,near Kilrush where the ferry crosses the Shannon to Tarbert in Kerry.

Cool! Although I'd have to crib on the camping, I may have a GS but I prefer a hotel nowadays

[eyore]

Personally I'd suggest crossing to Stranraer as you suggest Steve, ride the North Coast, calling to Giants Causeway,Bushmills Distillery and a oilgrimage to Ballymoney to Joeys Bar ,then start the WAW up at the top of Donegal. A lot of it is secondary roads so 200/220 miles a day is quite a lot, especially allowing
for photo stops, pit stops and cake stops . There are plenty of B&Bs which can be got for about €50 per night, lots of campsites for those who like that sort of thing.If you look at the mroute map you will see there are a lot of loops out to some of the sticky outy bits which take time and may be cut out if time is tight,but I'd strongly advise you to try and do the entire coast. The reason being the scenery ,roads and feel change dramatically all the way down . Having said that, anyone could bail out at either Galway or Clare and hit the motorway back to Dublin. Anyway of you get as far as Cork you have the option of motorway to Dubli for Holyhead ferry or Rosslare for Pembroke ferry.

If you do come over I'l join you for a few days. Free camping and Barbie at my place in Killimer ,near Kilrush where the ferry crosses the Shannon to Tarbert in Kerry.

Cool! Although I'd have to crib on the camping, I may have a GS but I prefer a hotel nowadays

Me too

[bobtail]

And me. I stopped tenting a long time ago when I realised it didn't cost all that much more to stay in an Auberge than camping!

Bob

[slparry]

And me. I stopped tenting a long time ago when I realised it didn't cost all that much more to stay in an Auberge than camping!

Bob

and auberges have ensuite toilets, and I don't have to assemble, and disassemble, my room each time I want to use it

A bike, compared to a car, is by nature less comfortable, if I've spent a long day in the saddle the least I want is a bar, restaurant and a comfortable ensuite room

[nab 301]

I must do the whole route myself sometime , I've done sections of it over the years before it got a name.
Great if you get the weather , can be miserable if not.

[slparry]

I must do the whole route myself sometime , I've done sections of it over the years before it got a name.
Great if you get the weather , can be miserable if not.

a wet day on the bike is still better than a sunny day in the office