Wild Atlantic Way facts for kids

View of Skellig Michael, off the coast of south County Kerry

The Wild Atlantic Way (Irish: Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin) is a tourism trail on the west coast, and on parts of the north and south coasts, of Ireland. The 2,500 km (1,553 mile) driving route passes through nine counties and three provinces, stretching from County Donegal's Inishowen Peninsula in Ulster to Kinsale, County Cork, in Munster, on the Celtic Sea coast.

The route is broken down into five sections:

• County Donegal
• County Donegal to County Mayo
• County Mayo to County Clare
• County Clare to County Kerry
• County Kerry to County Cork

Along the route there are 157 discovery points, 1,000 attractions and more than 2,500 activities. The route was officially launched in 2014 by Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, T.D.

Key points of interest

The North West - Counties Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo

Slieve League, on the south-west coast of County Donegal in Ulster

• Malin Head, Ireland’s most northerly point
• Lough Foyle
• Lough Swilly
• Isle of Doagh
• Carrickabraghy Castle
• Fort Dunree
• Buncrana
• Grianán of Aileach (Greenan Fort)
• Ramelton
• Rathmullan
• Fanad
• Rosguill
• Doe Castle
• Derryveagh Mountains
• Horn Head
• Tory Island
• Árainn Mhór (Arranmore Island)
• Gaoth Dobhair
• The Rosses
• Errigal
• Malin Beg beach
• Slieve League cliffs
• Blue Stack Mountains
• Donegal Town
• Bundoran - popular with surfers
• Tullaghan
• Mullaghmore Head
• Spanish Armada shipwrecks at Streedagh Beach
• Rosses Point Peninsula
• Aughris
• Easky
• Enniscrone

The West - Counties Mayo and Galway

Sheep in a paddock by the Great Western Greenway near Mulranny. November 2014

• The Céide Fields
• The Mullet Peninsula
• Achill Island
• Clew Bay
• Croagh Patrick
• Clare Island
• Inishturk - accessible by ferry from Louisburgh, County Mayo
• Doolough
• Killary Harbour
• Connemara
• Clifden
• Inishbofin - accessible by ferry from Cleggan, County Galway
• Oileáin Árann (Aran Islands) - accessible by ferry from Inverin County Galway and Doolin County Clare, and by plane from Connemara Airport Rossaveal County Galway.
• Salthill

The Mid West - Counties Clare and Limerick

• The Burren
• The Cliffs of Moher and the Doolin Cliff Walk
• Loop Head
• The Shannon Estuary and the Shannon dolphins

The South West - Counties Kerry and Cork

Cliffs in West County Kerry

• Allihies and the Allihies Copper Mine Museum on the Beara Peninsula
• Bere Island
• Cape Clear

• Caherdaniel

• Derrynane beach
• Garnish Island in Glengarriff
• The ruined cottages of Great Blasket Island and Blasket Centre in Dunquin
• Dingle, Ireland’s largest Gaeltacht town
• Rossbeigh beach
• The Skellig Experience Visitor Centre
• Dursey Island - Accessible by Ireland’s only cable car - is one of 7 inhabited West Cork islands and is located at the end of the Beara Peninsula

• Heir Island

• Long Island
• Sheep's Head - One of the European Destinations of Excellence for sustainable tourism, the Sheep's Head peninsula is home to the Sheep's Head Way walking and cycling routes.
• Mizen Head - Ireland's southernmost point, with views of Fastnet Rock and Lighthouse
• Kinsale

• Whiddy Island and Whiddy Island view on R572 road

See also

In Spanish: Wild Atlantic Way para niños