Top Things to do in Wild Atlantic Way
Things to do in Wild Atlantic Way, Wild Atlantic Way: The Best Points of Interest & Landmarks
Discover the best top things to do in Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland including Eask Tower, Glengowla Mines, Knocknarea, Dingle Peninsula, St. Mary's Collegiate Church, Mullaghmore Coast, Ringfinnan Garden of Remembrance, Kilkee Cliff Walk, Cliffs of Moher, University College Cork (UCC).
Restaurants in Wild Atlantic Way
1. Eask Tower
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 255 reviews
Reviewed By macbethLivingston
Unbelievable views of lovely Dingle Bay and sheep to accompany you along the 30-minute climb! Wear washable shoes as you’ll need to clean them with a hose (provided by gate keeper Mary) after walking in sheep droppings!
2. Glengowla Mines
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 426 reviews
Buried beneath the Connemara Mountain lies a way of life long abandoned and almost forgotten just waiting for you to explore! Let the team at Glengowla Mines lead you on a journey of discovery of how lead and silver were mined from the roots of the Connemara Mountains in the 1800’s. The constant dripping of water, the ‘miners breath’ and if you are brave enough - a moment of darkness will set the scene! Delve into the depths of Glengowla mines where you can explore the caverns of marble studded with lead and silver. Follow the veins of copper pyrite which will lead you to the ‘miners gold’ - Galena. Marvel at the rare and beautiful crystals of quartz and fluorite. Learn of the working conditions the miners worked under before the mines closed in 1865. A firm favourite with adults and children alike is to pan for gold and gems at our gold panning station and keep any gems you find! Not only will you enjoy guided tours of the mines,
Reviewed By sarahoR5721WQ
One of the best afternoons spent in Connemara. Great for kids and adults. The staff were all friendly and very patient with my son (and his millions of questions). The Sheepdog display is a must, we loved meeting Jess the sheepdog and watching her herding the sheep to us so we could pet and feed them. The mine tour was great, limited group numbers so not rushed and really interesting with a very knowledgeable and funny guide. We were taught how to pan for gold and even given a little bag to bring our treasure home. A relaxed afternoon in beautiful surroundings to wander around. Great attention to Covid measures, everything we touched was cleaned. I Highly Recommend a visit here!
3. Knocknarea
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 660 reviews
Reviewed By brianf197 - Sligo, Ireland
I always go up the back way so cant say anything about the new walk way. Its a lovely easy climb and the views are class on a nice day
4. Dingle Peninsula
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 821 reviews
Reviewed By pupumann0 - Ballycastle, United Kingdom
Cant believe this is my first review of anything dingle related - it truest must be on everyone’s bucket list - the peninsula is very rugged and rural full of beautiful vistas and landscapes and peppered with ancient ogham stones cairns and clachan! And around every corner a wonderful country pub or eatery ! Go south out of Dingle as road is narrow and mostly people use this clockwise road route ;-) slea head is a highlight look out for off road historic sites We visited the group if ogham ancient stones at Colaiste Ide just outside Dingle town at Ventry ! A true highlight not to be missed is the visit to the blanket island interpretive Centre , amazing design very thought provoking and a place for mindfulness and delicious home made food in their cafe mmm rhubarb crumble :-) Everywhere you drive there are remnants of old so photo opportunities everywhere ! No wonder they filmed Star Wars there ! Just go !
5. St. Mary's Collegiate Church
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 180 reviews
Welcome to 'Voices of St. Mary's Collegiate Church'. We hope you will enjoy exploring our church and discover more about its story in our interactive exhibition when you come to visit! Since its foundation in 1220, St. Mary's Collegiate Church has been at the heart of the town of Youghal. For over 800 years, the stone walls and wooden roof have provided sanctuary and solace through times of war and famine, as well as a calm presence in times of prosperity and peace. There is so much to discover her and as you look around you will see where parts of the church have been altered over the centuries. Despite these changes, the craftsmen who constructed the building in the 13th century would recognise it today. Christian worship continues to this day and Church of Ireland services are regularly held here. The church came into the care of Cork County Council in 2005 and now hosts a wide range of community events and performances, as well as welcoming visitors from all over the world!
Reviewed By Kathleen_White17 - Dublin, Ireland
Really loved our tour of the St Mary Collegiate Church -- our tour guide, Wayne, was very friendly, welcoming and filled with interesting information about the Church and the surrounding areas. Would highly recommend this to anyone interested in Irish history, wanting to spend time in a unique and impressive historical building, and/or wanting to learn some interesting facts about an Irish town that played a big role in history!
6. Mullaghmore Coast
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 175 reviews
Reviewed By JRAsFishBabe
We were staying at Lareen Estate, County Leitrim, just outside of Kinlough, the home of the Drowes Salmon Fishery. This resort offers a great opportunity to fish for spring salmon, grilse and gillaroo trout on the Drowes river and on Lough Melvin. Indeed, the Drowes is one of earliest rivers to open for fishing in Ireland and generally is where the first salmon of the year is caught. Lareen Estate is located on Lough Melvin and is where the Drowes begins its 8 km journey to the sea. The proprietor, Shane Gallagher, offers fully contained cottages which can be rented out as self catering, the fishing rights to the estates waters included, or as part of a package. These well equipped units are all situated very close to the river, giving you easy access to some very productive pools. The river, I believe, leaves the property at the Four Masters Bridge, but there is good access to the seventy named pools, all the way down to the sea pools at Tullaghan Bridge. There is a fishery office and a tackle shop on the estate where you can purchase the necessary fishing permits and also "fill-in" the gaps missing in your tackle. There are also boats available for hire here if you wish to have a go at fishing in Lough Melvin. As you might guess, this is a really beautiful area, the cabins are quite wonderful, and the setting is superb. Shane is a very pleasant, informed host and Lareen Estate is a convenient and affordable place to make as your base, whether for fishing and/or for visiting the area. We were here at the encouragement of our friend, a fellow fishing aficionado, a very good recommendation, John, thanks very much! The chance to come here and perhaps catch a salmon was too good to pass up, and coupled with the opportunity to visit the area, irresistible. We were here primarily to fish, yes, but the wild, beautiful countryside needed to be explored as well! You are situated on a small portion of what is referred to as the Wild Atlantic Way. This is a tourism trail that winds along the Irish coast for 2500 km., stretching from Malin Head in the north down to the Old Head of Kinsale in the south. Situated in Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo, just south of where we were staying, Mullaghmore Coastal drive is a part of the Wild Atlantic Way. Classiebawn Castle is the impressive structure, easily visible, standing atop the peninsula. Built by Lord Palmerston in the late 19th century and owned in later years by the late Lord Mountbatten. There is a sad history associated with this place, this was the unfortunate location where during the Great Famine, over 2000 tenants from Lord Palmerston's estates were evicted, essentially "shovelled out" and shipped overseas to New Brunswick. This was an attempt by the landlord and his agents to make the estate's landholdings more profitable. They arrived in Canada totally destitute and unprepared for the hardships of their new home, dependant upon the charity of the citizens of St. John, New Brunswick. More recently, the waters off the coast were the scene of the assassination of Lord Mountbatten. In August, 1979, he and several others were the victims of a bomb planted in their boat by the IRA. These days it is more known as a holiday destination and in particular for surfers, as one of the world's top' big wave surfing" locations! You are also very close to the town of Belleek, situated just over the border in Northern Ireland. Here you can tour the oldest pottery in Ireland, Belleek Pottery. Baleek Pottery has been producing its fine pottery for over 160 years! We could have stayed longer as there is a lot to see and experience, but we will be back!
7. Ringfinnan Garden of Remembrance
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 122 reviews
This garden is located in the townland of Ringfinnan, Kinsale, County Cork in the south of Ireland and is dedicated to the memory of the 343 firefighters who lost their live in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York. This garden of Remembrance was established by Kathleen Murphy in November 2001. Kathleen grew up in Ringfinnan, Kinsale, County Cork which is located in the south of Ireland. Following her training as a nurse in England she moved to New York where she worked as a staff nurse for 40 years in Lennox Hill Hospital. Kathleen always admired the brave and courageous work of firefighters. Following the 9/11 attacks she decided to establish the garden of remembrance in memory to the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on September 11th 2001. Kathleen passed away in March 2011 in New York following a battle with cancer and is buried less than 2 miles from the garden.
Reviewed By bsa819 - Lynnfield, United States
Worth a stop and a chance to remember. We forget how the entire globe was afftected by the events in the US on 9/11
8. Kilkee Cliff Walk
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 496 reviews
Reviewed By _wilmount - Limerick, Ireland
A delightful walk along the wild Atlantic way, breathtaking scenery and the ocean is majestic, a must do when in Kilkee
9. Cliffs of Moher
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 13,738 reviews
Spectacular cliffs stretching 700 feet over the rugged Atlantic coast is part of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Geopark and is a Special Protected Area for Birds and Wildlife, home to 35 species of birds. The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience operates under an ethos of sustainability, environmental protection and conservation. Safe accessible viewing areas and pathways along the cliff edge appeal to all levels of ability. A short walk to O'Brien's Tower provides an excellent lookout on Ireland's beautiful western shoreline. The Visitor Centre hidden underneath the hillside houses an exhibition, two cafes, gift shop, toilets, first aid centre, information points and baggage store. Admission includes access to all areas, map and secure parking. The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience is a signature point on the Wild Atlantic Way.
Reviewed By NicolaS4264
I stayed in doolin and decided to catch the public bus from there (€3.30) up the visitor centre (didnt do the tourist bus that costs €8 and stops further along the cliffs). I actually got off the bus about 500 m from the visitor centre and the traffic was at a standstill. It was free to visit the cliffs and I then walked the cliff walk back to doolin (this took me 2 hrs). Stunning. I wanted to go in the morning but there was thick fog, so after taking local advise I went up at 3pm once the fog had burned off. Great pics and the sun was good on the cliffs (you get amazing views away from the visitor centre area as well so worth walking further around).
10. University College Cork (UCC)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 938 reviews
University College Cork is one of Ireland’s most prestigious universities. It boasts a vibrant, modern campus with a student experience second to none in Ireland. A learning community where the student is at the heart of everything and the special relationship between student and lecturer is primary to our unique ethos. The campus is located a mere ten minutes walk from the heart of Cork city, a former European Capital of Culture. Cork is listed as a top ten location in the Lonely Planet guide which states it “has always had an unshakeable self-confidence and innate sense of pride”, a description which is equally applicable to the University itself
Reviewed By L7349ADroberto - Green Bay, United States
For the past five years, I've lead a study abroad program in Ireland that involved living and studying at UCC for a week. The summer accommodations on campus are open to the public and are an easy walk to downtown. The Student Center is open Mondays thru Fridays during the summer offering an affordable and pleasant place for breakfast and lunch. We always start our week by taking the campus walking tour provides a good overview of the college and its unique history.
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