After a brisk, invigorating early morning shower at our B&B in Clifden our hostess informed me too late that there'd be no hot water until the afternoon. After the car was loaded we drove into the northern Connemara, again finding the Twelve Bens and beautiful weather accompanying us. Snaking our way further north through the rugged terrain toward Sligo, our path soon took us past Kylemore Abbey. The Abbey once again proved to be a worthy photo stop as well as an opportunity to stretch our legs before heading toward the far end of County Galway. Breaking from the main road after we passed Leanaun, we briefly stopped to see Ashleagh Falls before continuing to County Mayo. Following the scenic trek through the rugged Sheeffery Hills, we admired the many serene loughs that dotted the road toward Louisburgh.
After driving through Louisburgh, we are amazed by the beauty of Clew Bay as we follow County Mayo's coast. Arriving at Croagh Patrick in late morning we forego the opportunity to climb the mountain where Saint Patrick fasted for 40 days and drove the snakes out of Ireland, and chose instead to watch pilgrims start their ascent as we admired the idyllic scenery. Loading ourselves back into the car we continued our journey along Clew Bay to the quaint town of Westport. Westport, being one of the few planned towns in Ireland, was commissioned by Lord Sligo and designed by John Wyatt in 1780 and proved a charming stop. Among the picturesque features of the town are it's tree lined, flower decorated, promenade and several stone bridges over the River Carrow. We found a quiet bistro and ate lunch before exploring the town further and returning to the car.
Back on the road we then made a brief stop in Newport before continuing our circumnavigation of Clew Bay. Eventually arriving at the Achill Islands were we discovered a plume of smoke, possibly peat, originating in the town of Sraheens. After a failed attempt to locate the smoke's source we continued our tour of the Achill Islands. Spying across the bay toward our earlier path on the opposite shore, we observed Croagh Patrick and commented on how well the weather was treating us. The local sheep seemed to barely mind us as we watched them go about their business of the day, which I suppose consisted mainly of eating, growing wool and procreating along this picturesque shore.
As the afternoon was turning late we made a dash across County Mayo's heartland into County Sligo as the weather took a turn for the worse. We were pelted by rain as we made our way toward Sligo Town but the sun made a surprise appearance as we neared our hotel. Once settled at our room we made our way to the city streets in search of dinner. Sunday evening in Sligo found the town subdued and disappointingly empty. Tracing the river's path, we found one of the few restaurants still accepting customers, which offered Italian cuisine and we settled in for a hearty meal. After dinner we explored the town, first following the river then making our way into the more densely developed part of Sligo, eventually finding the ruins of Sligo Abbey. Although closed, our views of the Abbey were remarkable and we were able to see most of the ruins unobstructed. We then made our way back to our room to rest for the upcoming trip to County Donegal and soon found fitful sleep.
To see the rest of the pictures go HERE.
After driving through Louisburgh, we are amazed by the beauty of Clew Bay as we follow County Mayo's coast. Arriving at Croagh Patrick in late morning we forego the opportunity to climb the mountain where Saint Patrick fasted for 40 days and drove the snakes out of Ireland, and chose instead to watch pilgrims start their ascent as we admired the idyllic scenery. Loading ourselves back into the car we continued our journey along Clew Bay to the quaint town of Westport. Westport, being one of the few planned towns in Ireland, was commissioned by Lord Sligo and designed by John Wyatt in 1780 and proved a charming stop. Among the picturesque features of the town are it's tree lined, flower decorated, promenade and several stone bridges over the River Carrow. We found a quiet bistro and ate lunch before exploring the town further and returning to the car.
Back on the road we then made a brief stop in Newport before continuing our circumnavigation of Clew Bay. Eventually arriving at the Achill Islands were we discovered a plume of smoke, possibly peat, originating in the town of Sraheens. After a failed attempt to locate the smoke's source we continued our tour of the Achill Islands. Spying across the bay toward our earlier path on the opposite shore, we observed Croagh Patrick and commented on how well the weather was treating us. The local sheep seemed to barely mind us as we watched them go about their business of the day, which I suppose consisted mainly of eating, growing wool and procreating along this picturesque shore.
As the afternoon was turning late we made a dash across County Mayo's heartland into County Sligo as the weather took a turn for the worse. We were pelted by rain as we made our way toward Sligo Town but the sun made a surprise appearance as we neared our hotel. Once settled at our room we made our way to the city streets in search of dinner. Sunday evening in Sligo found the town subdued and disappointingly empty. Tracing the river's path, we found one of the few restaurants still accepting customers, which offered Italian cuisine and we settled in for a hearty meal. After dinner we explored the town, first following the river then making our way into the more densely developed part of Sligo, eventually finding the ruins of Sligo Abbey. Although closed, our views of the Abbey were remarkable and we were able to see most of the ruins unobstructed. We then made our way back to our room to rest for the upcoming trip to County Donegal and soon found fitful sleep.
To see the rest of the pictures go HERE.
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