Is the Wild Atlantic Way a 'proper' driver's route?
Discussion
My son and I have driven a lot of Scotland in my Aston Martin Vantage over the last couple of years and we've thoroughly enjoyed the vast majority of it. We're not massively into great food, distilleries, tourist hotspots, etc. We'll happily stop for photos of dramatic cliff-edges and precarious castles, big waterfalls and huge mountains, but mostly, we just like a great drive on epic roads with amazing scenery. Roads don't all have to be fast and open - we quite enjoyed some of the single-track stuff in Scotland last October, especially Kylesku to Lairg and back up to Tongue.
I'm pretty sure we could do Scotland several more times and still discover amazing roads, but I think we've done all the really good mainland stuff around the West coast, so we're looking for something new.
We were discussing a euro road trip, but then I thought about Ireland and the Wild Atlantic way. Clearly, there's less of a language barrier than Europe (just about...) and they drive on the correct side of the road.
So - are the roads in Ireland as good as the West side of Scotland, or is it much more of a tourist route? Do the Irish do potholes as well as the Scots? (who appear to have become quite the experts...).
Is there a preferred direction of travel? NC500 is better anti-clockwise.
From a cursory look at Google maps, we'd be looking to spend about 6-8 days on the road, including getting there and back from the Midlands. We'd probably do a circular route, ferry landing in Belfast, doing the route, then back to Dublin and the ferry to Holyhead (or the opposite direction if its better...)
I've done quite a bit of searching in this forum but found very little feedback. Suggestions welcome, especially from anyone that's done it as a driving holiday.
I'm pretty sure we could do Scotland several more times and still discover amazing roads, but I think we've done all the really good mainland stuff around the West coast, so we're looking for something new.
We were discussing a euro road trip, but then I thought about Ireland and the Wild Atlantic way. Clearly, there's less of a language barrier than Europe (just about...) and they drive on the correct side of the road.
So - are the roads in Ireland as good as the West side of Scotland, or is it much more of a tourist route? Do the Irish do potholes as well as the Scots? (who appear to have become quite the experts...).
Is there a preferred direction of travel? NC500 is better anti-clockwise.
From a cursory look at Google maps, we'd be looking to spend about 6-8 days on the road, including getting there and back from the Midlands. We'd probably do a circular route, ferry landing in Belfast, doing the route, then back to Dublin and the ferry to Holyhead (or the opposite direction if its better...)
I've done quite a bit of searching in this forum but found very little feedback. Suggestions welcome, especially from anyone that's done it as a driving holiday.
We did it last year for a week. Flew into Belfast and borrowed a new Cayenne Hybrid from a dealer friend of mine. Went over to Donegal via Draperstown which was a nice drive across the Sperrin AONB.
The highlights were then as follows. We followed an agenda from a friend in belfast we could do in the time we had so we followed the below route if you put it into google it would show you the loop we took.
Had a lovely relaxing week.
Murvagh Breah
Rossnowlagh
Bundoran
Glencar Lough
Glencar waterfall
Westport
Doo Lough - stunning
Leenane - lovely stay by the lake here
Kylemore Abbey
Dogs Bay beach - well worth it, beautiful water colour.
Roundstone bay
The highlights were then as follows. We followed an agenda from a friend in belfast we could do in the time we had so we followed the below route if you put it into google it would show you the loop we took.
Had a lovely relaxing week.
Murvagh Breah
Rossnowlagh
Bundoran
Glencar Lough
Glencar waterfall
Westport
Doo Lough - stunning
Leenane - lovely stay by the lake here
Kylemore Abbey
Dogs Bay beach - well worth it, beautiful water colour.
Roundstone bay
I drove round south and southwest of Ireland, lots on the Wild Atlantic Way.
Mixed for driving: some of the roads are very crowded (Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula), lots are very rough in places (wobbly tarmac as opposed to the potholes of the UK), and even more are tiny singletrack roads. I did enjoy it, but I enjoyed more of the exploring, hillwalks, beachers and people we met on the way. IMO, there were all sorts that was interesting as a drive, but it is busy...
But I say the same as the NC500 - the actual route is a marketing ploy and as a drive it is OK but nothing more. It is made fantastic by the natural environment and people you meet along the way, which so many focussed on driving barely encounter.
I am off to do NW section this summer, from Derry to Galway, and that is meant to be quieter.
Mixed for driving: some of the roads are very crowded (Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula), lots are very rough in places (wobbly tarmac as opposed to the potholes of the UK), and even more are tiny singletrack roads. I did enjoy it, but I enjoyed more of the exploring, hillwalks, beachers and people we met on the way. IMO, there were all sorts that was interesting as a drive, but it is busy...
But I say the same as the NC500 - the actual route is a marketing ploy and as a drive it is OK but nothing more. It is made fantastic by the natural environment and people you meet along the way, which so many focussed on driving barely encounter.
I am off to do NW section this summer, from Derry to Galway, and that is meant to be quieter.
My in-laws (sadly now departed) hailed from the Fanad peninsular in Co Donegal, so we go over there every few years to see the extended family.
We have seen the (slow, low-key) growth in the popularity of the WAW over the last decade. I'd say that it is tourism being pushed with a small 't', part of the beauty of that part of the world is that it is not rammed with tourists, I think they have the balance just about right.
Roads are generally decent condition, but don't expect sweeping high speed alpine passes. It's very much like the NC500.
I'm assuming you have seen this website? https://www.ireland.com/en-gb/destinations/experie...
The Cliffs of Moher are indeed spectacular, well worth a visit. Locally to where we stay is the lovely port town/village of Portsalon and Fanad Head with its lighthouse.
It's a lovely place when not tipping it down!
We have seen the (slow, low-key) growth in the popularity of the WAW over the last decade. I'd say that it is tourism being pushed with a small 't', part of the beauty of that part of the world is that it is not rammed with tourists, I think they have the balance just about right.
Roads are generally decent condition, but don't expect sweeping high speed alpine passes. It's very much like the NC500.
I'm assuming you have seen this website? https://www.ireland.com/en-gb/destinations/experie...
The Cliffs of Moher are indeed spectacular, well worth a visit. Locally to where we stay is the lovely port town/village of Portsalon and Fanad Head with its lighthouse.
It's a lovely place when not tipping it down!
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