Connemara Driving Route Suggestions
Jul 12th, 2010, 04:12 AM
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Connemara Driving Route Suggestions
We will be in Galway at the end of September and want to drive around Connemara. I would love to get suggestions of which route to take. We will be staying at a B&B in Salthill, want to see Kylemore Abbey, Connemara Marble factory, Connemara National Park, Avoca Wollen Mill in Letterfrack, Ashford Castle (?). I have made reservations at Buttlermilk Lodge in Clifden for one night so we don't have to drive all Connemara in one day. Most routes I have looked at, Rick Steve's included, take us all the way up to Westport but I am not sure we need to go that far north. Please let me know your recommendations. THANKS!
Jul 12th, 2010, 02:12 PM
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With two days at your disposal, I would suggest the following route:
Make Cong your first stop on your drive out to Clifden. Park in the church car park and explore the old abbey. If you cross the bridge into Cong Wood, take a left and with luck you will end up in the grounds of Ashford Castle. Pedestrians are not particularly welcome at the front entrance but there is access from the wood (more detailed info if required...)
Leave Cong in the direction of Clonbur, but take a right as you enter the village and head for Finny. You are going a little off the beaten track here but it is worth it to see Lough Nafooey. When the lake has appeared to your left, you will come to a junction -go left, basically driving around three sides of the lake before climbing to eventually come to the Leenane road (right turn).
The Leenane to Clifden road gives you Killary Harbour (Ireland's only fjord), Kylemore Abbey and Letterfrack.
If you like a spot of walking (uphill), the Diamond Hill walk in the Connemara National Park is very doable and nice views from the top.
Another side trip would be afternoon tea in Renvyle House Hotel, out past Tully Cross (a right turn off the Clifden road).
Coming back from Clifden, against all my better instincts,
I would head off in the same direction (you can't get tired of seeing Kylemore Abbey from across the lake) taking a right just beyond it to see the Inagh Valley. Emerging at Recess on the main Clifden-Galway road, take a right travelling a short distance back towards Clifden but then taking a left to the village of Roundstone. The village has a good pub for a bowl of chowder but first drive on through to reach Dogs Bay beach, to ensure you have the desired appetite worked up.
Your route from Roundstone back to Galway will be dictated by time. You can 1. return to the main road and proceed straight to Galway via
Oughterard.
2. return to the main road but take a right at Maam Cross and take in Rossaveal, Spiddal and Barna on the way back.
3. do the full coastal route by turning right for Cashel before reaching the main road and then proceeding to Carna and places beyond until you reach Rossaveal. This requires stamina on the part of the driver!
Make Cong your first stop on your drive out to Clifden. Park in the church car park and explore the old abbey. If you cross the bridge into Cong Wood, take a left and with luck you will end up in the grounds of Ashford Castle. Pedestrians are not particularly welcome at the front entrance but there is access from the wood (more detailed info if required...)
Leave Cong in the direction of Clonbur, but take a right as you enter the village and head for Finny. You are going a little off the beaten track here but it is worth it to see Lough Nafooey. When the lake has appeared to your left, you will come to a junction -go left, basically driving around three sides of the lake before climbing to eventually come to the Leenane road (right turn).
The Leenane to Clifden road gives you Killary Harbour (Ireland's only fjord), Kylemore Abbey and Letterfrack.
If you like a spot of walking (uphill), the Diamond Hill walk in the Connemara National Park is very doable and nice views from the top.
Another side trip would be afternoon tea in Renvyle House Hotel, out past Tully Cross (a right turn off the Clifden road).
Coming back from Clifden, against all my better instincts,
I would head off in the same direction (you can't get tired of seeing Kylemore Abbey from across the lake) taking a right just beyond it to see the Inagh Valley. Emerging at Recess on the main Clifden-Galway road, take a right travelling a short distance back towards Clifden but then taking a left to the village of Roundstone. The village has a good pub for a bowl of chowder but first drive on through to reach Dogs Bay beach, to ensure you have the desired appetite worked up.
Your route from Roundstone back to Galway will be dictated by time. You can 1. return to the main road and proceed straight to Galway via
Oughterard.
2. return to the main road but take a right at Maam Cross and take in Rossaveal, Spiddal and Barna on the way back.
3. do the full coastal route by turning right for Cashel before reaching the main road and then proceeding to Carna and places beyond until you reach Rossaveal. This requires stamina on the part of the driver!
Jul 12th, 2010, 04:51 PM
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Sorry, I'm not giving a solution, but some comments on SeeDee's suggestions.
Agree about Cong. Personally, I think the abbey and the woodland walk are worth more than the view of Ashford Castle (they won't want you to drop in).
Personally, I think you can have too much of Kylemore Abbey! See it once, and it's done.
The Inagh Valley is the route problem. It does not fit naturally into either day 1 or day 2, yet it would be a great pity not to visit it.
The drive along by Lough Nafooey is beautiful, but might not suit people who are uncomfortable on narrow roads.
I think some roads work better in one direction than the other. For example, I think it is better to go from Clifden towards Letterfrack, Kylemore, and Leenane than to travel that road in the other direction. Similarly, I like the journey from Roundstone to Recess better than that from Recess to Roundstone.
Yes to the circuit around Cashel and Carna (I was there just a couple of weeks ago), but I am less sure that Rossaveal and the coast road back to Galway is worth the effort. From Carna you can continue to Kilkieran, Screeb, Maam Cross, and into Galway on the N59.
Other ideas: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ra-weekend.cfm
Staying in Clifden might actually be limiting your options too much.
Agree about Cong. Personally, I think the abbey and the woodland walk are worth more than the view of Ashford Castle (they won't want you to drop in).
Personally, I think you can have too much of Kylemore Abbey! See it once, and it's done.
The Inagh Valley is the route problem. It does not fit naturally into either day 1 or day 2, yet it would be a great pity not to visit it.
The drive along by Lough Nafooey is beautiful, but might not suit people who are uncomfortable on narrow roads.
I think some roads work better in one direction than the other. For example, I think it is better to go from Clifden towards Letterfrack, Kylemore, and Leenane than to travel that road in the other direction. Similarly, I like the journey from Roundstone to Recess better than that from Recess to Roundstone.
Yes to the circuit around Cashel and Carna (I was there just a couple of weeks ago), but I am less sure that Rossaveal and the coast road back to Galway is worth the effort. From Carna you can continue to Kilkieran, Screeb, Maam Cross, and into Galway on the N59.
Other ideas: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ra-weekend.cfm
Staying in Clifden might actually be limiting your options too much.
