I plan to drive through a limited area of Connemara one day in mid-September. I'll make stops along the way, but to help me plan my trip, can someone give me the approximate driving time,without stops, of the following loop:

Galway-Oughterard-Maam Cross-Leenane-Kylemore Abbey-Recess-Maam Cross-Oughterard-Galway

If I were to add a quick jaunt up to Cong, how much extra time would that add to my drive?

Try www.aaroadwatch.ie.

Thanks for the wesite referral....it is great. I'm now using it to also check driving times elsewhere in Europe. It works very well for Italy. What a fun travel-planning tool.

Now to add to your consternation....

At Leenane, consider a detour through Delphi to Louisberg to Westport. The Delphi - Louisberg leg takes you past Doo Lough and the Famine Memorial to the "Irish Trail of Tears". Incredibly scenic. Westport is home to Matt Molloy's (one of the Chieftans) and definetly worth a stop, just for the memorabillia.

I will second that suggestion. We took the "scenic route" from Leenane to Louisburg and it still is one of the most memorable parts of my last trip. I was very moved driving that route where all those poor people died. From what I have read, the Delphi Lodge, which is an old lodge still in use not to be mistaken from the Spa), is where the people walked to from Louisburg to plead for food. Note it (on your left) when driving and you will be amazed at the distance from there to Louisburg. It is difficult to try to imagine all that happened.

Marthag: We visit the area every year. I have driving tours I can send you if you send me a note to [email protected].

Absolutely recommend the Leenane-Louiseberg-Westport drive.

Thanks to all of you for recommending the detour to Westport. I just finished reading about the area and I will definitely add it to the day's route. You folks are the best!

All that said marthag, it will make for a pretty full day if you do much stopping, and that will be hard not to do. You could easily spend a good part of the day wandering around Westport. Just try to keep that in mind.

Bill

Connemara and Westport are the places I tend to go to for a weekend away from Dublin.

Leenane is beautiful and make sure to see the waterfalls. Maam cross is hysterical (Funny!) stop at the hotel (You can't miss it there is nothing else around!) go into the gift shop and have a look at the quiet man "scene" which is a bunch of mannequins dressed in a scene from the quiet man. It is the worst thing I have seen as a tourist site but we always stop on the way here for the craic. What they were thinking is beyond me!

I never stayed in Oughtergard but we bring sandwiches if we stop in Galway and there is a lovely park area with a river when you initially reach the town coming from Galway. Stop here and have a rest its really pretty.

Clifton is a great village to stay in and you can get accommodation at any price range

Kylemore Abbey - The Abbey itself is not much of a tour inside but beautiful views ourside but if you like gardening go see the Victorian Gardens. I really was impressed how they brought it back after so many years being derelict.

Do go to Westport if you have a chance its a lovely town. Matt Molloys is good for music on the weekends but there is not always traditional music and there are a few ejits that are always there chatting up the tourists telling the same stories for attention. One guy always makes an attemt to talk you up and leaves if a. you are Irish and b. if you have a partner. Its funny. There is another really fun pub across the street from Molloys and I forget the name but the front is a shop and the back is a pub and in the evening you can sit anywhere and I usually end up next to a box of cornflakes with my drink. Its fun for 1 or 2 pints.