sj101

I need some updated advice on whether my desire to visit Slieve League is misplaced.
I read considerable amount of 'scary' stuff, but much of it is dated. The last thread in
this forum, asking the same question as mine, in from 2007. Other articles are also
of a similar vintage. There is just one set of recent (2010) pictures that suggest
some changes -- railings, which earlier posts mention as being absent. Perhaps,
things have changed. The pictures, posted this year, suggest changes (or should
one say, 'unfortunately, progress'?)

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...3756/tpod.html

We will be traveling with a 12 year old who is not too keen on long hikes and
mud would be definitely a no-no. As mentioned in another thread posted today,
I have no great head for heights and have some difficulty descending steep and
slippery terrain (no problems going up!). While we will have a car, I am not sure I
want to take a standard transmission car up a steep, unguarded road (I have
always driven standard, but a 'new' clutch, the gearbox on the left side
and being on the left side of the road, let alone coming up against
a car going the other way on a road like this, is not my cup of tea!)

Given this combination of constraints, I am beginning to wonder if it is worth
going up there at all. Ideally, I would like to drive up there, but is the road still as
scary as it used to be two or three years back? Is there an intermediate parking
area, to which the drive is not that demanding and from which the climb is shorter?
Has the approach road been 'improved'? Are there alternativeslike small buses
that one could take from Carrick or Killybegs?

As much as I would love to wander a bit on the cliffs, provided the weather is
reasonable. I doubt we will be able to do it if conditions there are the same as
what I have read so far.

I would be very obliged if anyone can provide an update the approach is these
days.

thanks
sj101

allisonm

I wish I could update you but it has been a few years since we were there. It is very high, but the drop off the edge is not sheer like the Cliffs of Moher. On the ride up, the passenger is on the outside of the road. Coming down is a little easier because you are hugging the hillside (mostly).

I posted this anecdote some time ago: When we reached the summit, a woman was sitting on a rock on the "safe" side of the road and absolutely would not let go. It wasn't me, but I sort of knew how she felt. It was scarey in an exhilarating kind of way. I think I made my husband drive back down at about 15 mph. (I am not a fan of heights, the bridge out to Mizen Head light freaks me out, and luckily the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge was closed the day we went there.)

You can definitely enjoy the experience without going to the edge. Stay on the inner side of the road, climb the hill a bit. That part isn't so bad.

rosetravels

Hi, I was up there about 4 years ago with my husband and 12 year old son. We hiked up the stairs and then for awhile but turned back eventually because of the wind. So it's not up to date info but I really doubt anything has changed.

There's a lower parking lot, so you can park and walk on the road. We didn't stop there but there were moments when I wished we had.

It is gorgeous. The views are stunning. But if it makes you uncomfortable there are other gorgeous cliffs, like in Mayo.

Sandylan

I drove to the top and did not find it particulaly scary but some people certainly would. It can be very windy up there so we only walked a short distance from the carpark. It is well worth visiting with a great view of the cliff face and the mountains across the bay.

sj101

Thanks to all of you for the replies. Special thanks
to rosetravels for pointing out that it is a long way
to go for just one hike and that itself only if the
weather cooperates.

I guess that I may have to scratch all of Donegal,
essentially the north this time. Some other time,
maybe, via Shannon.

I am beginning to appreciate that the going will be
slower than in England, let alone Spain or Portugal.
That is the first lesson I have learnt. Secondly, the
weather plays a big role. We have been very lucky with
our European jaunts -- seven vacations, lasting a
couple of weeks each with just a couple of days of light
rain! However, the law of averages is out there. So,
given the tightness of the schedule, I will not spend
time going all the way to Slieve League only to see it
washed out. Certainly, something to try if we can hang
around Donegal for a couple of days and wait for decent
weather and our daughter grows up and begins to like
hikes ....

I suppose we will concentrate on the central part and the
southwest this time.

Many thanks ....

sj101

sj101

One more thing ... Decided to loop around Mayo, instead,
visiting Benwee Head and Downpatrick Head. That should
be enough to give me the willies! Will take care to
stay away from the edge and keep a very close eye on
our daughter.

sj101

GreenDragon

If you still want to try some cliffs, Moher will be lovely, as that's already in your plan. If you get to the Aran Islands (there's a ferry from Rossveal, near Galway), Dun Aengosa is incredible, as well. However, the way down is a bit slippery.

sj101

GreenDragon,

Moher was already in the plans (see my other thread asking
for a reality check on a 14 day itinerary for details).
Slieve League had special pull from what I first read about
it being outside the main tourist traffic --- but it may
be a bit too far

Why cliffs twice? Just would like to see them in a less
touristy part. I am sure Moher will impress, but I am sure
that it will also be crowded and a bit of a theme park.

Thanks for your remarks.

sj101

allisonm

I am not sure what you mean by a theme park. The Cliffs of Moher may be crowded and they ARE a tourist attraction, but they are a wonderful experience, and quite different from Slieve League. There is now a shop built into the side of the hill. There may be some musicians playing for coins. (We heard a harpist once and that was lovely.) Then the cliffs!

We love to visit cliffs, and saw some wonderful ones on the Loop Head Drive in County Clare in April.

jaja

Loop Head is a wonderful choice. You can also experience the Cliffs of Moher from the ocean. Took the grandsons on the boat trip and they enjoyed it.

Actually walking up to the C of M used to be free but now they charge (I think €8) to go up. You can avoid the parking charge by parking on the road and walking but there is still a fee to go up to the Cliffs. I don't know if this new setup has done away with the buskers and folks selling trinkets. I think the fee does give admission to the visitor centre.

Achill Island has some lovely cliffs, also.

sj101

Thanks for the comments. Yes, the Heads in Mayo are
definitely on the cards. Moher, too, as the 'civilised'
side of the game, which will keep the young one happy

Pity about Slieve League ... but, there is only so much
time. As I said before, another time, another time ...
if one is permitted.

thanks
sj101

rosetravels

Hi sj101 - I was going to mention what jaja mentioned, which is that Achill Island has lovely cliffs. If the weather is good you can see such a long way to the south! Achill is connected to the mainland so you can drive out to the end where the cliffs are and it's a short hike to the top. My kids really enjoyed that. There's also a ruin of some sort at the top to climb on. Which they did.

The Cliffs of Moher are lovely but IMHO, not the best in Ireland. My theory is they're storied because they're accessible and far, far more tourists visit Clare than Mayo or Donegal. For me the number of people there detracts from the experience.

sj101

Thanks rosetravels.

I am a bit iffy myself, after reading about Moher ... which
is why I referred to it as a 'theme park'!

You give me ideas. Maybe, from Ceide Fields/Downpatrick Head
we will head out to Achill Island rather than make it to
Benwee Head. Achill is kind of "on the way" as I would like
to go down N59. How long do you think is a reasonable time
at Achill Island?

thanks
sj101

jaja

Now there is less of the Cliffs to see...
http://tinyurl.com/2er2syx

I could easily spend several days on Achill Island. We actually did spend two nights and the full day in between. Of course, we spent a big chunk of the morning just walking up and down the beach in front of The Bervie. While I live just 10 minutes from the Gulf of Mexico, my sisters live in land-locked Oklahoma so it was a real treat for them (I enjoyed the heck out of it, too).

You will want the Atlantic Drive, spend some time at Keem Beach, perhaps drive up Minaun Heights. Check out the deserted village and Granuaile's tower. Just stop at the tourist office in Cashel (no, not the one with the castle) and get maps and brochures. Or check this out:
http://achilltourism.com/places.html .

Whatever you choose, have a wonderful time!

rosetravels

Hi sj101 - the cliffs across the road from Ceide Fields are amazing too! I think you could spend half to a full day on Achill. It is sort of on the way places! If the weather is good, it's really gorgeous.

rosetravels

I just reread your original post and one thing you should know about hikes in Ireland is that they can be wet. You often end up hiking up hills that look dry but are boggy. We end up jumping from one bunch of grass to another. Boots, even short ones like trail runners, are really nice to have. But that shouldn't dissuade you - it really is lovely walking despite the damp.

sj101

Thanks. Let us see what we can do as the other two in my
party are not greatly enamoured with this kind of stuff.

So, one more question on the 'cliff' front. I see that
one can drive right up to Portacloy if one wants to visit
Benwee Head. I would very much love to take the walk up to
the cliffs from the town. On the map, it seems about a
mile or two (round trip), depending on what you do at the
top. My question : Is a 'stiff' climb or a 'general walk in
the country'? At best we will have sneakers/walking shoes.
We do not plan to carry boots, etc.

This is somewhat important as going on the big loop of the
N. Mayo coast will take some time and I do not want to
waste time if we cannot take a look at Benwee Head. As we
will be visiting Downpatrick Head and Moher, I have to
decide whether to move south, rather than west, after
Ceide Fields.

There seems to be practically no information about touring
the N. Mayo coast!

thanks
sj101

rosetravels

I think there's no info because it's so rarely done! We drove north from Westport to Ceide Fields and it took us past a lot of industrial peat mining that looked a bit like strip mining. But that was an interior drive. We were on our way to a rental in Donegal so took a straight route.

We did drive the coast of Clare and the coast of Donegal. I have found what we like best is spending time in towns (and pubs) chatting with people and going on lovely hikes. Some of our mountainous drives were more memorable than the coastal ones partly due to the history you can see - the stone houses abandoned during the famine - and the green, green hills. Those coast drives can take a long time and the view repeats.

maurorudelli

I would strongly recommend you to drive west and not south from Ceide. Portacloy is a very small and very remote village with a beautiful bay and wonderful easy accessible cliffs on both sides .the only accomodation available is mrs. O'Malley's B&B,no luxury but very clean and comfortable ;the owner is very kind and friendly ;you might as well ask her about a place on the way to the cliff on the left hand side where you can listen to fairies playing music (I'm not joking!).
I believe extremely few tourists visit Portacloy although it is a lovely place ,which makes it even more beautiful.
From there you can drive south to Achill Island,also beautiful (Keel Strand, Achill head, Minaun Heights with a stunning view over the whole southern coast) and definitely worth at least two days visit.

Mauro
P.S.
I apologize for my poor English,I'm trying my best

PegMcNeill

I love the Slieve League cliffs. Have been a number of times since I have a small cottage near Killybegs. The view from the cliffs is beautiful and it is so much less touristy than the Cliffs of Moher which is a giant car park full of tourist buses with access to the edge of the cliffs blocked off. The drive up to the parking lot for Slieve League is a little scary but you can take it slowly and enjoy the view. Once you get to the lower parking lot, you can walk the rest of the way and then if you are very energetic hike up to the top to the "deadman' precipice walk" trail. As a fan of Donegal, which is one of the least "touristy" counties, Slieve League is just one of the sights that you shouldn't miss while you are there. It's a must for travellers with a spirit of adventure.