Connemara

While in the area a visit to Kylemore Abbey is a must. Enroute from Leenane or Lough Inagh you pass through the beautiful valley of Kylemore

In Gaelic Kylemore is known as Choill Mhór with a literal translation of The Big Wood.

After leaving Lough Inagh travelling north from Recess, the area is pretty barren with just a covering of grass with some grazing sheep. But when you turn left into the Kylemore valley, with its 3 lakes the flora changes dramatically to stands of oak and other native trees, birds and flowers are plentiful though hidden among the trees.

Angling
The loughs in the valley are excellent for angling and you can hire a boat locally.
Kylemore Abbey is at the head of this valley and is worth a visit.

The valley is especially beautiful in late spring ( April/May ) when the Rhododendrons are in full flower.

Explore the picturesque village of Clifden set between the mountains of Connemara and the Atlantic Ocean.

Clifden town was developed in the early 19th century, while remote from Galway city, it had access to local resources, such as fishing, quarries, good harbour and reasonable agricultural land.

Before the end of the same century, the rail line arrived in the town, giving it an economy boast for a number of years, providing access to Galway city for local produce, the train also brought tourists to the town. Unfortunately the life of the train was short lived as the line from Galway was closed in 1935.

Today the town 's main focus is tourism and acts as a base location for visitors touring the area. The town has a number of quality restaurants and pubs. Local accommodation can be found in hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts.

There is a fine walk from the town down past the harbour and along the estuary of Clifden Bay and on beyond the point where the bay broadens out.

For sailing enthusiasts the bay has excellent waters and a fine sailing club.

Maam or Maum village lies to the east of Connemara and close to Lough Corrib.

The village lies on a northerly gate way from Lough Corrib to West Connemara - the village is tiny though it has a pub which offers refreshments and food.

The small village of Letterfrack lies at the head of Barnaderg Bay and below Diamond hill. It is close to the entrance to Connemara National Park. The village is home to the Letterfrack GMIT campus. For many years the village was the home of an industrial school.

Letterfrack was selected by Marconi as the location for the transatlantic wireless receiver station for his new duplex transatlantic wireless service. Beginning in 1913, eastbound messages were sent from his Marconi Towers in Nova Scotia over high power wireless.

The National Park centre is the starting point for a number of loop walks of varying difficulty up Diamond Hill.

If you get the opportunity see some of the excellent examples of art hand crafted by the college students in the college.

The village of recess lies on the N59 beside Lough Gorman and close to the enterance to Inagh Valley. Follow the road west to Clifden - a samll town or turn north into the beautiful valley bordered by the Maamturk and Twelve Pin Mountains.

Recess is a cross roads on a number of the Connemara Loop drives - West towards Clifden, the Sky and Peninsula Loops - north takes you to Kylemore and Killary Harbour.

Take the sky road from Clifden and enjoy an Atlantic sunset or amble along the narrow roads

In the Connemara region close to Clifden there are a number of marked looped roads, the Sky Road is one such road, it loops out and rises above the town, offering views of town set against the Maumturk Mountains.

The road continues with views over Clifden Bay and then swings around to hug the Atlantic Coast line, giving great views of the sea below and on the fine days beautiful sunsets as the sun drops into the sea long before it reaches the USA.

The road continues and eventually sweeps back to Clifden.

From Clifden there are a number of scenic road walks which take you along the coast. Just follow the roads out of town.

In Clifden the Sky Road Loop is well sign posted. Follow the sign posted route and it will take you out and above the town, this small road wanders above the coast - when it loops back to the N59 you can return to Clifden or continue on the Renvyle Loop.

The Cleggan loop drive takes you along the southern end of Cleggan head past Claddaghduff and over the headland to Cleggan Bay and into the small fishing village of Cleggan. You can take a ferry to Inisbofin from Cleggan Village.

The Renvyle Loop drive takes you out along the Renvyle Headland -( turn left when heading north in Letterfrack) - pass by the Tully Mountains and over the hills towards Killary Bay

When you get to Renvyle - there is a long beach where you can stretch a leg, there are two villages (Tully and Tullycross ) where you can get some food,

There is a well maintained caravan park alongside the sandy beach just west of Tullycross.

As you walk along the beach towards the golf course there are some amazing views across the bay to Mweelrea Mountain and ahead to the mighty Twelve Pins.

The N59 road from Clifden to Letterfrack passes Rossleague and Barnaderg Bay. Just off the road there is a coffee and craft shop

From the tiny harbour there are some finew views looking towards Letterfrack and the Connemara National Park

Enjoy the breathtaking views on the road from Maams Cross through Lough Inagh Valley and on to Kylemore.
The Connemara Park is more than 2000 ha of bog land, mountains, rivers lakes and streams.

The visitor centre is located just outside Letterfrack. The park is open all year round and is popular with walkers and climbers. The village of Recess is a good stopping point before you turn right and head into the Twelve Tins mountains and Lough Inagh valley. The Connemara Loop, a circular route through some of the most scenic areas, starts at Maam Cross. The road distance is about 90Km, though the driving time due to stop offs, rests, and perhaps a sing song in a Connemara pub, may take some time The roads through Connemara are generally small and narrow. The area hosts many bus tours, so better to avoid the tours and stay ahead or wait till they have well passed.

The Inagh Valley opens out into the less rugged Kylemore valley. A stop in the abbey is a must, so don't forget to take the left turn when you reach the main road.
Inagh Valley is one of the most photographed areas of Connemara on a fine day. The road winds along the side of Derry Clare Lake and Lough Inagh, bound on the West by the Twelve Pins and on the right by the mighty MaumTurk mountains.

The Inagh Valley opens out into the less rugged Kylemore valley. A stop in the abbey a must.
From Maams Cross you can select which direction to take - go south for a loop around Galway Bay, west for one of the scenic short loop drives and north to Maam Village and upper Lough Corrib

The scenic N59 road from Maam Cross with its mountainous backdrop,winds by a series of lakes.

While following the Clifden Loop you pass through Recess and continue on the N59 as it meanders past lakes, streams and mountains, till it reaches the town of Clfiden.

South of Maam Cross the R336 road takes you through unspoilt landscpape with distance views of the Twelve Pins and Maamturk Mountains. The R336 leads you to Galway Bay and Carroe and Rossaveel.

The R336 road is part the Galway Ougherrad Galway Bay loop drive - you can leave Galway and head out along the coast through Barna or follow the Ougtherrad road past Lough Corrib to Maam Cross - the R336 connects the two parts of the loop.

One of Irelands most iconic castles, Kylemore stands as an oasis amongst the heather and bogland

Kylemore Abbey was built in the late 19th century, as a gift by the owner to his wife. The Abbey boasts as being one of Ireland's finest castles. Certainly the view is stunning The Abbey is nestled along the shore of Kylymore lake, back dropped by the Rhododendron purple in early summer. The Abbey until recently was a boarding school for girls, run by the Benedictine nuns, who had fled Belgium after the second world war. Today the Abbey is open as a visitor centre Apart from providing access to the house, visitors can also enjoy the Victorian walled gardens. This is the only formal garden in Ireland, built in and surrounded by bog land.

Connemara Park
The Connemara Park is more than 2000 ha of bog land, mountains, rivers lakes and streams. The visitor centre is located just outside Letterfrack. The park is open all year round and is popular with walkers and climbers. Connemara ponies can be seen on some of the remote farms on the road from Ougtherrad to Clifden. The pony show takes place annually in Clifden in August.

Enjoy a relaxing break inthe excellent cafe, stroll about the gardens and grounds or visit the house.

Kylemore Abbey was built as a family home by Michael Henry, a wealthy doctor who lived in London. The abbey was completed in 1871 and the Henry family moved from England to Kylemore. Michael Henry took an interest in politics and became an MP for Galway County in 1871 , a role he maintained for almost 15 years.

The estate covers an area of about 15,000 acres of Connemara woodland, hills, lakes, streams and bog land.

The wildness and remoteness coupled with the natural beauty drew Mitchell and Margaret Henry( the originators of the estate ) to Connemara for their honeymoon. The area left a deep impression on the young couple.

Much later after inheriting a large fortune on the death of his father, Mitchell set about building the house and estate for his wife.

Within close proximity to the Abbey there are two inter connected lakes. Both valuable fishing waters.

The atmosphere about the lakes, changes with the mood of the day, from a misty morning start, the sun may rise reflecting the mountains in the still waters, later as western weather fronts move in from the Atlantic, the lakes may become turbulent, the surface broken by white crested waves.

The estate has a walled garden which is maintained throughout the year and looks splendid during the summer months.

Within the garden one of the workers cottage is kept as a mini museum showing how the gardeners loved in the past.

The garden is approx. 6 acres, being built on peat-land, overcome the acidic nature of the soil was one of the major problems which had to be resolved.

The garden is divided into two, one half is for flowers and the other for the kitchen vegetables. The form of the garden has been maintained to the present day.

You don't have to go all the way to the Great Barrier Reef to find coral beaches.

Connemara has its very own and the beached around Mannin Bay are some of the finest with white soft sand.

Bun Owen or BunOwen lies at the westerly head of Ballyconneely, is an area of unspoilt beauty and still retains the charm that attracted James Joyce, and of which he wrote in his book "History of Ballyconneely from earliest settlers to the present day"

Grace O'Malley or Granuaile, the priate queen married a local and settled down in the area.

Closeby there is a small harbour, a fish smoke house and the well known Connemara Golf Course.

Just two miles from Roundstone are two fine beaches, separated by a narrow neck of sand dunes.

Dog Beach the one further west is in a small bay, with a westerly aspect.

The white sand on the beach is made from millions of tiny microscopic shells, the shells come from Foramifera, a type of phylum. The majority of phylum live on the sea floor and their shells over time were washed up onto the beach. They are related to plankton.

The white sand and shallow water add to give the sea a green blue colour on a sunny day.

Gurteen Beach is the one closer to Roundstone. It is more developed with picnic tables, easy parking, a shop and has a well maintained caravan park.

The beach swings round and faces both due south and east. So even if there is a breeze you can shelter by changing beach.

The village of Roundstone lies at the foot of Errisbeg Mountain and on the shores of Bertraghboy Bay.

The village makes a great base for exploring the surrounding countryside. The loop road along the coast from Clifden, through Rounstone and back over the bog, with its amazing views of the Twelve Bens is one of the best loop for cyclists and motorists in Connemara.

Rounstone has a small but working harbour. The local fishermen can be seen working on their boats or returning with their lobster and fish catches.

The village has a number of good restaurants and pubs and of course are very welcoming to visitors throughout the season but don't go looking for the Round Stone, as the town takes it's name from Cloch na Ron or Seal's Rock.

The bog north of Roundstone is a special conservation area.

Whether crossing the bog by car, cycle or on foot, on a clear day you will see stunning views of the Twelve Bens.

The blanket bogs of Connemara help to absorb the abundant rainfall and slowly let it drain to the rivers and lakes. The bogs act like a sponge, slowing down the erosion effects of the heavy rainfalls.