Mayo West

Along the road north, just a short distance from Leenane you enter the county of Mayo.

West Mayo has equally impressive scenery to Galway and is well worth continuing the drive north.

The waterfall just beyond Leenane has been immortalized by the film and play The Field.

The play was written by Kerry playwright John B Keane and the film was produced by Jim Sheridan. Richard Harris played the lead role.

The waters of Killary are ideal for mussel farming. The bay produces over 2500 tonnes of mussels a year. The mussels fix themselves to ropes dangling from the overhead buoys and feed on the naturally occurring planktons.

Delphi Valley is set between Ben Gorm ( Blue mountain ) on the east and Mweelrea on the west, the valley is a haven of tranquility and though beautifully stunning is less frequented than Connemara.

Doo Lough

On the way from Killary Harbour to Louisburg, after passing Finn Lough at the head of Delphi Valley, the vista opens again as the road passes through a mountain gap. Doo Lough or Black Lake lies ahead. This is one of Ireland's deepest lakes.

Lousiburgh is a quiet town on the edge of the scenic area and ideal as a base for exploring the mountains and nearby islands. The town dates back to 1795, when it was developed by James Browne (Marquess of Sligo ). He named the town Louisburgh in honour of his uncle who fought and died at the battle of Louisburgh on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. The town is only a few kilometres from Roonagh Pier, from which you can catch a ferry to Clare Island.

Croagh Patrick about 8km west of Westport is the third highest mountain in County Mayo.

The mountain has been and continues to be a site of pilgrimage. Every year thousands climb the mountain trails regardless of the weather.

Some of the pilgrims even take to the rugged rocky path in bare feet, something which is currently frowned on by the event organisers. On the top of the mountain there is a tiny church which can be seen from the roads below.

Below the mountain there are two villages Murrisk and Lecanvey - a path past the villages will take you up the mountain There is a visitor centre and large car park in Murrisk.

The town of Westport dates back to the around 1780. it lies on the shores of Clew Bay and is over looked by Croagh Patrick. The River Carrow which flows through the town adds charm and appeal as it passes under stoned arched bridges. Every year, pilgrims set off from Westport an much further afield to climb Croagh Patrick, some in their bare feet. Westport House which is open to the public is close by. The house was built about 50 years prior to the town. Westport town has a lot of charm and is highly regarded as a lace to visit.

From the tiny pier at Roonagh about 10km from Louisburgh the ferries go to Clare Island and Inisturk. The journey time is about 20 to 30 minutes.

The beach at Cross is about 10km from Louisburgh. The beach is backed by a wide flat grassy open space. A small lake Lough Roonagh is just a short distance from the sea. The river flowing from the lake into the sea can be dangerous for swimming as rip tides form close to it's outlet.

Cross Beach is about 6km across the water from Clare Island. On clear nights the island forms a good backdrop to the setting sun.

Almost at the south westerly tip off Mayo, over looking north Galway and close to the entrance to Killary harbour lies Silver Strand over looked by the dominant Mweelree mountain.

The beach is a great place to spend time on a god day though care must be taken in the water due to currents.

The R378 runs from Louisburgh to Silver Strand. Along the way it passes a number of communities. The small lanes on the west side often connect to the coast and the fine beaches. Many of the beaches are sign posted.

Newport is a small picturesque town just north of Westport and overlooking Clew Bay.The River Black Oak flows through the town as it completes its final journey into the bay. During the early to mid 18th century the town had a prosperous linen industry. Today the town is a dormitory town of Westport though has a tourism economy. The off road cycle track between Newport and Mulranny is very popular.

Carrickahowley Castle or Rockfleet Castle is a tower house dating back to the 16th century and is reputed to have been associated with the pirate queen Gráinne O'Malley. The castle is built right on the waters edge and is difficult to access at high tide.

Coming from Lough Furnace, when you cross over the brow of the hill and Lough Feeagh comes into view, there is a pull-in a little further on where you can park the car off the road. The walk along the road from there to the beach at the lake head is about 3km.

The road towards Lough Feeagh from the N59 is a small narrow almost single lane road, with numerous blind corners and bumps so care is required as the road is used for local traffic.

At the head of the lake where the River Srahmore enters the lake there is a small sandy beach, from the beach there are good views of the Nephin Mountains and the local peaks.

Close to Mulranny there are some fine beaches. The beach across the Mulranny causeway has a Blue Flag.

Mulranny is a seaside town on the N59 road just before it turns north towards Achill and North Mayo. The village is renowned for its long soft sandy beach, which over looks across Clew Bay South Mayo and Croagh Patrick. The 18km between Mulranny and Newport is part of the Great Western Greenway (Westport - Achill), the route follows where possible the lie of the Great Western Midlands Railway, which closed in 1937. The total trail length is about 43km. The Greenway caters for both cyclists and walkers and is well signposted. The causeway across the sea inlet from the main road to the beach and the small harbour was built in the 1890s as part of the Achill Railway experience.

Starting in Mularanny there is an interesting drive/cycle around Corraun Pninsula that follows close to the shore, which offers great views across the bay to south Mayo, Clare Island, Achill Island and the Sound, on a clear day. The road just west of the hotel is well marked as a left turn by the Atlantic Way signage.

Just outside Mulranny take the R319 on the left and follow it as it passes the fisheries below on what looks like a lake but is actually a dog leg of the Atlantic. The road takes you through spectacular scenery as it makes its way down and around to Achill Sound.

Leaving Mulranny the N59 road heads north and travels alongside Bellacraher Bay. The Ballycroy National Park is just to the north and Claggan Mountain to the east.

With an area of over 100 square km, the park boasts of having the largest expanses of peatland in Europe. The boardwalk alongside the bay allows the visitor easy access to the peatland. Of particular note are the ancient stumps of trees, which date to before the formation of the bog, some of which are visible from the boardwalk.

The ferry to Inisbiggle leaves from Dorans Point. The journey across to the island takes about 20 minutes.

The viewing point on the small Doohoma Peninsula is known as An Ceann Rhamar. At the point, just across Blacksod Bay is Achill Island and the Mullet Peninsula.