Our second itinerary suggestion in our Wild Atlantic Way series covers Westport and Achill Island in County Mayo. Over these four days you’ll enjoy an exciting mix of vibrant villages and unspoiled scenery and get to experience the true essence of Ireland’s wild west.
Day 1 WESTPORT
Where to stay:
From our depot in Roscommon, you are only 90 minutes away from your home for the first night, Westport House Caravan Park. Surrounded by nature and steeped in history, the campsite is a handy 10-minute walk from Westport town, but you might not even want to leave when you hear the long list of facilities they offer onsite, including a leisure centre with a pool and jacuzzi. If you are visiting during the summer months, they have ‘BBQ & Beats’ events every weekend with epic food and entertainment for all ages.
What to do:
If you haven’t ticked climbing Croagh Patrick off your bucket list, then it is a must! Completing Ireland’s holy mountain calls for some hearty food. After your climb, call into Campbell’s at the foot of the Reek for some creamy chowder (or creamy pints!)
If water activities are your thing, head to Westport Harbour for some stand-up paddle boarding. If you prefer something less strenuous, simply soak it all in by taking a stroll around Westport town or take part in some of their guided walking tours, like the Westport food tour.
Where to eat & drink:
For lunch or brunch, or coffee and a treat you have to try Servd, in fact we would suggest making this one of your first stops when you arrive in Westport. They have a mouthwatering menu, and a large selection of speciality lattes and pastries.
In the evening, you’ll love An Port Mór if you are a seafood fan. If you want to mingle afterwards, head just around the corner to Matt Molloy’s Bar. It’s worth noting that An Port Mór does not cater for children, so if you are travelling with kids, The Towers is a more family friendly option where you can enjoy delicious food and a few minutes of peace thanks to the onsite playground.
Day 2/3 ACHILL ISLAND
Your first stop of the day is for food in the nearby town of Newport on your way to Achill. Fuel up in the award-winning café, Kelly’s Kitchen, then pop next door to Kelly’s artisan butcher shop to stock up on their famous sausages and pudding, so you can cook up an al fresco feast in Achill tomorrow morning!
Where to stay:
For your first night in Achill, we suggest you nestle among the sea cliffs and sand dunes and stay on the shores of Keel Strand at Keel Camping. Here you’ll find all the usual campervan facilities including showers, a social space, and a small play area for kids.
For night two in Achill, you have the option to stay put or to venture on to a more sheltered part of the island to Achill Seal Caves Campervan Park, offering panoramic views of Dugort Beach, a mile long Blue Flag beach of unspoilt silver sand.
What to do:
Travel along the Atlantic Drive, 40km of rugged beauty and breathtaking views. (Watch out for the friendly four-legged locals that roam freely!) This is a great activity to do early in your visit to get a feel for the Island, it’s also an ideal way for anyone with mobility issues to experience Achill from the comfort of your campervan.
Spend the day in the paradise that is Keem Bay, a sheltered horse-shoe shaped beach which is continuously voted one of the best beaches in the world year after year. Climb to the top of the hill to the World War II Look Out Post for that iconic ‘window’ view over the bay. It’s a steep 200m from the carpark, but so worth it.
Devote an hour or so to taking in The Deserted Village in Slievemore, a remarkable mile long stretch, home to over 80 abandoned stone cottages that hold secrets and tales of times gone by.
Visit the Achill Island Seaweed Bath for a relaxing and healing experience that uses hand harvested seaweed from the island.
Take part in a tasting tour at Achill Island Distillery, a working, family run distillery that is home to Irish American Whiskey.
Where to eat & drink:
Pick up a pizza from Pure Magic or some freshly caught fish (and chips!) from the Ar Bia Mara food truck and find a secluded spot to watch the sunset.
Do not leave Achill without bringing home a sample (or a sack full) of Achill Island Sea Salted Caramel Fudge!
Day 4/5 MULRANNY OR WILLOWBROOK
If you want to extend your trip, we suggest adding a stopover at Nevin’s Newfield Inn in Mulranny, a short 15 minute drive once you cross back over the bridge from Achill. A much-loved spot amongst the motorhome community, Nevin’s Newfield Inn is a Bar & Restaurant equipped with electric hook up and water.
As well as great food (try “Granny’s Warm Apple Pie”), you can expect authentic West of Ireland hospitality, even from their robot servers, Bella & Bertie!
This extra stop over is also an opportunity to squeeze in some stargazing! Something you might not know is that Mayo is actually home to Ireland’s very first International Dark Sky Park which is free to access every night. On a clear night, thousands of twinkling stars, (and even sometimes, meteor showers) light up the skies over Mayo, and one of the main viewpoints, the Claggan Mountain Boardwalk, is only a short 6km from Mulranny.
If you only have time for 4 nights, we suggest heading straight from Achill to spend your final night cosied up in your campervan at Willowbrook Glamping and Campervan Park in Ballaghaderreen, on the banks of the river Lung. This will leave you less than an hour from the Craic N Campers depot for the following morning.
Depending on what time you arrive, you might have time to try out some local activities. A visit to Hayfield Alpaca Farm or a guided kayak tour are both within 20 minutes of Willowbrook and big hits with children and adults alike.
No matter where you travel on the Wild Atlantic Way, you’ll find beauty and adventure in abundance. There’s so much more to see so check out our other blog posts for more suggested itineraries like our 5 Day Clare & Galway Itinerary, so you can continue exploring and planning your next campervan escape.
