Leaving one beautiful part of the world behind, it was time to head for Connemara National Park. With peak season in full swing, the only affordable option was a caravan park. Luckily, I had enough gear to put up a makeshift shelter.
The drive was a long one, winding back through Killorglin, Limerick, Shannon, and Galway before finally reaching Clifden. The scenery was absolutely stunning — rocky hills, stretches of bog land, and wild open spaces that gave the whole journey a remote, almost other-worldly feel.
When I arrived at the campsite, I was shown to my plot… which wasn’t exactly ideal. I’d planned to use the hire car as a wall for my lean-to, but the pitch was ringed with large rocks. To top it off, I was parked right next to a streetlamp and the water station. Still, I don’t mind a challenge and a bit of roughing it for a few nights. The real hero turned out to be my new Thermarest sleeping mat. Very comfy.
After a quick trip into Clifden for supplies, I ended up in a pub with live music and dinner. Back at the campsite, I set up my lean-to and settled in for the night.
My first full day in Connemara was spent exploring the sights around Clifden — Clifden Castle, Eyreport Beach, the Sky Road, Aughrus Beg, Cleggan, Ballyconneely, Bunowen Beach, and Derrigimlagh Bog. It’s a spectacular part of the world, full of rich history. One thing that stood out was how much French I heard being spoken. It turns out around half the visitors to Connemara each summer are French, drawn by long-standing connections with the region.
The next day I headed north to Letterfrack to hike Diamond Hill. Arriving early, I managed to beat most of the crowds. The path was well made — a mix of gravel, boardwalk, and stone steps — with a few steep sections but nothing too taxing after my recent mountain climbs. The route is listed as a 2–3 hour hike, but my legs carried me to the top in 55 minutes.
At the summit I was greeted by thick cloud and a swarm of midges, so I waited it out. The forecast had promised it would clear by midday, and sure enough, after an hour the clouds began to lift — just in time for the crowds I’d left behind to arrive. Suddenly the summit was bustling, cameras clicking everywhere, mine included. When the views finally opened up, they were absolutely worth the wait.
The descent was much quicker, Voltaren on, head down, and before long I was back at the visitor centre. From there, I treated myself to a wood-fired pizza for lunch before driving the scenic route back to Clifden, where I finished the day in another pub with more live Irish music.
The next morning I packed away my little camping setup and hit the road again, bound for Achill Island. First, though, I made a stop at Kylemore Abbey, just beyond Letterfrack. Once the grand estate of a wealthy family, it was later given to Benedictine nuns. The grounds are vast, with a huge walled garden and tea house, its own miniature cathedral, and the castle-like manor itself. I spent a couple of hours wandering through, learning about the romantic but tragic history of its original owners.
From there, it was back into the mountains and valleys, with a quick stop in Westport for food and fuel, before pressing on to Achill Island. My next base would be the Valley House — this time a hostel, though the estate also offers guest rooms, a bar, and a restaurant.
Next up: Achill Island.
