Find a place, route or reason to stop.
Achill IslandMayo53.9130° N, 10.1450° W
Hidden beaches, quiet towns,
great food, scenic routes and
real places, not just the usual stops.
Featured on the map
Murrisk, Co. Mayo
Croagh Patrick, a 764-metre peak near Murrisk, is a historic site where St Patrick fasted. It offers a steep summit path and a gentler circular walk, drawing thousands annually for the July pilgrimage.
View on map →
Achill is Ireland's largest western island, connected to the mainland since 1887. It features dramatic headlands, historic lighthouses, and a community that blends farming with tourism.
Croagh Patrick, a 764-metre peak near Murrisk, is a historic site where St Patrick fasted. It offers a steep summit path and a gentler circular walk, drawing thousands annually for the July pilgrimage.
Gougane Barra is a hillside hermitage above a small lake near Smerkistown on the Cork–Kerry border. It is the traditional home of St Finbarr and one of the country's oldest pilgrimage sites, accessible via an easy but memorable walk.
Achill sits off the west coast of Ireland. It covers roughly 147 square kilometres.
Read the story →Independent field notes