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Awesome! Thanks so much for taking the time - especially the food and coffee recommendations. Not sure we will be beasting quite such long days as you guys. Maybe we will have to do a bit of a venture into ballycroy but turn back to Westport for the train on the final day.
Just figuring out the route we will take in earnest - bit of a debate amongst us regarding camping vs bnbs.
Are the locals likely to be tolerant of wild campers?
FlashGordon
@Colm89
Places worth hitting up:
All of Connemara is incredibly beautiful, Clifden is probably the first decent sized town you’ll hit once you’re out of Galway. If you’re doing it in summer it’ll almost certainly be thronged with tourists. It’s not the quietest of roads either, so you could consider cutting through Maam Cross and heading straight for Leenaun, which is absolutely stunning (google killary fjord). There’s a nice food truck there called misunderstood heron you could hit up for some grub overlooking the fjord.
Heading north into Mayo, Westport is similar to Clifden, lovely town but likely to be chockablock with tourists if you’re hitting it in summer, plenty of decent eateries there. From there you’ll pick up the greenway that’ll take you all the way to the bridge to Achill (again probably suggest dropping off it at Newport if you’re tied for time).
Beyond there you’re into Ballycroy national park which is again absolutely stunning, and you’re following the coast around past the ceide fields. It’s worth a stop in Mary’s cottage kitchen in Ballycastle for a slab of cake, and while you’re in the area you could veer off course to see downpatrick head (google and see if it’s something worth you seeing).
Ballina is the main town in Mayo, some people love it, I think it’s a bit of a non-town, but it is coming up in the world and has a few decent coffee shops that have opened in the past few months, jimmys drive through coffee being the best. It’s well known for salmon fishing, and the late Jack Charlton was very fond of the area. Biden was there last week.
Heading north you’re into enniscrone (where I live), not a pretty town but an incredible beach. Worth a dip in the Atlantic off the pier if you get a nice day for it, few coffee vans at the pier too during summer. Hopkins is the place to go for the best Guinness in Ireland and there’s a cracking pizza spot called la piazetta.
From there you’re making your way to Sligo, Beach bar in Aughris is worth a stop for more good Guinness and a nice bit of food, and then head on into Sligo.
Will come back on Sligo spots of interest, just joining a meeting now…