In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From Westport and the pilgrim mountain Croagh Patrick via Achill Island and the Céide Fields to Sligo, Benbulben and Mullaghmore, then into quiet Leitrim at Lough Allen: around 715 kilometres of the Wild Atlantic Way in the north-west, driving on the left and often on roads narrower than you expect.
The spirit of the route
The north-west of Ireland smells of peat, salt and wet sheep. Beyond Westport, Croagh Patrick rises like a cone above Clew Bay, on Achill clouds hang on the cliffs of Slievemore, and on the bogs near Ballycroy the nights get so dark that the Milky Way casts a shadow. On the coast of Mayo, under the peat, lie the oldest known field walls in the world, more than 5,000 years old, while the Atlantic pounds the cliffs 100 metres below. Further east, Benbulben stands like an upturned ship above Streedagh beach and the graves of Drumcliff. When you turn off beyond Manorhamilton into the lakeland of Leitrim, the road ends at water: Lough Gill, Lough Allen, drumlin hills, old coal heaps. From your sliding door you will rarely see less than one kind of weather per hour – and that is part of the deal.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Westport to Keel (Achill Island, via Murrisk and Mulranny) (approx. 90 km)
- The drive
- From Westport, first take the R335 about 8 km west to Murrisk at the foot of Croagh Patrick, then double back and follow the N59 via Newport and Mulranny to Achill Sound. Beyond the bridge over the sound, the road on the island (R319/R320) gets narrower, with passing places; it is still a good 20 km to Keel. Pure driving time is about 2 hours; on the mountain and on the island, drive more slowly than the speedometer allows.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Murrisk: visitor centre and car park at Croagh Patrick (764 m), with the Famine ship memorial in front. The climb over coarse scree takes about 3 to 4 hours there and back and is only worth it in clear conditions.
- Mulranny: viewpoint and beach on Clew Bay, where the Great Western Greenway runs past on the old railway line.
- Achill Island: Keel Strand with the Menawn cliffs and, above Dooagh, the deserted village on the slopes of Slievemore.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Keel Camping near Keel Strand; according to directories it has a motorhome service point and is open from around Easter to early October. On the island there is also Achill Seal Caves Caravan & Camping in Dugort on the north coast (according to Camping Ireland about April to September, sloping site with around 50 pitches). For the night in Westport, map data list a caravan and camping site at Westport House; whether it is still operating after the change of ownership of the estate could not be confirmed – check in advance. The island sites close early in autumn: ask by phone beforehand about season, motorhome lengths and space.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Ireland has no right to wild camping. For Keem Bay on Achill, Mayo County Council banned overnight stays in motorhomes, tents and other makeshift shelter by bye-law in 2021 (offenders are fined). How far the rules apply elsewhere on the island and in Mulranny was itself a topic at the council in 2025 – rely on the signs on the spot. At other beaches there are parking restrictions or height barriers. Campsites and explicitly designated pitches are legally unproblematic; on the island, portals list a pub pitch (Lavelle’s) whose conditions are not confirmed – ask beforehand.
- Insider tip for campers
- Fill up, shop and check your gas bottle in Westport before you drive onto the island; filling stations are rare on Achill. The road to Keem Bay is narrow, has oncoming traffic and hardly any turning places – for long motorhomes the detour is better done by hire bike or taxi from Keel. Start the climb of Croagh Patrick early: the car park in Murrisk fills up by late morning, and the weather turns quickly up top. Westport and Achill are described in more detail in the CampingSpirit guide to the Wild Atlantic Way from Clare to Achill; here we stick to the basics.
2Stage 2: Keel (Achill Island) to Ballina (via Ballycroy and Bellacorick) (approx. 150 km)
- The drive
- Back via Achill Sound and Mulranny, then north on the N59 through the moorland of Ballycroy and Bangor Erris to Bellacorick, and on via Crossmolina to Ballina. Long, open stretches across bog with sheep at the roadside, in between a well-built but winding N59. About 3 hours of pure driving time; you will feel the wind from the west in a high body.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Ballycroy National Park: visitor centre on the N59 with an exhibition on the blanket bog and walking trails on the edge of the Nephin Beg mountains, an area with a particularly dark night sky.
- Bellacorick: the field of rusty iron flowers at the former peat power station, a quirky roadside artwork.
- Crossmolina on Lough Conn: lakeside promenade and fishing jetties, with tufted ducks and herons in the reeds in late summer.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Belleek Park Caravan and Camping in Ballina on the edge of Belleek Woods, a large site (around 60 pitches according to map data); according to Camping Ireland open from about 1 March to 31 October, outside that only by advance booking, reservation recommended. Ask in advance about electricity and waste disposal. Ballina also has supermarkets and filling stations in town, handy for stocking up.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Ballycroy National Park, the visitor centre car park and the walkers’ car parks are for daytime use; overnight stays are not intended there. Likewise at the lakes (Lough Conn), landing stages and car parks are not pitches. If you park at the roadside or at walkers’ car parks in Mayo overnight, you risk a word from the Gardaí and complaints from residents.
- Insider tip for campers
- There is hardly any supply between Mulranny and Bangor – fill up in Westport or in Ballina. The visitor centre in Ballycroy makes a good lunch stop in the rain. The drive is long, so plan this day with no programme at your destination, especially in the short days of autumn.
3Stage 3: Ballina to Ballina (day trip to the Céide Fields and Downpatrick Head) (approx. 95 km)
- The drive
- From Ballina, take the R314 north to Killala, continue on the coast road to Ballycastle and then a few more kilometres to the Céide Fields visitor centre. Country road with moderate traffic, tractors and cyclists in summer, often crosswinds from the coast. A good 1.5 hours of driving each way; the detour to Downpatrick Head ends on a narrow side road that is only suitable for large vehicles as far as the car park.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Céide Fields: the visitor centre shows the preserved field walls, house remains and graves from the Neolithic beneath the bog; guided walks lead across the exposed areas, with the Céide cliffs as a backdrop.
- Downpatrick Head: cliff walk to Dún Briste, the rock stack separated from the mainland, with a view of the Atlantic surf. The meadows end at the edge without a railing.
- Killala: round tower, harbour and the memory of the French landing of 1798.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Second night in Ballina at Belleek Park Caravan and Camping; the day trip to the coast needs no change of base. If you would rather sleep closer to Céide, the Ceide Coast has a few small campsites and pitches at farms and pubs – phone shortly before you set off and ask whether there is room for your vehicle.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The Céide Fields visitor centre is a daytime destination run by the state Heritage Ireland service; it is open only in season (roughly March to early November, daily about 10 am to 6 pm, last admission shortly before closing), in winter only by arrangement; at night the car park is not a pitch. At Downpatrick Head too, daytime parking is what it is for; the coastal meadows are grazing land, and camping there is prohibited.
- Insider tip for campers
- Before you travel, check the season, opening times and guided tours of the visitor centre at heritageireland.ie. Bring warm clothing: on the coastal upland it blows hard even in summer. If you need a rest day in Ballina, walk along the Moy through town, where salmon anglers stand in summer.
4Stage 4: Ballina to Strandhill (via Enniscrone and Easkey) (approx. 90 km)
- The drive
- From Ballina, cross the Moy bridge and take the R297 to Enniscrone, then continue along the coast via Easkey and Dromore West to Skreen and Ballysadare, then towards Sligo and on to Strandhill. Coastal country road with gentle undulations and some tight village streets; about 1.5 hours of driving. In Sligo, allow enough time for town traffic.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Enniscrone: the long sandy beach with dunes; seaweed baths in the village are an old tradition on this coast.
- Easkey: surfers’ village with a ruined castle on the riverbank, rock shelves and waves on the coast.
- Strandhill: beach, surf schools and above it Knocknarea with Queen Maeve’s cairn.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Strandhill Caravan & Camping Park on the Atlantic beach west of Sligo; ask the operator in advance about facilities and autumn season. If you want to split the stage, Enniscrone has Atlantic Caravan Park near the beach (according to map data); opening times in the off-season are not confirmed, phone beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The car park on the beach at Strandhill and the beach accesses at Enniscrone and Easkey are daytime spots; since 2021 Sligo County Council has regulated parking in Strandhill, Rosses Point and Mullaghmore by parking bye-laws; for overnight stays and height barriers, follow the signs on the spot. Chairs and an awning in the car park count as camping and are not allowed there.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Carrowmore cemetery of megalithic tombs lies between Sligo and Strandhill; the access to the Knocknarea car park is tight, so use the car park in Strandhill village instead and walk. Coney Island can be reached across a causeway at low tide – the tides are dangerous, so do not set off without local tide times.
5Stage 5: Strandhill to Rosses Point (via Drumcliff, Lissadell and Mullaghmore) (approx. 100 km)
- The drive
- From Strandhill to Sligo and north on the N15 to Drumcliff; turn off to Lissadell through Carney, return to the N15 and continue via Grange and Cliffoney to Mullaghmore. Well-built national road, tight in the villages. The road to Mullaghmore Head is narrow, parking limited. Then back on the N15 to Sligo and on the R291 to Rosses Point. About 2 hours of pure driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Drumcliff: St. Columba’s Church with the grave of W. B. Yeats and the stump of a round tower, with the table mountain Benbulben above; starting point for the Benbulben Forest Walk.
- Lissadell House and Gardens on the coast of Sligo Bay, the manor house of the Gore-Booth family, with a view across bay and mountains.
- Mullaghmore Head: cliff path around the peninsula, with Classiebawn Castle in the background (private property, outside view only); in heavy swell the big-wave surfers arrive.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Rosses Point Caravan & Camping Park north-west of Sligo with a view across the bay (same operator as in Strandhill); if you prefer to stay in Strandhill, drive the same loop as a day trip. In Mullaghmore itself, pitch availability in the village is limited; ask in advance about off-season opening times of the sites.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At Benbulben and in Drumcliff, daytime parking applies; in Mullaghmore the harbour area and the village car parks are in heavy demand in season, so heed the signs against overnight stays and the height barriers. The grounds of Lissadell are private property: park only in the designated areas, not overnight.
- Insider tip for campers
- Lissadell House opens seasonally (in season, daily from 10 am to 6 pm according to the operator) – check the season and opening days on the website beforehand. Sligo, Benbulben, Drumcliff and Glencar are described in more detail in the CampingSpirit guide from Donegal to the Causeway Coast. The coast road to Mullaghmore is part of the Wild Atlantic Way; on holidays the harbour car park gets scarce, so come early. The ascent of Benbulben along the summit ridge is recommended only to experienced hikers; the Forest Walk at the foot is enough for photos and is easy.
6Stage 6: Rosses Point to Leitrim Village (via Glencar, Manorhamilton and Dromahair) (approx. 110 km)
- The drive
- From Rosses Point take the R291 to Sligo, then the N16 east past Glencar Lough to Glencar and on to Manorhamilton. From there south to Dromahair on Lough Gill (with a detour to Parke’s Castle) and over the hills of Leitrim towards Lough Allen to Drumshanbo and Leitrim Village. Winding, partly narrow country roads with hedges and potholes, some stretches single-track with passing places. About 2.5 to 3 hours of driving, longer in rain. Check the last stretch to Drumshanbo on the map beforehand, as the country roads are built to different standards.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Glencar Waterfall and Glencar Lough: short woodland path to the waterfall, immortalised by Yeats in a poem.
- Parke’s Castle on the shore of Lough Gill, a fortified manor house from the 17th century; Dooney Rock Forest with a view of the island of Innisfree.
- Lough Allen: upland with a coal-mining past, the Arigna mines on the west shore, and at the north end near Dowra the source of the Shannon.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Battlebridge Caravan & Camping Park near Leitrim Village on the Shannon, according to map data a site for motorhomes; ask in advance about facilities, season and waste disposal. The CampingSpirit guide to the Shannon and the Midlands describes the Shannon in more detail; here the site serves as a base for Lough Allen.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Waterways Ireland harbours and lock car parks are not pitches; signs against overnight stays are common on the Shannon and the Shannon-Erne Waterway. On Coillte land at Lough Gill you park by day, not at night.
- Insider tip for campers
- Fill up in Sligo or Manorhamilton: on the country roads of Leitrim the network of filling stations is thin. Sat navs like to send you onto single-track farm lanes – stay on the numbered roads. Fog in the hills comes in quickly in the evening; do not plan the last hour of driving for dusk.
7Stage 7: Leitrim Village to Leitrim Village (loop round Lough Allen) (approx. 80 km)
- The drive
- From Leitrim Village to Drumshanbo at the south end of the lake, then round Lough Allen as a loop: up the east side (R207) to Dowra at the north end, and back down the west side via Drumkeeran and Arigna. Country road with moderate traffic, some climbs on the edge of the Sliabh an Iarainn uplands, winding and partly narrow. About 2 hours of driving without stops; the length of the loop depends on the road you choose at the north end.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Arigna Mining Experience: former miners lead you through the tunnel of the old coalfield, with a view over the lake.
- Shannon Pot near Dowra (County Cavan): the source of the longest river on the island, a small spring pool in a field.
- Sliabh an Iarainn (Slieve Anierin): hill above the lakeshore, a walking trail of about 3 hours from the roadside car park.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Second night at Battlebridge Caravan & Camping Park; alternatively Lough Rynn Caravan Park near Mohill in the south of Leitrim (listed as a pitch according to map data; existence and opening not confirmed, check in advance). Many sites in the lakeland close early in autumn.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At Lough Allen and at the car parks at the source of the Shannon, daytime parking is allowed, camping is not. Dowra and the Shannon Pot lie on the border with County Cavan: the rules of the respective county councils differ, so if in doubt follow the signs on the spot.
- Insider tip for campers
- Visiting hours of the Arigna Mining Experience are seasonal and could not be confirmed – phone beforehand. If you want to head back towards the ferry at the end of the trip, take the N4 from Carrick-on-Shannon towards Dublin; take care of gas, fresh water and waste disposal in Carrick or Drumshanbo. An alternative to driving: a day on the Shannon in a hire boat, which can be skippered without a boating licence.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Ireland has no right to roam. Free camping is only permitted with the landowner’s permission; at public car parks, the county councils (here Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Roscommon) decide on bye-laws and signs. In Keem Bay on Achill, Mayo County Council banned overnight stays in motorhomes, tents and similar accommodation by bye-law in 2021; in Sligo, parking bye-laws have applied since 2021 to Strandhill, Rosses Point and Mullaghmore.
- In car parks, parking means parking: no camping behaviour, no draining grey water, no awning, no chairs. Offenders are fined, and the Gardaí carry out checks in season. For the night, stick to campsites and private pitches at farms and pubs.
- In autumn many campsites in Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim close after the summer holidays or open only by advance booking. Phone ahead in October. Useful directories are Camping Ireland, Campercontact and park4night (read comments on beach and harbour spots critically).
- In national parks, forest parks and on Coillte land the rule is: park by day, at night only in designated places. Barriers on forest tracks mean no through traffic.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Cassette and grey-water disposal is almost only possible at campsites; public stations are rare. Camper aires have been considered in Mayo, but there is no reliable network (according to the press, in 2025 there is a facility near Achill Sound; check the equipment on the spot) – empty your cassette at every site.
- Tap water is drinkable. Fresh water and drinking water are available at campsites; harbours and jetties are meant for boats.
- Gas: Calor and Flogas are widespread, foreign exchange bottles are not swapped. Campingaz is available in outdoor shops and some DIY stores. Only a few filling stations offer autogas for refillable bottles – look up locations in advance on an LPG map and carry the right adapter.
- On campsites mostly CEE plugs with 230 V. Larger supermarkets with a filling station and a spacious car park are on the edges of Westport, Ballina, Sligo and Carrick-on-Shannon.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Driving on the left: roundabouts go clockwise, and whoever is already on the roundabout (coming from the right) has priority. On narrow roads with hedges and walls, the left side of the vehicle is the critical one; at pinch points, better to stop. Switch your headlights for left-hand traffic or mask them. On Achill and in Leitrim there are single-track sections with passing places: whoever is driving uphill or has the passing place on their side stops.
- Speed limits according to the Road Safety Authority in km/h: motorway 120, national roads 100, regional roads 80, rural side roads (local roads) 60 since February 2025, built-up areas 50, in many residential areas and village centres 30. With a caravan or trailer, 80 km/h at most. Check for separate limits for motorhomes over 3.5 t and maximum dimensions with the RSA before the trip.
- Tolls: the roads on this route are toll-free. Barrier tolls exist on some motorway sections (e.g. M6 towards Galway or M4 towards Dublin); the M50 around Dublin charges barrier-free by number plate, pay online at eFlow by 8 pm the following day.
- Drink-drive limit 0.5 (50 mg/100 ml blood), for novice and professional drivers 0.2. Mobile phone at the wheel only with a hands-free kit.
- Ireland is in the EU but not in the Schengen area: carry ID, vehicle registration document and proof of insurance. If you travel via Britain, EU citizens (except Irish) generally need an ETA; whether and when it is required for transit, clarify in advance with gov.uk and the ferry company.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- An extra mirror for the left side and a paper map at 1:50,000 for Achill and Leitrim, where sat navs lead onto single-track farm lanes.
- A refillable gas bottle or adapter suitable for Calor or Flogas – foreign exchange bottles are not swapped.
- Waterproof walking boots and gaiters for Croagh Patrick, Benbulben and Downpatrick Head; the slopes are slippery and the weather changes quickly.
- A windproof jacket and hat: on the Ceide upland and at the cliffs it blows hard even in summer.
- Bikes or hire bikes for the Great Western Greenway, the Shannon Blueway and the detours that are too narrow for motorhomes.
As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
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