How long do I need to drive the Wild Atlantic Way properly?
The full route is about 2,500 kilometres, and it deserves more time than most people give it. Driven end to end with stops that do it justice, allow ten to fourteen days. Seven days covers the southern half well: Kerry, Clare, Galway and Mayo. Three or four days is a taster of one section, not the Way. The mistake is arithmetic: at rural Irish speeds the whole route is fifty hours or more at the wheel, before a single walk, boat trip or pub. Pick a section, give its towns two nights each, and leave the rest for the next trip.
Useful pages: Where to go · Ready-made itineraries · The Wild Atlantic Way road trip · Dublin · County Cork · County Kerry · County Galway · Northern Ireland · Portrush · Visiting Irish castles · Plan your journey · Heritage · Golf in Ireland · Ireland's cities · Ireland in the movies · Best hiking trails in Ireland · The Southwest in 5 Days · The Great Links golf itinerary · Quieter places
Sources
- Failte Ireland: the Wild Atlantic Way route, failteireland.ie
More in Regions and itineraries
- Should I choose the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland's Ancient East, Dublin or Northern Ireland first?
- What are the best bases on the Wild Atlantic Way for a seven day trip?
- Which counties give the best first taste of the southwest?
- Dublin or Galway: which city should be my main base?
- Cork or Killarney: which is the better base for the southwest?