The Atlantic Companion
A local's companion to the Wild Atlantic Way and Causeway Coastal Route.
Written by people who live here. 44 regions along Ireland's Atlantic edge — Kinsale to Malin Head, Belfast to Derry — each with a full local guide.
Where are you starting from?
Choose your starting point
Republic of Ireland
The two routes
One Atlantic, two government-branded coastal drives. Do either or both, in either direction. All 44 regions have full local guides.
Wild Atlantic Way
Kinsale ↔ Malin Head
2,500km between Kinsale in Cork and Malin Head in Donegal. Republic of Ireland. Drive it in either direction.
Cork
- KinsaleLive
Southern start of the WAW. Forts, food, harbour town.
- ClonakiltyLive
Inchydoney beach. Black pudding country. Michael Collins' patch.
- Skibbereen & BaltimoreLive
Sailing town, the Beacon, ferries to Sherkin and Cape Clear.
- Mizen HeadLive
The signal station footbridge. Ireland's true south-west corner.
- Bantry & Sheep's HeadLive
The quiet peninsula. The walking is the point.
Kerry
- KenmareLive
Where the Beara and Iveragh peninsulas meet. Stone circle, food town.
- Ring of KerryLive
Sneem, Waterville, Skellig view. Drive it anti-clockwise.
- Dingle PeninsulaLive
Slea Head Drive, the Blasket Sound, Fungie's town.
- Tralee & North KerryLive
Banna Strand, Ballybunion, the Shannon estuary mouth.
Clare
Galway
Mayo
- WestportLive
Croagh Patrick, the Greenway, a planned town that works.
- Clare Island & InishturkLive
Granuaile's tower, Knockmore, the quiet of Inishturk.
- Achill IslandLive
Keem Bay, the Atlantic Drive, the deserted village at Slievemore.
- Mullet PeninsulaLive
Belmullet, the long strands, the islands at the end.
- Ballina & North MayoLive
Downpatrick Head, Céide Fields, salmon on the Moy.
Sligo
Donegal
- Donegal Town & Slieve LeagueLive
The castle, the diamond, and the highest sea cliffs accessible in Ireland.
- GlencolmcilleLive
Folk village, the Tower at Glen Head, end-of-the-road quiet.
- Dungloe & The RossesLive
Gaeltacht heartland, hundreds of lakes, ferry to Arranmore.
- Arranmore & ToryLive
Two ferries, two very different worlds. Cliffs, kingship, round tower.
- DunfanaghyLive
Horn Head, Killahoey beach, McAuliffe's bookshop.
- DowningsLive
Sheephaven Bay, Tranarossan, the Atlantic Drive.
- Fanad & InishowenLive
Fanad lighthouse, the Great Pollet arch, the Inishowen 100.
- Malin HeadLive
The northern terminus. Banba's Crown, Hell's Hole, the EIRE sign.
Causeway Coastal Route
Belfast ↔ Derry
Belfast to Derry, or Derry to Belfast — same coast, your choice of direction. Tourism NI's ~190km coastal route through the Glens of Antrim, the Giant's Causeway, Mussenden and on to the walled city. Pounds, miles, same Atlantic. How the crossing works →
Derry City and Strabane
Causeway Coast and Glens
- Mussenden Temple & DownhillCauseway Coast
A cliff-edge temple, the Earl Bishop's ruined demesne, and seven miles of empty strand.
- Portrush & PortstewartCauseway Coast
Two seaside towns, a championship links, and the surf at East Strand.
- Dunluce & the Causeway cliffsCauseway Coast
The ruined castle on the cliff edge, the coast path to the Causeway.
- Giant's Causeway & BushmillsCauseway Coast
40,000 basalt columns, a UNESCO site, and the world's oldest licensed distillery next door.
- Carrick-a-Rede & BallintoyCauseway Coast
The rope bridge to a salmon fisherman's island. Ballintoy harbour next door.
- Ballycastle & Rathlin IslandCauseway Coast
Ferry to Rathlin — puffins, a flipped lighthouse, the only inhabited Antrim island.
- Cushendun & Torr HeadCauseway Coast
The quiet drive — caves, white-washed cottages, Scotland twelve miles across the channel.
- Glens of AntrimCauseway Coast
Nine glens running down to the sea. Glenariff, Cushendall, Glenarm.
Mid and East Antrim
12 stops along the Causeway Coastal Route — every one with a full local guide.
What's next
The Atlantic edge keeps going.
Western Scotland, the Hebrides, the Argyll coast — same ocean, same weather, same lighthouses on the other side of the North Channel. We'll get there. If there's a stretch of the Atlantic you'd like us to cover next, tell us.
Designed & developed by ideapath.app