10 days from Shannon
Kilkee → Malin Head · 10 days · ~22h 45m total driving
Ten days is enough to run the whole northern half properly — Clare to Malin Head — without a single day that feels like a transfer. This is the trip most people wish they'd booked.
Heading north · 10 days
Kilkee → Malin Head
~22h 45m total driving
Day 1 · Clare
Kilkee
Horseshoe bay, the Pollock holes, the cliff walk.
- Kilkee Bay and Strand
- The Pollock Holes
Day 2 · Clare
~1h drive
Cliffs of Moher & Doolin
The cliffs everyone comes for. Doolin for the music after.
- Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience
- Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk
Day 3 · Clare
~30m drive
The Burren
Lisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughan, limestone pavement and rare orchids.
- Poulnabrone Dolmen
- Burren National Park
Day 4 · Galway
~1h drive
Galway City
Latin Quarter, Spanish Arch, the cultural heart of the west.
- The Latin Quarter & Shop Street
- Spanish Arch & the Long Walk
Day 5 · Galway
~3h drive
Connemara
Clifden, Roundstone, the Twelve Bens, Kylemore Abbey.
- Kylemore Abbey
- Connemara National Park
Day 6 · Mayo
~2h 30m drive
Westport
Croagh Patrick, the Greenway, a planned town that works.
- Croagh Patrick
- The Mall and the Octagon
Day 7 · Mayo
~2h 45m drive
Achill Island
Keem Bay, the Atlantic Drive, the deserted village at Slievemore.
- Keem Bay
- Slievemore Deserted Village
Day 8 · Mayo
~2h 30m drive
Ballina & North Mayo
Downpatrick Head, Céide Fields, salmon on the Moy.
- Céide Fields
- Downpatrick Head
Day 9 · Donegal
~2h 45m drive
Donegal Town & Slieve League
The castle, the diamond, and the highest sea cliffs accessible in Ireland.
- Slieve League cliffs
- Donegal Castle
Day 10 · Donegal
~6h 45m drive
Malin Head
The northern terminus. Banba's Crown, Hell's Hole, the EIRE sign.
- Banba's Crown
- Hell's Hole
12 regions skipped to fit your time
- Aran Islands — Inis Mór, Inis Meáin, Inis Oírr. Dún Aonghasa and the Plassey.
- Inishbofin & islands — Ferry from Cleggan. The kind of quiet you forget exists.
- Clare Island & Inishturk — Granuaile's tower, Knockmore, the quiet of Inishturk.
- Mullet Peninsula — Belmullet, the long strands, the islands at the end.
- Sligo & Strandhill — Yeats country, Knocknarea, the surf at Strandhill.
- Mullaghmore — Classiebawn castle, the harbour, the big-wave reef offshore.
- Glencolmcille — Folk village, the Tower at Glen Head, end-of-the-road quiet.
- Dungloe & The Rosses — Gaeltacht heartland, hundreds of lakes, ferry to Arranmore.
- Arranmore & Tory — Two ferries, two very different worlds. Cliffs, kingship, round tower.
- Dunfanaghy — Horn Head, Killahoey beach, McAuliffe's bookshop.
- Downings — Sheephaven Bay, Tranarossan, the Atlantic Drive.
- Fanad & Inishowen — Fanad lighthouse, the Great Pollet arch, the Inishowen 100.
Driving times are honest mid-range estimates. The WAW is full of small roads, and you'll want to stop. Plan for slower than Google Maps tells you.
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