← The Atlantic Companion

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Pick where you start, where you finish, and how many days you have. We'll stitch together a locally-curated driving itinerary using your full guide.

Must-stop along the way (optional)

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Heading north · 12 days

KinsaleBelfast

~39h 35m total driving

  1. Day 1 · Cork

    Kinsale

    Southern start of the WAW. Forts, food, harbour town.

    • Charles Fort
    • Old Head of Kinsale
  2. Day 2 · Kerry

    ~8h 25m drive

    Dingle Peninsula

    Slea Head Drive, the Blasket Sound, Fungie's town.

    • Slea Head Drive
    • Blasket Centre, Dunquin
  3. Day 3 · Clare

    ~4h 15m 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
  4. Day 4 · Galway

    ~1h 30m drive

    Galway City

    Latin Quarter, Spanish Arch, the cultural heart of the west.

    • The Latin Quarter & Shop Street
    • Spanish Arch & the Long Walk
  5. Day 5 · Galway

    ~3h drive

    Connemara

    Clifden, Roundstone, the Twelve Bens, Kylemore Abbey.

    • Kylemore Abbey
    • Connemara National Park
  6. Day 6 · Donegal

    ~10h 30m drive

    Donegal Town & Slieve League

    The castle, the diamond, and the highest sea cliffs accessible in Ireland.

    • Slieve League cliffs
    • Donegal Castle
  7. Day 7 · Donegal

    ~6h 45m drive

    Malin Head

    The northern terminus. Banba's Crown, Hell's Hole, the EIRE sign.

    • Banba's Crown
    • Hell's Hole
  8. Crossing the border

    From here you cross the Foyle into Northern Ireland — pounds, miles, same coast. The Wild Atlantic Way ends; the Causeway Coastal Route begins.

    What changes at the border →
  9. Day 8 · DerryCauseway Coast

    Derry / Londonderry

    Walled city, Bogside murals, the Peace Bridge — and the bridge to the Wild Atlantic Way.

    • Walk the city walls
    • The People's Gallery (Bogside murals)
  10. Day 9 · DerryCauseway Coast

    ~1h drive

    Mussenden Temple & Downhill

    A cliff-edge temple, the Earl Bishop's ruined demesne, and seven miles of empty strand.

    • Mussenden Temple
    • Downhill Demesne & the ruined house
  11. Day 10 · AntrimCauseway Coast

    ~55m drive

    Giant's Causeway & Bushmills

    40,000 basalt columns, a UNESCO site, and the world's oldest licensed distillery next door.

    • The Causeway itself
    • Old Bushmills Distillery
  12. Day 11 · AntrimCauseway Coast

    ~25m drive

    Carrick-a-Rede & Ballintoy

    The rope bridge to a salmon fisherman's island. Ballintoy harbour next door.

    • The Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge
    • Ballintoy harbour
  13. Day 12 · AntrimCauseway Coast

    ~2h 50m drive

    Belfast

    City anchor — Titanic Quarter, Cathedral Quarter, the Black Cab tour, the entry/exit to the Causeway Coastal Route.

    • Titanic Belfast
    • Belfast City Hall
32 regions skipped to fit your time
  • ClonakiltyInchydoney beach. Black pudding country. Michael Collins' patch.
  • Skibbereen & BaltimoreSailing town, the Beacon, ferries to Sherkin and Cape Clear.
  • Mizen HeadThe signal station footbridge. Ireland's true south-west corner.
  • Bantry & Sheep's HeadThe quiet peninsula. The walking is the point.
  • KenmareWhere the Beara and Iveragh peninsulas meet. Stone circle, food town.
  • Ring of KerrySneem, Waterville, Skellig view. Drive it anti-clockwise.
  • Tralee & North KerryBanna Strand, Ballybunion, the Shannon estuary mouth.
  • Loop HeadThe lighthouse, the bridges of Ross, dolphins in the estuary.
  • KilkeeHorseshoe bay, the Pollock holes, the cliff walk.
  • The BurrenLisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughan, limestone pavement and rare orchids.
  • Aran IslandsInis Mór, Inis Meáin, Inis Oírr. Dún Aonghasa and the Plassey.
  • Inishbofin & islandsFerry from Cleggan. The kind of quiet you forget exists.
  • WestportCroagh Patrick, the Greenway, a planned town that works.
  • Clare Island & InishturkGranuaile's tower, Knockmore, the quiet of Inishturk.
  • Achill IslandKeem Bay, the Atlantic Drive, the deserted village at Slievemore.
  • Mullet PeninsulaBelmullet, the long strands, the islands at the end.
  • Ballina & North MayoDownpatrick Head, Céide Fields, salmon on the Moy.
  • Sligo & StrandhillYeats country, Knocknarea, the surf at Strandhill.
  • MullaghmoreClassiebawn castle, the harbour, the big-wave reef offshore.
  • GlencolmcilleFolk village, the Tower at Glen Head, end-of-the-road quiet.
  • Dungloe & The RossesGaeltacht heartland, hundreds of lakes, ferry to Arranmore.
  • Arranmore & ToryTwo ferries, two very different worlds. Cliffs, kingship, round tower.
  • DunfanaghyHorn Head, Killahoey beach, McAuliffe's bookshop.
  • DowningsSheephaven Bay, Tranarossan, the Atlantic Drive.
  • Fanad & InishowenFanad lighthouse, the Great Pollet arch, the Inishowen 100.
  • Portrush & PortstewartTwo seaside towns, a championship links, and the surf at East Strand.
  • Dunluce & the Causeway cliffsThe ruined castle on the cliff edge, the coast path to the Causeway.
  • Ballycastle & Rathlin IslandFerry to Rathlin — puffins, a flipped lighthouse, the only inhabited Antrim island.
  • Cushendun & Torr HeadThe quiet drive — caves, white-washed cottages, Scotland twelve miles across the channel.
  • Glens of AntrimNine glens running down to the sea. Glenariff, Cushendall, Glenarm.
  • Larne & the Antrim Coast RoadWhere the Causeway Coastal Route gets wild — basalt cliffs hanging over the road.
  • CarrickfergusNorman castle on the harbour, the song everyone half-knows the words to.

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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