Planning the Wild Atlantic Way: where to begin

Choose a stretch of coast that fits your time, your transport and the sort of break you actually want.
Fanad Head Lighthouse on the rocky coast of County Donegal

Start with the time available

A long weekend and a fortnight call for different Atlantic plans. Pick the place you most want to spend time, then look at how you will reach it and where you will stay. A short stretch explored properly can make a far better break than a large section seen mostly through a windscreen.

Give the map a practical purpose

Use the official Wild Atlantic Way resources to understand the route and its destinations. Our 24 chapters follow a north-to-south reading order; they are not official stages or a recommendation to finish in 24 days. Read ahead, choose your section and allow for arrival, departure and the roads between stops.

With or without a car

Transport for Ireland has information to help plan a trip by public transport. Begin with the actual services to your chosen base, then check how you will reach the places around it. A bus route need not follow a scenic driving route. Confirm current timetables and the return journey before committing to an outing.

Leave something undecided

Book the things that need certainty, such as a room or a particular visitor experience. Keep some space around them for weather, an extra hour in a town or a change of mind. You are planning a holiday, and the best part of the day may be the one that was not timed in advance.

Useful links

Before you go

Check current services, local access notices and booking conditions directly. Keep an alternative available for weather-dependent plans.

Featured image: Photo: David Becker · Unsplash License