Experience the natural power of the Atlantic up close by car along 2,600 kilometres of coastline: This is the Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast of Ireland. Experiencing this little corner of the world up close is simply breathtaking and should not be missed on your round trip across the Emerald Isle.

The Wild Atlantic Way starts in the north on the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal and leads through Counties Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Clare, Limerick and Kerry to Kinsale in County Cork. On the route, you will experience the complete diversity of Ireland’s rugged and adventurous Atlantic coast. Sounds like a unique experience? Then hop aboard and let us take you to the highlights of the coastal route.

There are numerous discovery points along the Wild Atlantic Way. These are signposted all along the route and marked with the WAW logo. We have searched for the most exciting points for you and collected them in this article. You can find a complete overview of the Discovery Points on the official website of the Wild Atlantic Way .

On the Fanad Peninsula in County Donegal in the north of Ireland, there is a wonderful view over the rugged and jagged Atlantic coast. You can explore the Fanad Peninsula via a narrow coastal road. At the end is one of Ireland’s most beautiful lighthouses, the Fanad Lighthouse, which is a world-famous postcard motif.

The fascinating cliff landscape of Slieve, also located in County Donegal, certainly offers one of the ‘WOW moments’ on your tour of the Wild Atlantic Way. The 600 metre high, steep cliffs are among the highest sea cliffs in Europe. For the particularly brave, there is the ‘One Man’s Path’, a narrow ridge path on the back of the cliffs.

The Cliffs of Moher are probably the most famous landmark on the west coast of Ireland and are familiar to everyone. The cliffs in County Clare rise up to 214 metres out of the Atlantic, some of them vertically. An unforgettable representation of what such a natural spectacle of Mother Nature can look like after more than 300 million years. At eight kilometres long, you can even go on real coastal walks here! Of course, a production like this not only attracts curious tourists, it is also the setting for world-famous film titles such as ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ or ‘Star Wars 7’.

The Baltimore Beacon is a white-painted, approximately 15 metre-high ‘beacon’ in the former pirate town of Baltimore in picturesque County Cork. The structure seems almost surreal, but the Baltimore Beacon has a precise affiliation. Together with the other lighthouses on the coast, it is part of a warning system. The area is ideal for easy walks and Jacob’s Bar serves great mussels. Incidentally, the locals also like to call their Baltimore Beacon ‘Lot’s Wife’ after a biblical figure who froze into a pillar of salt.

Discover Dursey Island by being pulled some 230 metres across the Atlantic on the only cable car in Ireland. The journey in the sometimes swaying gondola for up to six people (or four sheep or a cow! – In fact, the railway also transports animals to the island…) takes about 10 minutes. The island at the south-western end of the Beara Peninsula in the west of County Cork is a paradise for walkers and birdwatchers, as you can observe many different and rare bird species. The roads are sometimes far too narrow for buses or motorhomes, making the island quiet and idyllic.

Our journey takes us once again to the very north of the Wild Atlantic Way, to County Donegal. Malin Head is located in the far north of the Inishowen Peninsula and marks the northernmost point of the Irish mainland. The remains of a watchtower from Napoleonic times can be seen from afar on the hill. From up here, the coastal panorama and the mountains of the Inishowen Peninsula can be admired wonderfully. The highest point on this stretch of coast is Banba’s Crown, named after Queen Banba from the Celtic mythology of Ireland. From Banba’s Crown, a surfaced footpath leads westwards along deep gorges and overhangs to Malin Head. The names ‘Hell’s Hole’ and ‘Devil’s Bridge’ are the programme and stand for dramatic natural spectacles. Large parts of the new Star Wars films were also recently filmed here.

Last but not least, a somewhat quieter place after all these imposing cliff landscapes. In the middle of two steep slopes in the west of Achill Island in County Mayo, the largest island in Ireland, lies this beautiful sandy beach and invites you to linger. Even from a distance, the horseshoe-shaped beach attracts everyone’s attention, as its white sand contrasts with the lush green of the surrounding hills. Keem Bay was once home to a thriving fishing industry. Back then, countless curraghs – traditional Irish fishing boats – used to cavort in the bay. Today it is a paradise for kayaking.

A truly breathtaking road this Wild Atlantic Way, isn’t it? And the coastal route has so much more to offer…many more film locations from various films and fantasy series as well as numerous other magical places await in the west of the Emerald Isle. You can also find some impressions of the Geotoura team on their round trip through Ireland in this blog post Would you like to go on a discovery tour yourself and get to know Ireland’s unique landscape? Then continue here to our individual Ireland trips .