Northern Circuit: From
Ballina: Head North-West: Cross the River Moy and take
the R314 north to Killala, beside the 5,000 year-old Ceide
Fields and the awe-inspiring Mayo coast. Take a detour
north off the R314 for Portacloy harbour & Broad Haven
Bay.
A large gas-field has been found offshore and this
area around Broad Haven Bay will be developed by Shell
as the onshore terminal for the pipelines, holding tanks
and operation centre. See this area of natural beauty
before it is destroyed for ever.
Continue to Belmullet town & explore
Mullet island and the Atlantic Coast, one of the least
populated areas in Ireland. Ride south on the N59 Bangor
to Mulrany (long straights broken by sudden 90° kinks)
with one petrol station and few houses in the 20 miles.
Take the bridge to Achill Island and ride west to Keem
Strand, and up Knockmore Mountain 340m to get the "Edge
of the World" feeling. Continue back to Mulrany,
thru Newport and Westport and take the Southern Circuit.
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Entrance
Routes: Sligo, Ballina, Bellaghy, Claremorris, Leenane,
N4, N5, N59
Main
Towns:
Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballina, Castlebar,
Westport
From
Dublin travel NW on the N4 through Longford
to Carrick-on-Shannon,turn right onto the R280 & loose
yourself among the Leitrim forests and lakes. The
R280, R287, R289 to Dromaheir and then R286 & R288
take you past Lough Gill & Parkes Castle into
Sligo (tight, scenic roads).
Dublin
to Ballina (Fast then slow!) Continue on the
N4 to Boyle and turn left here onto the R294 across
west Sligo via the Ox Mountains and Lough Talt to Ballina.
Bed & Breakfast:
Pam & Don Kay
Tel: 098 26563. 2
miles south of Westport on N59 Clifden Road (Look for BMW sign east of
side-road) |
Southern
Circuit:Leave Westport and ride west along R335 to
Louisberg then south past Doo Lough to Delphi. Then out
of the valley into Killary Harbour, a long wild fjord.
Follow the road to Lennane.
Alternatively,
at the end of Doo Lough, take the left turn up a side valley,
and follow this paved road through forestry to the junction
with the Leenane - Westport road. |
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