Talk:Wild Atlantic Way

WAW by bus
I’ve moved this grand compendium of bus routes here in case anything can be salvaged from it – it's clearly been a personal lockdown project. But IMHO it’s misguided and misleading.

First, it’s in the wrong place. WAW is a multi-regional overview page and shouldn’t list transport details any more than it lists B&Bs or pubs. It would have been better to put the effort into updating the county and city Get In / Around sections. I have done so (drawing on this work, so thanks for that much) for all the coast except Donegal, due for update in August. And even for the cities, it’s futile to post detailed timetables. That’s the travel operators’ job, and we supply the links.

Second, it’s unbalanced, in touting bus as a good transport mode over the entire Atlantic coast. But as explained, WAW is a brand rather than an itinerary. Very few travellers will seek to do much of it in a single trip, and the number who’d seek to do so by bus can be numbered on the fingers of your left foot. It’s not practical travel but a pilgrimage, expedition or stunt, like “Round Ireland with a Fridge” or in a hovercraft full of eels.

Third, it’s misleading, because you can’t tour WAW by public bus, what you can do is take the bus between its towns. On some stretches such as Galway-Doolin-Lahinch that's a reasonable option. For the rest, you’re peering through mud-streaked windows at a ratty highway some distance from the coast, and you’re unlikely to get off to see the old church which will take 30 min, when there are only four buses a day and the rain clouds are massing. Major chunks of coast with POIs but no bus are north Mayo Killala to Belmullet, west Mayo Louisburgh to Leenaun, north Galway Clifden to Carraroe, north Clare Shannon to Ballybunion, Ring of Kerry Portmagee to Kenmare, and from Kenmare to Cork Beara peninsula. It’s glib to crow about free travel with a bus pass then describe 50 km taxi rides and enforced overnight stops as the work-around.

For brevity, the moved material is hidden HERE >  <!--The route by public transport is described below by county, from north to south, but it can also be travelled from south to north by following the routes from the bottom upwards. The first line of bullet points describes the main route along the west coast, while the second line of bullet points describes optional diversions or alternative routes, such as to islands or into some peninsulas.

County Donegal
The northern start/end point of the Wild Atlantic Way is the village of Muff along the Irish border on the outskirts of Derry, making Derry the ideal location to begin or finish your Wild Atlantic Way journey. Derry (or Londonderry) is Northern Ireland's second city, and is served by a railway line from Belfast and by bus services from Belfast, Dublin and Galway.

Buses run all around the coast of County Donegal, but due to the many peninsulas and headlands jutting out into the ocean, you'll need to backtrack a few times if you want to reach everywhere. Uniquely along the Wild Atlantic Way, Donegal has a number of different bus operators, and many of their routes overlap, so for some sections you'll need to check more than one timetable to see all the services you can take.


 * Foyle Coaches route 957 runs along the banks of Lough Foyle from Derry via Muff and Quigleys Point to Moville. Alternatively you can take Foyle Metro route 1a from Derry to Muff and then Local Link route 953 from Muff to Moville.
 * There are some direct services from Moville to Carndonagh in the heart of the Inishowen Peninsula (see John McGinley route 933, Foyle Coaches route 952 and Local Link route 954), but if these times don't suit you can also take routes 953 or 957 back to Quigleys Point, and then take Foyle Coaches route 952 to Carndonagh.
 * From Carndonagh, Local Link route 954 extends out to Malin Head, the most northerly point on the island of Ireland and one of the Wild Atlantic Way's Signature Discovery Points.
 * Local Link route 955 operates along the western side of the Inishowen Peninsula from Carndonagh via Ballyliffin to Buncrana, on the shores of Lough Swilly.
 * McGonagle route 951 operates from Buncrana via Burt to Letterkenny, the largest town and main urban centre in County Donegal.
 * From Letterkenny, Local Link route 300 extends out along the Fanad Peninsula via Rathmelton, Rathmullen and Carrowkeel to the lighthouse at Cionn Fhánada or Fanad Head, one of the Wild Atlantic Way's Signature Discovery Points. During the summer you can also take the ferry across Lough Swilly from Buncrana to Rathmullen.
 * From Letterkenny, Patrick Gallagher Travel route 974 also extends via Rathmelton and Milford to Glen/Downings.
 * A number of operators cover the route around the top of Donegal from Letterkenny via Dunfanaghy, Falcarragh and Gweedore to Crolly/Annagry in The Rosses. See Patrick Gallagher Coaches route 931, John McGinley route 932 and Bus Feda route 964.
 * For a slightly more coastal route, take Mangan Tours route 965 from Letterkenny which diverges at Falcarragh via Magheroarty and Bunbeg to Crolly, or take one of the three previous routes to Falcarragh and then take Local Link route 966 via Magheroarty and Bunbeg to Crolly. From Magheroarty you can take a ferry to Tory Island and from Bunbeg you can take a ferry to Gola Island.
 * Or for a slightly more inland route, take Local Link route 271 from Letterkenny through Glenveagh National Park to Crolly.
 * From Crolly, you can take Doherty’s Travel route 961 or Local Link route 992 around the coast via Annagry, Kincasslagh and Burtonport to Dungloe, or alternatively take Local Link route 271 inland via Loughanure to Dungloe, and back up the coast to Burtonport.
 * From Burtonport you can take a ferry to Arranmore Island.
 * Bus Éireann route 492 runs from Dungloe via Glenties to the deep sea fishing port of Killybegs on the south coast of Donegal.
 * From Kilybegs, you can take Local Link route 293 via Kilcar, Carrick and Glencolmcille to Malinmore, the most westerly headland in County Donegal.
 * Close to here is Sliabh Liag or Slieve League, the second highest sea cliffs in Europe and one of the Wild Atlantic Way's Signature Discovery Points. While the 6km road out to the cliffs viewing point is unsuitable for any buses, you can take a boat trip from Killybegs out to the base of the cliffs.
 * From Killybegs, you can take Local Link route 293 or Bus Éireann route 490 via Dunkineely, Frosses and Mountcharles to Donegal Town.
 * Local Link route 292 runs from Donegal Town via Laghy and Rossnowlagh to Ballyshannon.
 * Local Link route 982 and route 983 provide a frequent service between Ballyshannon and the seaside holiday town of Bundoran. Route 982 continues along the coast through the short section of County Leitrim and into County Sligo, while route 983 turns inland to Kinlough in County Leitrim.

County Leitrim
County Leitrim has a coastline of only 4km. You'll pass through it on Local Link route 982 between Donegal and Sligo, but there's not much to get off and see. Keep an eye on the road signs as you cross the county boundaries, or else you'll probably miss it.

County Sligo
Unlike Donegal's many peninsulas, headlands and bus operators, County Sligo is a much simpler county to travel through by bus, with just one main coastal route either side of Sligo Town.

Sligo is the largest town and main urban centre in the northwest of Ireland, and is a good place to base yourself in this section or to enter/leave the Wild Atlantic Way. Sligo has a railway line from Dublin and bus services from Dublin, Belfast (via Enniskillen) and Galway.


 * Local Link route 982 takes you into the county from Donegal, then runs via the Wild Atlantic Way Signature Discovery Point at Mullaghmore Head, Grange Village, Lissadell House, Yeats Grave in Drumcliff and into Sligo Town.
 * Bus Éireann route S1 provides a town bus service within Sligo.
 * From Sligo, you can also take Bus Éireann route S2 around Sligo Harbour, to the seaside resorts of Rosses Point in the north or Strandhill in the south.
 * Bus Éireann route 458 runs from Sligo Town along the coast via Dromore West, Easky and Inishcrone, then into Ballina in County Mayo.

County Mayo
Bus services run around the coast of County Mayo, as well as into the 33km long Mullet (or Erris) Peninsula, and into Achill Island, which is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Ballina and Westport are the main towns in this section, both of which are served by a railway line from Dublin and bus services from Galway.


 * Bus Éireann route 445, a Local Link route (page 5) and McGrath Coaches routes R1 and R2 all operate from Ballina via Killala to Ballycastle.
 * The Wild Atlantic Way Signature Discovery Point of Downpatrick Head is only 5km from Ballycastle, but no bus route extends out to it, so you'll need to take a taxi or a scenic coastal walk to reach it.
 * From Ballycastle, McGrath Coaches route R1 runs around the coast to Glenamoy, then route R3 runs from Glenamoy to Bangor Erris, while a Local Link route (page 6) runs around the coast from Rossport to Belmullet. However, following this route will require an overnight in Glenamoy, so a better option might be to backtrack to Ballina.
 * Bus Éireann route 446 runs from Ballina via Crossmolina and Bangor Erris to Belmullet on the Mullet (or Erris) Peninsula, then continues all the way to Blacksod at the end of the 33km long peninsula.
 * Local Link route 978 runs from Belmullet via Geesala, Bangor Erris and Ballycroy National Park to Mulranny and Newport.
 * From Mulranny and Newport, Bus Éireann route 450 runs west across Achill Sound into Achill Island, to Keem Bay at the far end of the island, one of the Wild Atlantic Way's Signature Discovery Points. In the opposite direction route 450 runs around the coast of Clew Bay via Westport to Louisburgh.
 * From Roonagh Quay, 7km west of Louisburgh, you can catch a ferry to Clare Island or a ferry to Inisturk. While regular bus services don't extend to Roonagh, there are shuttle buses which connect with some ferries.
 * From Westport, Bus Éireann route 423 runs south to Leenane on the Mayo-Galway border and into Connemara in County Galway.

County Galway
The Wild Atlantic Way through County Galway runs along the rugged Atlantic coast of Connemara, then turns inwards and runs around the coast of Galway Bay, passing through Galway City and onwards into the Burren in County Clare. The three Aran Islands of Inis Mór, Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr at the mouth of Galway Bay also form part of the Wild Atlantic Way, although they are obviously not reached by the defined driving route.

There is no bus route along the full Connemara coastline, as of March 2021, so from the upper part of Connemara you will first have to travel inland to reach Galway City, then come back along the coast of Galway Bay to visit the lower part of Connemara. While this means you’ll miss part of the coastline, you’ll have the advantage of seeing the inland parts of Connemara which are missed by the driving route. From here, you can also island hop across the Aran Islands and into County Clare, whereas with a vehicle you’d need to return back to Connemara to collect it and then drive around Galway Bay.

Galway City is the only city in the west of Ireland and in the historic province of Connaught. It was the European Capital of Culture for 2020 and it’s worth building some time into your journey to see the city. As the approximate mid-way point of the Wild Atlantic Way, it is also a good location to enter, leave or break up your journey. The city has railway lines from Dublin and Limerick and direct bus services from Dublin, Shannon and Knock Airports.


 * Bus Éireann route 423 enters County Galway at Leenane, runs along the edge of Killary Harbour Fjord, one of the Wild Atlantic Way's Signature Discovery Points, then via Kylemore Abbey and Connemara National Park in Letterfrack and on to the coastal resort town of Clifden.
 * From Clifden, Citylink route 923 runs out to Cleggan, from where you can take a ferry to Inishbofin Island.
 * Omey Island is also near here and you can drive across the sand to it during low tide. However, there is no bus route out to it so you’ll need to take a taxi from Cleggan (5 km) or Clifden (12 km). You’ll want to book your return taxi in advance, because you’re unlikely to find one on the island, and you’ll need to be aware of the tide times to ensure you can get across.
 * The Wild Atlantic Way Signature Discovery Point of Derrigmlagh Bog is 4 km south of Clifden, but again has no bus service, so you’ll need to take a taxi. Another 2 km south of here is the landing site of the first ever transatlantic flight, achieved by Jack Alcock and Teddie Brown in 1919.
 * From Clifden, Bus Éireann route 419 and Citylink route 923 run inland across Connemara through Maam Cross, Oughterard and Moycullen into Galway City on the shores of Galway Bay. On Wednesdays and Fridays you can take a slightly different route 419 service via Roundstone.
 * Bus Éireann run a city network with six routes in Galway, with the busiest running every 15 to 20 minutes throughout the day.
 * Bus Éireann route 424 runs along the north shore of Galway Bay via Spiddal, Inverin and Rossaveal to Carraroe, with some services extending to Lettermullen.
 * The Aran Islands of Inis Mór, Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr are off the coast from here, at the entrance to Galway Bay. You can reach all three islands by either taking a ferry from Rossaveal, or by taking a short flight from Connemara Airport. During the summer months, you can also take inter-island ferries between the islands, and continue onwards to Doolin in County Clare.
 * As an alternative to hopping across the Aran Islands to Doolin, you can also take Bus Éireann route 350 from Galway City around the eastern end and south shore of Galway Bay via Oranmore, Clarenbridge and Kinvara and into the Burren in County Clare.

County Clare
County Clare is probably the easiest section of the Wild Atlantic Way to explore by bus, with good bus routes covering the whole length of the coast, and regular services so you hop on and off and from place to place along the route. There isn't a single route running the whole length of the coast but different routes cover different sections, before each turning inwards towards Clare's largest town of Ennis in the centre of the county.


 * Bus Éireann route 350 brings you into the Burren in north Clare and runs along the south shore of Galway Bay via Ballyvaughan, Blackhead Lighthouse, Lisdoonvarna, Doolin, the Cliffs of Moher and Liscannor to Lahinch and Ennistymon. Ferries from the Aran Islands arrive into Doolin, while the Cliffs of Moher are one of the Wild Atlantic Way's Signature Discovery Points.
 * From Ennistymon and Lahinch, you can take Bus Éireann route 333 along the coast to Milltown Malbay, Spanish Point, Quilty, Doonbeg and Kilkee. Local Link route 335 and Bus Éireann route 336 also overlap on the lower parts of this, from Quilty to Kilkee and from Doonbeg to Kilkee respectively.
 * From Kilkee, Local Link route 339 runs out along the Loop Peninsula to the Loop Head Lighthouse at the Mouth of the River Shannon, one of the Wild Atlantic Way's Signature Discovery Points.
 * Bus Éireann route 336 and Local Link routes 335 and 339 all overlap on the section between Kilkee on the Atlantic coast and Kilrush on the Shannon Estuary.
 * Local Link route 337 runs the short distance from Kilrush to Killimer, from where you can take the ferry across the Shannon Estuary to Tarbert in County Kerry.
 * While the defined driving route cuts across the Shannon Estuary on the ferry, you could also extend your route to include a loop around the Shannon Estuary through Counties Clare and Limerick, called the Shannon Estuary Way. After Killimer, route 337 continues along the north bank of the River Shannon and then the River Fergus into Clare's largest town of Ennis. From Ennis, you can take a train south to Limerick City, or else take Bus Éireann route 343 via Newmarket-on-Fergus, Shannon and Bunratty Castle to Limerick.

County Limerick
The defined driving route of the Wild Atlantic Way only has a short spur into County Limerick, to the town of Foynes. However, it's also worth adding in some extra time to visit Limerick City when you're so close to it. There are two main ways you could add Limerick City and County into your journey:
 * Skip the ferry and follow the Shannon Estuary Way around the estuary via Ennis to Limerick City (as described above), then take Bus Éireann route 314 back along the south bank of the River Shannon via Askeaton and Foynes to Glin. From Glin, take Local Link route 593 (pages 12-13) inland to the town of Newcastle West, from where Expressway route 13 runs across the county boundary into Kerry.
 * Cross the Shannon on the ferry to Tarbert, then take a taxi for the 9km to Glin. From Glin, Bus Éireann route 314 runs along the south bank of the River Shannon via Foynes and Askeaton to Limerick City. From Limerick City, Expressway route 13 runs inland via the heritage town of Adare, Rathkeale, Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale and across the county boundary into Kerry.

County Kerry
While Clare might be the easiest part of the Wild Atlantic Way to get around by public transport, the north part of County Kerry is not. From the ferry at Tarbert, there's only a bus service twice a week into the centre of the county. An alternative option is to divert inland via County Limerick, as already described above.

The bus services are much better on the peninsulas in the west and south of the county, although there is one section which can only be reached by tour buses. Kerry's county town of Tralee serves as a main hub for the public transport network in Kerry, while the tourist town of Killarney is the main base for the famous Ring of Kerry route.


 * From the ferry across the Shannon Estuary at Tarbert, Local Link route R60 runs on Tuesday and Thursday to Listowel in North Kerry. At other times you'll need to take a taxi for this 20-km section, or consider taking one of the alternative routes through County Limerick, as described above
 * Coming into the county from Limerick, Expressway route 13 runs into Listowel and then continues onwards to Kerry's county town of Tralee.
 * From Listowel or Tralee, you can take Bus Éireann route 272 to the coastal town of Ballybunion.
 * From Tralee, you can take Bus Éireann route 274 to the coastal town of Ballyheigue.
 * From Tralee, you can also take Bus Éireann route 273 along the north shore of the Dingle Peninsula via Castlegregory to Cloghane-Brandon, although this route only runs on Friday.
 * Bus Éireann route 275 runs from Tralee along the Dingle Peninsula via Annascaul to the tourist town of Dingle. This is a very scenic route, passing through the mountains in the centre of the peninsula, with views over Tralee Bay to the north and Dingle Bay to the south.
 * From Dingle, Local Link route 277 runs via Ventry and Ballyferriter to Dunquin at the end of the peninsula. The Ionad an Bhlascaoid Mhóir or Great Blasket Centre, one of the Wild Atlantic Way's Signature Discovery Points, is located here, as well as a ferry to the Great Blasket Island. Slea Head, the most westerly point on any European mainland, is also near here.
 * From Dingle you'll need to backtrack along route 275 to Tralee, from where you can take a train or Expressway route 40 to Killarney. Killarney is actually off the Wild Atlantic Way, but is one of Ireland's largest tourist destinations, so you'd be mad to skip it. (Although if you do want to skip it, you can take Bus Éireann route 279 directly from Tralee to Killorglin.)
 * Killarney is the main start and end point of the famous Ring of Kerry scenic drive around the Iveragh Peninsula. There's two ways you can explore the Ring of Kerry. Numerous guided coach tours depart from Killarney and operate in an anticlockwise direction around the Ring. Tours will vary in itinerary, duration and price, so check out the different options online in advance. Or you can also travel most of the Ring using the regular public transport network:
 * Bus Éireann route 279A runs along the northern and western parts of the Ring via Killorglin and Caherciveen to Waterville. At some times route 279A will take you the whole way to Waterville, while at other times you’ll need to change onto a connecting Local Link route 285 at Killorglin or Caherciveen to continue to Waterville.
 * From Caherciveen, Local Link route 287A runs via Portmagee to Knightstown on Valentia Island on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, while route 287B runs the Skellig Ring via Dromid and Ballinskelligs on Monday and Wednesday.
 * The Wild Atlantic Way Signature Discovery Point of Sceilg Mhichíl or Skellig Michael is located offshore from the Iveragh Peninsula. You can take boat tours to the islet from Portmagee.
 * There's a gap in the regular public transport network along the south of the Ring between Waterville, Sneem and Kenmare, so you'll either need to take a taxi for 61km or else backtrack around the north of the Ring back to Killarney. On Friday, Bus Éireann route 270 provides a service between Sneem and Kenmare, so you only have to take a taxi for 34km between Waterville and Sneem.
 * From Killarney, Bus Éireann route 270 runs south to Kenmare, at the end of the Kenmare River (actually a bay) between the Iveragh and Beara Peninsulas.
 * From Kenmare into County Cork, you can take either Bus Éireann route 282 around the Ring of Beara via Ardgroom to Castletownbere, or take Bus Éireann route 252 across the Caha Pass and through the four Turners Rock Tunnels to Glengarriff. Both of these routes operate during the summer months only, so at other times of the year you'll need to take a taxi from Kenmare across the 27km Caha Pass to Glengarriff.

County Cork
The western half of the County Cork coast is the final section of the Wild Atlantic Way. While you can travel along this coast in just 2 hours 30 minutes during the summer with Bus Éireann route 252, you'll need to take a few days if you want to explore the many peninsulas and offshore islands along this coast.


 * Bus Éireann route 236 and O'Donoghues route 286 run along the Beara Peninsula from Castletownbere via Glengarriff to Bantry.
 * From Castletownbere, you can take a taxi 22 km to Dursey Sound, where Ireland's only cable car crosses open sea water to Dursey Island. Local Link also run a return bus (page 6) from Castletownbere to the cable car station on Tuesday, which gives you around 4 hours to spend on the island. Thomas Hartnett runs a bus service on the island.
 * From Castletownbere, you can also take a ferry to Bere Island.
 * From Bantry, you can take a ferry to Whiddy Island.
 * From Bantry to Ballydehob and Skibbereen, you can take Bus Éireann route 252 which operates during the summer only, or Local Link also provide year-round bus services (pages 3, 7, 8, 13), although at different times each day, so check the timetable carefully.
 * From Skibbereen and Ballydehob, one branch of Bus Éireann route 237 extends to Schull and Goleen. The bus doesn't extend to Mizen Head, Ireland's most southerly point, but you can catch a taxi for the 11km from Goleen.
 * From Skibbereen, the other branch of Bus Éireann route 237 extends to Baltimore, from where you can take a a ferry to nearby Sherkin Island or a ferry further south to Clear Island, the most southerly island off Ireland's coast. Local Link route 1137 (page 45) provides a service on Sherkin Island, while Local Link route 1129 (page 38) provides a service on Clear Island, both of which are timed to connect with ferries. You can also take a boat tour to the lighthouse on Fastnet Rock, Ireland's most southerly point.
 * The village of Castletownshend is only 9km from Skibbereen, but there is no bus service there, so you'll need to take a taxi.
 * The main corridor of Bus Éireann route 237 runs from Skibbereen along the south Cork coast via Leap and Rosscarbery to Clonakilty.
 * From Clonakilty, Local Link route 253 continues along the coast via Timoleague, Kilbrittain and Ballinspittle to the harbour town of Kinsale, the southern start/end point of the Wild Atlantic Way. The Lusitania Museum and Old Head Signal Tower at the Old Head of Kinsale is the final Signature Discovery Point on the Wild Atlantic Way.

From the end of the Wild Atlantic Way in Kinsale, you can take Bus Éireann route 226 every hour to Cork City. Cork City is the 2nd largest city in Ireland and is the best place to start or end your Wild Atlantic Way journey. From Cork you can take a train onwards to Dublin or fly out from Cork Airport. --> < HERE - Grahamsands (talk) 18:39, 18 June 2021 (UTC)