The Western Way ()
is a
long-distance trail in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. It is long and begins in
Oughterard
Oughterard () is a small town on the banks of the Owenriff River close to the western shore of Lough Corrib in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The population of the town in 2016 was 1,318. It is located about northwest of Galway on the N5 ...
,
County Galway and ends in
Ballycastle,
County Mayo. It is typically completed in seven days.
It is designated as a
National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the
Irish Sports Council
Sport Ireland ( ga, Spórt Éireann), formerly the Irish Sports Council, is a statutory authority that oversees, and partly funds, the development of sport within Ireland. It is located at the National Sports Campus in the townland of Sheephill ...
and is managed by
Coillte,
Galway County Council
Galway County Council ( ga, Comhairle Chontae na Gaillimhe) is the authority responsible for local government in County Galway, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for hous ...
,
Mayo County Council
Mayo County Council ( ga, Comhairle Contae Mhaigh Eo) is the authority responsible for local government in County Mayo, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and ...
, South Mayo Development Company and Mayo North & East Development Company.
Route
Galway section
Starting from
Oughterard
Oughterard () is a small town on the banks of the Owenriff River close to the western shore of Lough Corrib in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The population of the town in 2016 was 1,318. It is located about northwest of Galway on the N5 ...
, the trail follows the western edge of
Lough Corrib before breaking away across the
Maumturks
, photo=View south to Knocknahillion from Letterbreckaun.jpg
, photo_caption= Maumturk Mountains: looking south from Letterbreckaun towards Knocknahillion and Binn idir an dá Log.
, country=Republic of Ireland
, region = Connacht
, region_t ...
chain at the pass of
Maumeen. It descends to the Inagh Valley along the base of the "Turks", following them around to
Leenaun
Leenaun (), also Leenane, is a village and 1,845 acre townland in County Galway, Ireland, on the southern shore of Killary Harbour and the northern edge of Connemara.
Location
Leenaun is situated on the junction of the N59 road, and the R336 ...
at the head of
Killary Harbour
Killary Harbour or Killary Fjord () is a fjord or fjard on the west coast of Ireland, in northern Connemara. To its north is County Mayo and the mountains of Mweelrea and Ben Gorm; to its south is County Galway and the Maumturk Mountains.
...
fjord. The Galway section ends here and the Mayo section begins.
Mayo section
From Leenaun, the
Mayo Mayo often refers to:
* Mayonnaise, often shortened to "mayo"
* Mayo Clinic, a medical center in Rochester, Minnesota, United States
Mayo may also refer to:
Places
Antarctica
* Mayo Peak, Marie Byrd Land
Australia
* Division of Mayo, an Aust ...
section of the trail climbs over Sheefry Bridge, then down into
Westport, then on through Newport, Sheskin, Ballycastle,
Killala
Killala () is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is a Townsplots West (known locally as Enagh Beg), which contains a number of ancient ...
,
Ballina, ending at Lough Talt in the
Ox Mountains
The Ox Mountains or Slieve Gamph () are a mountain range in County Sligo on the west coast of Ireland. They are also known as Saint Patrick's Mountains after the saint who built churches on its slopes and left his name to some of its wells.
Ge ...
near the
Sligo border. It is possible to continue on the
Sligo Way.
The Bangor Way & North Mayo Walks
The
Bangor Trail is a way marked trail mainly across the
blanket bog
Blanket bog or blanket mire, also known as featherbed bog, is an area of peatland, forming where there is a climate of high rainfall and a low level of evapotranspiration, allowing peat to develop not only in wet hollows but over large expanses o ...
and fairly rough terrain of the
Nephin Beg Mountain range. The trail links the town of
Newport in mid west Mayo with the town of
Bangor Erris
Bangor Erris () is a town in Kiltane parish in Erris, County Mayo, Ireland with a population of over 300. It is on the banks of the Owenmore River and is a "gateway" to the Erris Peninsula linking Belmullet with Ballina and Westport. It is ...
in
Erris
Erris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Ireland consisting of over , much of which is mountainous blanket bog. It has extensive sea coasts along its west and north boundaries. The main towns are Belmullet and Bangor Erris. The name ...
, North Mayo. There are several looped way marked cliff walks along the North coast cliffs,
Benwee Head and
Glinsk overlooking
Broadhaven Bay
Broadhaven Bay ( ga, Cnocán na Líne) is a natural bay of the Atlantic Ocean on the northwestern coast of County Mayo, Ireland. The opening of the bay faces northward, stretching 8.6 km between Erris Head in the west and Kid Island/Oileá ...
which start from
Carrowteige
Ceathrú Thaidhg (anglicized as Carrowteige) is a Gaeltacht village and townland on the Dún Chaocháin peninsula in northwestern County Mayo, Ireland. It is within Kilcommon (Cill Chomáin) parish in the barony of Erris. Carrowteige is a relati ...
.
References
Notes
Bibliography
*
External links
Official WebsiteWestern Way (Galway)a
IrishTrails.ieWestern Way (Mayo)a
IrishTrails.ie
{{IrishTrails
Long-distance trails in the Republic of Ireland
Geography of County Galway
Geography of County Mayo
Tourist attractions in County Galway
Tourist attractions in County Mayo