Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way is 10!

15.04.2024 - 07:01 / breakingtravelnews.com / Star Wars

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the world’s longest-defined coastal touring route. The Wild Atlantic Way is an internationally acclaimed waymarked road trip stretching 2,500 kilometres along the contours of Ireland’s great western seaboard, from County Cork in the south to County Donegal in the north. With 188 Discovery Points along the way, the route has guided the intrepid traveller for the past decade to previously off-grid west of Ireland locations, bringing with it nearly two million extra visitors every year, helping to shape a thriving tourism industry which supports 121,000 jobs and delivers €3 billion to the economy per year.

Weaving through nine coastal counties, this epic route is studded with coves and cliffs, caves and craggy rock formations, all sculpted by the sea over millennia. With its cinematic beauty and otherworldly landscapes, it’s a place that has attracted the attention of some of the world’s top filmmakers and TV producers, with Ryan’s Daughter, Star Wars, The Banshees of Inisherin and Normal People all shot on location here.

The Wild Atlantic Way can be explored on foot, bike or by car and on any timescale. From idling away afternoons on one of its 63 beaches to connecting with nature in one of its five national parks, it’s a place of endless adventure, with 26 inhabited and hundreds of uninhabited islands, world-renowned golf courses, two Dark Sky Reserves and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Skellig Michael.

At the core of this magnificent seascape’s success as a destination is its people and their famous hospitality. From the heart-thumping beats of a traditional music session to plates of super-fresh seafood, the Wild Atlantic Way is all about having a good time.

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There are award-winning whiskey distilleries and breathtaking accommodations from lighthouses to castles. There are Michelin-starred restaurants and traditional thatched cottage cafés driven by a commitment to local produce. And when it comes to pubs, the Wild Atlantic Way delivers with the traditional grocery-style pubs of Dingle, the buzzing music pubs of Westport, as well as countless ocean-side beauties along the way.

Where to go
Counties Cork and Kerry

Cork and Kerry are the most southerly counties of the Wild Atlantic Way and offer jagged peninsulas that jut out into the ocean with colossal mountains and crystal clear lakes in forested valleys.

Kinsale in County Cork marks the start of the Wild Atlantic Way and is a charming introduction to Cork’s spectacular coastline, with its gorgeous little villages and dramatic locations, such as the Mizen Head Signal Station, Ireland’s most southwesterly point, known for its bridge over a dramatic swirling seascape.

County Kerry is famous for