12.30pm
As you get closer to Clifden, it’s worth heading off the main road again, to visit Ballynahinch Castle, once the home of Humanity Dick (founder of the RSPCA) and now a fabulously luxurious hotel. Both Dad and I agree that if we wanted to take a longer time over this journey, this would be a great place to stay.
1pm
We’re getting hungry, so it’s just as well we’re driving into Clifden – the capital of Connemara. This town of imposing grey stone buildings is sited where the Owenglin river pours into Clifden Bay on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.
Before we do anything about looking around, we head to Mitchell’s restaurant which, luckily for us, had just opened for the first day of the season. Our meal is absolutely fantastic – amazingly fresh fish and crab meat – and the waiters are particularly friendly. However, there are plenty of other places to eat out in Clifden and The Connemara Hamper deli will knock together an impressive hamper if you’d rather take lunch and eat it on a beach somewhere.
The Connemara Pony
Everywhere you go in Connemara you’ll see wild ponies grazing by the lakes and mountains. Legend varies as to how they came to be in this area, but you can take your pick from the Vikings or from Spanish Armada ships which ran aground off the coast in the 16th century. The Clifden Show, held in the third week of August, sees dealers and horse lovers from all over the world converge on Clifden for horse trading, rodeos and some serious catching up in the pubs every evening.
3pm
Talking of beaches, we decide to end our trip with an unofficial extension to our route from Galway to Clifden. The Sky Road, which leads out of Clifden and along the rugged Atlantic coast, is breathtaking. As you hug the rugged coastline and look out against the white foamy swell of ocean, there’s nothing but the Atlantic Ocean between you and America. We’ll leave the last word to Top Gear, which describes this spot brilliantly: “You don’t have to go too far to feel like you’ve fallen off the edge of the world.”
Road-Trip Tunes
To help you create the perfect soundtrack to your trip, we asked the DJs at Galway Bay FM to name five great Irish tunes to accompany you on your trip:
1. “The Bright Side of the Road” – Van Morrison
2. “Running Blind” – Marc Roberts
3. “Galway Girl” – Sharon Shannon and Steve Earle
4. “Dancing in the Moonlight” – Phil Lynott
5. “Radio” – The Corrs
Where to eat and drink:
Keane’s Bar, Maam Bridge, Connemara; tel: +353 (0)91 571103
The Malt House, Olde Malt Mall, 15 High Street, Galway; tel: +353 (0)91 567866; www.themalthouse.ie
Mitchells, Market Street, Clifden; tel: +353 (0)95 21867
Pangur Ban, Letterfrack, Connemara; tel: +353 (0)95 41243; www.pangurban.com
Connemara Hamper, Lower Market Street, Clifden, Galway; tel: +353 (0)95 21054; www.connemarahamper.com
Where to stay:
Ballynahinch Castle Hotel, Recess, Connemara; tel: +353 (0)95 31006; www.ballynahinch-castle.com
The Quay House, Beach Road, Clifden; tel: +353 (0)95 21369; www.thequayhouse.com
Dolphin Beach, Lower Sky Road, Clifden; tel: +353 (0)95 21204; http://dolphinbeachhouse.com
Glenlo Abbey Hotel, Bushy Park, Galway; tel: +353 (0)91 526666; www.glenlo.com
Other places worth visiting
The Alcock and Brown memorial marks the occasion of the first transatlantic plane-crossing in 1919. It took 16 hours and 27 minutes for the British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown to cross from Newfoundland to Ireland going at an average speed of 115 miles per-hour. The memorial is clearly signposted from Clifden.
getting there
Head to Knock and hit the road! bmibaby flies to Ireland West-Knock from Birmingham and Manchester from just £18.99 one-way. For more information, log on to www.bmibaby.com
