Saturday 9th September
Having enjoyed our lunch on the beach, we headed off to Connemara National Park. We continued our mission to drive as much of the Wild Atlantic Way by taking the coast road (Cleggan Loop) around the remainder of the Aughrus Peninsula before joining N59. The quiet winding road, allowed us views of the Atlantic and there was a plethora of signs highlighting the many sandy beaches along the route. We also passed through Cleggan, where it is possible to catch a ferry to the island, Inishbofin.
Connemara National Park is located just south of Letterfrack village and has no admission charge. Once parked we made our way down to the visitor centre, which is worth a visit and the staff were very knowledgeable and helpful too.
There are four signposted trails to explore, all of which have their merit.
We chose the Lower Diamond Hill Walk, approximately 3 kms. We headed off uphill following a very well maintained pathway. As we got higher the views were fantastic. There were several stone steps to navigate both on the upward and downward journey but not too excessive. (Although they will certainly get your heart rate up).
Having reached the top of our trail, we paused to take in the views. Yet again, they were spectacular. It was possible to see for miles, despite the poor weather conditions.
Back down at the visitor centre, we rewarded ourselves with a coffee in the pleasant cafe. Time to head home and prepare the caravan for the storm that was about to arrive later that evening.