Beaches
Beaches (cover pic: Old Head)
These are some of our favourites (find additional ones at https://www.mayo.me/the-best-beaches-in-mayo):
Bertra Beach
Drive: 20 minutes
Pros: A lovely beach close to home! Great for walks (less than 1 hour) with amazing views across the bay and family swimming in the summer (life guard present).
Cons: at high tide there is literally no beach left and you will have to walk in the dunes. It can be stony after storms; as Westport’s ‘house beach’ some parts will get busy during hot spells.
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Bertra Beach
Bertra RoadBertra Beach
Drive: 20 minutes
Pros: A lovely beach close to home! Great for walks (less than 1 hour) with amazing views across the bay and family swimming in the summer (life guard present).
Cons: at high tide there is literally no beach left and you will have to walk in the dunes. It can be stony after storms; as Westport’s ‘house beach’ some parts will get busy during hot spells.
Old Head
Drive: 25-30 minutes
Pros: more protected from storms, so you get a reliably beautiful sand strand, rock pools and swimming spots ideal for kids – though water tends to be colder than at Bertra. Again, stunning scenery, plus there is an oak forest to explore (supposedly the most westerly native oak forest in Europe). In the summer Westport’s youth loves jumping off the pier in droves :D
Cons: Favourite family beach for many locals and tourists alike, it can be busy enough on warm days to make parking difficult
36 personas locales recomiendan
Old Head Beach
Old Head
Drive: 25-30 minutes
Pros: more protected from storms, so you get a reliably beautiful sand strand, rock pools and swimming spots ideal for kids – though water tends to be colder than at Bertra. Again, stunning scenery, plus there is an oak forest to explore (supposedly the most westerly native oak forest in Europe). In the summer Westport’s youth loves jumping off the pier in droves :D
Cons: Favourite family beach for many locals and tourists alike, it can be busy enough on warm days to make parking difficult
Carrowniskey
Drive: 35 – 40 minutes
Pros: well-known beach for surfers and canoeists, surf school on location. Also brilliant for extended walks – the beach just goes on and on… Has a wilder feel than the first two.
Cons: we don't use the area near the beach entry for swimming - but there is a nice spot when you walk northwards from the car-park. Less walking is involved if instead of going to Carrowniskey you take the right turn to Dooghmakeon .
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Carrownisky Beach
Carrowniskey
Drive: 35 – 40 minutes
Pros: well-known beach for surfers and canoeists, surf school on location. Also brilliant for extended walks – the beach just goes on and on… Has a wilder feel than the first two.
Cons: we don't use the area near the beach entry for swimming - but there is a nice spot when you walk northwards from the car-park. Less walking is involved if instead of going to Carrowniskey you take the right turn to Dooghmakeon .
Mulranny Beach (Blue Flag)
Drive: 40 minutes
Pros: You can drive to and park there directly, but we prefer to park at Mulranny Park Hotel, cross the road and walk down several flights of steps and across a cause-way to reach both beach and pier – beautiful for a short walk and to take in the stunning views towards Croagh Patrick.
Cons: if looking for a swim – the beach may be gone at high tide.
(MUCH more beautiful than the pic suggests!)
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Mulranny Beach
Mulranny Beach (Blue Flag)
Drive: 40 minutes
Pros: You can drive to and park there directly, but we prefer to park at Mulranny Park Hotel, cross the road and walk down several flights of steps and across a cause-way to reach both beach and pier – beautiful for a short walk and to take in the stunning views towards Croagh Patrick.
Cons: if looking for a swim – the beach may be gone at high tide.
(MUCH more beautiful than the pic suggests!)
Silver strand
Drive: 45-50 minutes
Pros: usually empty during winter and not busy in summer, it provides an amazing wind-swept expanse of sand, sea and sky. Great for sunsets!
Cons: Depending on the tide gullies may form – bring your wellies!
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Silver Strand
Silver strand
Drive: 45-50 minutes
Pros: usually empty during winter and not busy in summer, it provides an amazing wind-swept expanse of sand, sea and sky. Great for sunsets!
Cons: Depending on the tide gullies may form – bring your wellies!
Glassilaun beach
Drive: 55 minutes
Pros: My favourite beach - on a sunny day it feels like being in the Caribbean: a horseshoe shaped bay with beautiful white sand and crystal-clear turquoise-looking water. Be warned, though, it is also freezing cold! Surf school on location.
Cons: it is a long drive, but through amazing scenery ☺
19 personas locales recomiendan
Glassilaun Beach
Glassilaun beach
Drive: 55 minutes
Pros: My favourite beach - on a sunny day it feels like being in the Caribbean: a horseshoe shaped bay with beautiful white sand and crystal-clear turquoise-looking water. Be warned, though, it is also freezing cold! Surf school on location.
Cons: it is a long drive, but through amazing scenery ☺
If you are driving to Achill island, don't miss Keem Bay and its fabulous beach! It is 1 hour and 20 minutes from our place, but worth a day trip, especially if the weather is good. Take the coast road from Mulranny to enjoy spectacular scenery on the way.
26 personas locales recomiendan
Keem Beach
If you are driving to Achill island, don't miss Keem Bay and its fabulous beach! It is 1 hour and 20 minutes from our place, but worth a day trip, especially if the weather is good. Take the coast road from Mulranny to enjoy spectacular scenery on the way.