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Nice beach near Clifden/Connemara

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  • 14-07-2011 4:00pm
    #1
    softmee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 845 ✭✭✭


    Hi, I am going to travel to Connemara some time soon first time with a car. I was there only on bus and didnt have a chance to see all places around. So, is there any nice sandy beach near Clifden or any other scenic places except Connemara Park which are worth visit?
    Thanks

    ps: is road to Clifden from Galway difficult to drive? I've learned to drive just about three months ago and I wouldnt risk a trip to Cliffs of Moher but If I remember good Road to Clifden is not that bad if I dont drive too fast?


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    #2
    RubyGirl
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭RubyGirl


    Yes Galway to Clifden road is ok to drive. When headig to Clifden you should take a detour and head down the Inagh Valley, lovely views. There is a turn 500mts up on right hand side after Recess village, it has lots of sign post's on it. Take this turn and it brings you down the Inagh Valley, at the end of the valley take a left and it brings you into Letterfrack, you will pass Kylemore Abbey on your right. If you want just beaches take a right in Letterfrack and drive to Tully cross they have lovely beaches down here.
    Clifden is a straight road thru Letterfrack and it has some lovely beaches aswell. You should take the Sky Road going into Clifden it has some amazing scenery aswell.
    I could go on forever, lovely area of Galway.


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    #3
    softmee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 845 ✭✭✭softmee


    Thanks Rubygirl, I dont mind if you go on. ;)


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    #4
    The Hill Billy
    Registered Users Posts: 22,775 ✭✭✭✭The Hill Billy


    There are beautiful beaches out by Omey Island near Claddaghduff & Rossadillisk near Cleggan.

    Edit: You could also take a trip out to Inishbofin where there are two particularly nice beaches - Tra Gheal in the Westquarter (not suitable for swimming) & Dúmhach (sp?) near the East End Village. Both are spectacular!


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    #5
    Feardorca
    Registered Users Posts: 79 ✭✭Feardorca


    Hill Billy wrote: »
    There are beautiful beaches out by Omey Island near Claddaghduff & Rossadillisk near Cleggan.

    Edit: You could also take a trip out to Inishbofin where there are two particularly nice beaches - Tra Gheal in the Westquarter (not suitable for swimming) & Dúmhach (sp?) near the East End Village. Both are spectacular!
    Hill Billy is right, nowhere compares with the beaches on Inishbofin Island, travel there via Clifden to the lovely unspoilt fishing village of Cleggan and take the Ferry to Inishbofin, 30 Minutes sea journey, there are three very high quality Hotels there also a great Hostel and B&B's. PS Keep it to yourself it's Irelands best kept secret! Check out www.inishbofin.com


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    #6
    softmee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 845 ✭✭✭softmee


    Wow, it looks amazing. I travelled across Donegal and I visited Aran Islands and have seen Cliffs of Moher from the Ferry, loved Dooling too. I will visit Inishbofin definetely. It's such a pity there is no more sunny weather in Ireland it would be heaven -all those Islands clear waters and views -I love it! :)

    I hope this timetables are valid :

    http://www.inishbofinislanddiscovery.com/Timetables.html ?


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    #7
    Feardorca
    Registered Users Posts: 79 ✭✭Feardorca


    softmee wrote: »
    Wow, it looks amazing. I travelled across Donegal and I visited Aran Islands and have seen Cliffs of Moher from the Ferry, loved Dooling too. I will visit Inishbofin definetely. It's such a pity there is no more sunny weather in Ireland it would be heaven -all those Islands clear waters and views -I love it! :)

    I hope this timetables are valid :

    http://www.inishbofinislanddiscovery.com/Timetables.html ?
    yes The TT is valid !! feardorca


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    #8
    cats.life
    Registered Users Posts: 884 ✭✭✭cats.life


    op you have to go to GLASSILLAUN BEACH. go the same way as other posters says to get to tullycross , head on to lettergesh ,stay on that road you will pass the local shop which is on your right after 3miles, then you will come to a fork in the road dont take the first left, there shud a sign for diving school and glassillaun beach on the second left. when you get there you will see why i told you to go. oh and give my brother a shout on the top of the hill (B and B).


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    #9
    T2daK
    Closed Accounts Posts: 328 ✭✭T2daK


    ignore everyone else. lettergesh beach is the best beach in the world


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    #10
    swingking
    Registered Users Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭swingking


    If you get a chance head to Ballyconeely beach. I've spent many summers there and it's really nice


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    #11
    softmee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 845 ✭✭✭softmee


    Thank you all. It's so cool to be able to drive your own car and go whereever you want. I was waiting for this moment few years and finally did it. :D Time to reallt discover Ireland now.
    ps: I will post map later with market routes just to make sure I got it right.
    Thanks!


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    #12
    softmee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 845 ✭✭✭softmee


    Ok, so will that be a good trip if I go the pink route first and then blue (including Lettergeish) :

    unled1qm.jpg
    Uploaded with ImageShack.us

    ? Is it worth to go down around those lakes like I marked pink on map? It looks interesting on the map and as i remember from going on bus to Connemara Park views were amazing down there.


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    #13
    moonstruck
    Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭moonstruck


    you cannot go to connemara without visiting the beaches in Roundstone.There are two beaches called Gurteen and dogs bay, and a visit to the village is a must also.


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    #14
    ValerieR
    Registered Users Posts: 714 ✭✭✭ValerieR


    While you are in Clifden, you might want to include "Sky Road" which goes around the small peninsula west of Clifden. Also, depending on how much time you have, you should continue the route to Kylemore Abbey and drive back down through Leenane.
    As far as the roads are concerned, they're all pretty good. Gotta start practicing ;)

    V


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    #15
    softmee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 845 ✭✭✭softmee


    I've done Connemara trip a week ago with my family. They absolutely loved it (they loved all the places they have visited with me around Co.Galway/Mayo and Clare) and I loved it too, I am sorry its over.
    Somehow we missed turn from N59 to Rounstone and Clifden appeared. ;) (not the best Road markings over there) so I drove to Sky Road instead. It was pretty scary sometimes with cliff on the left and other car on the right, but I did it! :pac: Then we went to Connemara Park and climed the highest hill - it was worth it! After Kylemore Abbey and then the Fiord (forgott what its called) -magic place.
    I was surprised by all the black headed sheep wondering free on the roads there (are they wild?). We had leaflet from some bus trip company and there was a "killer sheep" stop, so we decided to go there.. I am not sure what is called "killer sheep"- my brother was laughing like mad when he read it ;) - is it black headed sheep, or the valley ?
    It was absolutely stunning over there, I wish I wouldnt be rushing to go back to Galway -next time I will stay somewhere over night!
    -and then we turned back and drove through Inagh Valley - pure beauty..
    I bet its like in Poland here, many people go for holidays to Spain etc and they dont appreciate what they've got at home..
    I just love it, the Ocean, clear water, colourfull hills and Valleys, good food, live music and pint of guiness.. :)


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    #16
    johngalway
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,271 ✭✭✭✭johngalway


    softmee wrote: »
    Somehow we missed turn from N59 to Rounstone and Clifden appeared. ;) (not the best Road markings over there)

    My money is you were distracted by either Derryclare lake and the island with the tall trees that's on the postcards or the mountains in front of you. There's about 10 signs for Roundstone on your side of the road :pac: :pac: Next time, as you missed a fair bit.
    softmee wrote: »
    Then we went to Connemara Park and climed the highest hill - it was worth it!

    That'll be the Diamond.
    softmee wrote: »
    After Kylemore Abbey and then the Fiord (forgott what its called) -magic place.

    Fijord I think. There's mounting speculation that it's not a fijord at all but a "drowned valley". Don't say that to the locals if you want to escape with your life :pac:
    softmee wrote: »
    I was surprised by all the black headed sheep wondering free on the roads there (are they wild?).

    No, they're Scottish Blackface hill sheep. A lot of roads in Connemara, and I guess other parts of the country, pass through "commonage" land where some local people will have grazing rights to that land. Prohibitively expensive for either farmers or the council to fence the roads, so there you go. The different colours and placements of brands on the sheep tell those who know who owns what. Bit of advice, slow down. Watch for lambs one side of the road and ewes on the other as the lamb will run right across in front of you to get to the ewe.
    softmee wrote: »
    We had leaflet from some bus trip company and there was a "killer sheep" stop, so we decided to go there.. I am not sure what is called "killer sheep"- my brother was laughing like mad when he read it ;) - is it black headed sheep, or the valley ?

    Where was this? :pac: :pac: :pac:
    softmee wrote: »
    -and then we turned back and drove through Inagh Valley - pure beauty..

    Drop into the Lough Inagh Lodge next time, ask for Dominic and ask him to tell you all about the local history. He won't thank me for that :pac:


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    #17
    softmee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 845 ✭✭✭softmee


    You are probably right, we were too distracted by the views and I am only learner driver, so I had to be really focused on the road... ;)

    Sorry I thought you spell it just fjord in English and I was wondering what name has it got (isn't it Killarney Fjord?)

    "Killer Sheep" place was supposed to be somewhere here :

    unled1jvu.jpg

    Uploaded with ImageShack.us

    I know I turned right in Leenane and then twice left. There was also sign for sheep herding shows (I would love to see that as love collies :) )
    Lovely green Valley with lots of sheep on the hills.


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    #18
    cats.life
    Registered Users Posts: 884 ✭✭✭cats.life


    KILLER SHEEP lol. i am from there but ive have never heard of killer sheep..must be one of those pishroughs of a story that was told for years :D:D..as for sign posts down there,:( they are badly done or not at all.


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    #19
    softmee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 845 ✭✭✭softmee


    I was trying to find any information what is killer sheep about, but couldn't find any, it look's like black headed sheep are called "killer sheep" :pac: for some reason, after some driving I thought its because they act like suicides on the road.. :rolleyes:
    Doesn't really matter it was worth to go there it was beautiful. :)


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    #20
    johngalway
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,271 ✭✭✭✭johngalway


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killary_Harbour

    There you go.

    I'll see if I can find something out about this "killer sheep" craic :pac:


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    #21
    The Hill Billy
    Registered Users Posts: 22,775 ✭✭✭✭The Hill Billy


    There are killer sheep on Bofin too. No much fun trying to escape from them running across fields & vaulting dry stone walls when your missus is quite pregnant. :o


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    #22
    softmee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 845 ✭✭✭softmee


    The Hill Billy wrote: »
    There are killer sheep on Bofin too. No much fun trying to escape from them running across fields & vaulting dry stone walls when your missus is quite pregnant. :o

    :D I just imagined that run..


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    #23
    softmee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 845 ✭✭✭softmee


    http://galwaytourcompany.tumblr.com/ :

    " The Legend of Killer Sheep
    It all began on a frosty morning…in a studio, a little one called funnily enough Little Studio where a designer and a tour company met to discuss a new little brochure. The designer was determined to painstakingly work his way through the ideas the tour company’s had- but the tour company people were not prepared to wait. They had no coffee yet this morning.
    Meanwhile on the hills of Connemara the wool on the sheep froze into icycle shaped piercing weapons - painful to the touch. Illegal to touch of course but this is purely conjecture.
    As the designer applied the last touches Photoshop crashed and the tour company people got giddy and began to think of fun things- coffee and eh, sheep. Mmaa. Oh- that’s a good idea- people like to see animals interjected the excited designer. Was it all that talk of sheep? Can we have fun? please? asked the tour company people. The picture of the Pony became Mr. Pony. Yes, our fun was limited, I do admit. The sheep, the poor frozen sheep became Killer Sheep- and a legend was born (somewhere on a hill in Connemara)
    View the legend now- book a tour to Connemara & Cong- oh, and bring coffee!"

    :rolleyes:

    I am kind of disappointed.... :pac: and I dont think I get it! ;) (I mean I dont get what it has to do with the point on their map!) :pac:


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