Walking, Cycling or Driving tour on Clifden's Sky Road - Some of the most spectacular Panoramic Views of Connemara's coast and Clifden town.
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Oct 23, 2024
Nice little afternoon drive. The sun came out which made all the difference. The coastline certainly is very pretty and the ruins of Clifden Castle basked in the not so warm afternoon sun. We were … Full review by Satroy85
Oct 14, 2024
A lovely drive with some spectacular views . The roads are narrow so care is needed . There is a viewing point at the top , great place for a picnic. Full review by 2020vision
Sep 24, 2024
Spectacular views of the Atlantic. Tough to drive in places but overall, an excellent side trip. We were enthralled by the sights we saw. The lighthouses were beautiful. Highly recommend! Full review by Margaret Daniel... P
How long should I plan on for driving Sky Road & stopping to take pictures? I have 2 full days in Cliften (3 nights). I want to see Sky Road, Kylemore Abbey, hike Diamond Hill, and probably see the beaches around (Roundstone, Dog Bay, Mannin Bay). Could I do Sky Road + Kylemore Abbey one day and then do a hike and see Roundstone and a few beaches on the 2nd day? Before Clifden I have 3 nights in Galway. After Clifden I will drive to Westport for 3 nights. Thank you! Oh, this will be in July, so long days.
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We had a similar itinerary this past late summer. We did Kylemore Abbey (wonderful and worth 4+ hours), the Sky Road (1-2 hours with stops) and several of the roads north of …
We had a similar itinerary this past late summer. We did Kylemore Abbey (wonderful and worth 4+ hours), the Sky Road (1-2 hours with stops) and several of the roads north of the Sky Road (around the Cleggan area) all in one unhurried day. We went after tourist season so there was very minimal traffic and no traffic delays. If you're going in Summer, allow some extra time, particularly for the Sky Road because everyone has heard about that drive. If traffic does seem to create a problem, head for any of the other local roads. The scenery is comparable. We took another day for the roads south of Clifden (Roundstone, the nature trail at the Alcock and Brown landing site, the local beaches, etc). Again, unhurried, all tiny lane driving, and we had plenty of time since days are long. We took a third day for hiking in Connemara National Park. Lovely vistas and the hikes meet a variety of enthusiasm levels. I don't know if you've picked your accommodation yet. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Abbeyglen Castle. I know, it's not really a castle (but few of them are). We splurged on a beautiful suite, and thoroughly enjoyed the warm fires, good food, castle-like ambience and great hospitality. My one caution would be to splurge at least a bit and avoid the cheapest rooms. Those tend to be small and placed near the pubilc areas.
Hi I would be grateful for your opinion.... I am the tour manager for Lotus Drivers Club. Our cars are wide, very low to the ground and almost impossible to reverse.... based on that information would you consider this loop to be worthwhile and safe for us to undertake. I greatly appreciate your first hand knowledge. Kind regards Jennie Wilson Tour Manager Lotus Drivers Club
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The road is definitely narrow, but I think as long as you look ahead, and be prepared to pull over to make room for another car when necessary, you should be absolutely fine
Hi will I still be able to see views if I paas the \Sky road @ 19:3opm in September or will it be already dark?
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Hello Julene, Perhaps check the sunrise and sunsets for that date and area on your computer. The members from Ireland will give you good advice. We drove on the Sky Road around …
Hello Julene, Perhaps check the sunrise and sunsets for that date and area on your computer. The members from Ireland will give you good advice. We drove on the Sky Road around 10:00 a.m.
Hi there, Is it possible to cycle the Sky Road? How safe is it? Also where is the best base to see Connemara from? Thanks
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Hi to you too... I am not a cyclist but the road is good but narrow so care needed with cars as always. Were are you coming from please? From Galway, take the Clifden road to reach the …
Hi to you too... I am not a cyclist but the road is good but narrow so care needed with cars as always. Were are you coming from please? From Galway, take the Clifden road to reach the heart of Connemara, then see what you seek to visit. It is all utterly lovely. A favourite route is taking a right soon after going through Recess on the Clifden road from Galway, signed Letterfrack and Kylemore Abbey, . Across miles of moors and past a lake.Inagh. Quiet road and I think good cycling with little traffic. When you come to the main road then, left will take you to Kylemore, then Letterfrack, to Clifden, RIGHT to Killary Fjord I would go right! Then in Leenane, take the narrow right to Maam and Maam Cross for glorious scenery. Form there Cong maybe! So many lovely places. If you settle for Clifden, try the Old Bog road to Roundstone.. Enjoy!
We are hoping to do walks in the area, but aren't clear whether we would be able to walk sections of the Sky Road or whether there are walks nearby. We will not have a car and will rely on buses and possibly taxi's to get to and from walks. Any info about where to walk would be welcome. We are also deciding where to stay --probably Roundstone and/or Clifden. What suggestions do you have in terms of walks we can access without a car and choice of where to stay? BTW we are in our early 70's, in very good shape, prefer walks in the 2-4 hour range --but can do up to 7 hours depending on the situation. Our trip will be in late May.
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Hi! I would recommend this walk: Derrigimlagh Bog. You will need to take a taxi to the site, a short ride from both Roundstone and Clifden, but it's a nice walk through the bog and also …
Hi! I would recommend this walk: Derrigimlagh Bog. You will need to take a taxi to the site, a short ride from both Roundstone and Clifden, but it's a nice walk through the bog and also learning about the former Marconi site. The Sky Road wouldn't be safe for a walk in my opinion, as its narrow and it does have quite a few cars whizzing by, with no sidewalk, etc. I think its really meant more for a drive. I have seen backpackers but I even get nervous driving on it. It's also quite long. However, if you stay in Clifden, you can walk the Beach Road, and even further to Clifden Castle, which you can access from town, and I found it to be very safe with a lot of walkers. It's lovely! And at the end is a nice tea shop overlooking the water. If you stay in Clifden, honestly, most of the places are quite good. I recently stayed in the Dun Ri Guesthouse in Clifden. It's in the center of town and reasonably priced. It's nice, clean, decent sized room and nice breakfast selections. Anywhere you stay in Clifden will take you to the Beach Road easily. If you are considering something more upscale, the Abbeyglen Castle is located on the Sky Road and there is also a back route to take you to the Beach Road and a walk to Clifden Castle.
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