Here at OnTheQT we love nothing more than a fun road trip… and so we could barely contain our excitement as our trip along the Wild Atlantic Way approached! Although it’s great fun to hop on a plane and explore exotic places half way across the world… more often than not we forget to explore what’s right in front of us! Over five days we travelled the first section of the 2,500km route along the Western seaboard! It was simply spectacular! We’ve put together our action packed itinerary for each day so you can follow in our footsteps!
Lough Hyne: We woke up on the hottest day of the year… and decided a swim was an absolute must! Nestled in a fold of hills, 5km south west of Skibereen in West Cork, Lough Hyne is Europe’s first marine reserve, a saltwater lake connected to the sea by rapids! The perfect swimming spot! Although it was absolutely freezing… we were wide awake and ready for our action packed day!
The Beacon, Baltimore: We knew we couldn’t possibly leave Baltimore without a trip to the Beacon, and so off we went to check out the glorious views! Located at the entrance to Baltimore harbour, the iconic Beacon is a sight that has warmed the hearts of many sailors and fishermen returning to shore! We sat and admired the spectacular views of Sherkin Island, Cape Clear and the deep blue Atlantic Ocean!
Future Forests Garden Centre: Our next stop was the enchanting Future Forests garden centre! We wandered around in the sunshine admiring the vibrant colours of the unusual and unique plants! With a wide range to choose from, and mail order available.. I assure you.. you shall be spoilt for choice!
Harbour Queen Ferries: Heading further west we arrived in Glengarriff where we hopped aboard the Harbour Queen Ferry to Garnish Island. Most certainly not just a mode of transport we were delighted when the crew pointed out the magnificent wildlife that surrounded us.. including a family of seals!
Issies Chocolate Shop: Upon arrival in Castletownbere we were only delighted to pop into Issie’s chocolate shop where we were greeted with open arms by Isabel herself! The shelves were packed to the brim with deliciously rich handmade chocolates, ice cream, sweets and much more! We enjoyed a hot cuppa and a chat before we hit the road again!
Molly Gallivans: Stepping into Molly Gallivans traditional Irish cottage was like stepping 200 years back in time! We watched home made bread being made from scratch and baked over the fire before exploring the farm yard and tasting some poitin… 🙂 A great day out for young and old!
Limestone Lodge B & B, Kenmare: All worn out from our action packed day, we checked into the homely Limestone Lodge in Kenmare where a beautifully decorated bedroom awaited us! It was lovely to relax, unwind and get ready for the next day!
Hope you’re enjoying following our roadtrip! As always any questions, queries or comments simply email us at: Lauren@ontheqt.ie! x
