[Driver says] "Get off the road..."
Hi, I'm Mike of Mike's Road Trip and on this episode I feature the Wild Atlantic
Way here in Ireland. This remarkable road trip is like driving through a storybook,
with rural farmlands, rolling hills, ancient stone walls, castles, and rugged
coastline. This is some of the most picturesque scenery in all of Ireland, so
come along with me and let me show you around. The Wild Atlantic Way runs the
entire west coast of Ireland, over 1,500 miles and is broken up into six
different and distinct regions. I spent a week
road-tripping from the northern headlands of Donegal, to the southern
peninsulas of Killarney, to the West Cork Beara Peninsula and only explored a
fraction of this awe-inspiring land.
Along the way I saw stunning sea cliffs that towered nearly 2,000 feet above the
water below. There are also long stretches of sandy
beaches and one area even had a slew of surfers...come to find out surfing is
quite popular in Ireland. I also saw countless ruins and old and
opulent graveyards. Many of the country roads are quite narrow and would reveal
hidden treasures like Thor Bailey also known as Yeats Tower, which is well off
the beaten path. Thor Bailey was a castle built in the
15th century and fell into ruins in the 1930s but was completely restored and
open to the public in 2015 it was a wonderful place to stroll and daydream
of centuries past the angelic tapestry that forms Ireland's landscape has taken
thousands of years to wefts and warp into a masterpiece that only nature
could weave.
The grass is so long in places that it braids together eventually leaning to
one side crushing the grass beneath forming a quilted layer of landscape
yielding only to the flow of small streams or livestock. The rural farmlands
have sheep wandering aimlessly with cattle making their home in actual old
homes during my trip down the wild Atlantic way I stayed in several types
of lodging from the opulent and historic castles to elegant manners and
countryside estates hip and modern hotels and cozy guest houses to this
romantic lighthouse. No matter your style or interest there
are plenty of lodging choices along the way. I drove through many fanciful
villages that seemed like imaginary places described in a children's book...
with their brightly colored buildings thatched roofs and historic monuments.
The Wild Atlantic Way gets its name for a reason,
there is often wickedly wild weather creating waves in whitewash along the
shores which showcases the spirit of this Emerald Isle.
There is a mystical veil that has been stitched over time in a shroud that
allows visitors to enter a world that seems straight out of a storybook. Where
leprechauns are more than myths, and storytelling is legendary. If you'd like
more information on doing a road trip down the Wild Atlantic Way, click the
link in the description box below. And please be sure to click the subscribe
button for more Road Trip travel videos. Until next time we'll see on the
road. MikesRoadTrip.com