Activities to Enjoy During Your Stay
Connemara, Galway and the West of Ireland provide numerous opportunities for sight-seeing.
The world famous Kylemore Abbey is located 8 miles from the Hotel, along the main Clifden Road. The Abbey itself is a building of remarkable beauty and the newly opened Victorian Gardens are a must see with a coffee/craft shop within the premises also.
Link: Kylemore Abbey
Further along this route you will find The Connemara National Park which is an ideal spot for a picnic or a scenic walk.
For those of you who wish to stay in Leenane for the day, you can enjoy a cruise on Killary Harbour in The Connemara Lady, an all weather Catamaran. The cruise lasts for an hour and a half and you can enjoy a drink or light lunch on board. Boarding is jut 1 mile from the Hotel and cruises run four times daily during summer months. Booking online using the discount that we provide at reception.
Link: Killary Fjord Boat Tour
Another popular tourist attractions is the Asleigh Water Fall, just 4 miles from Leenane on the main Westport road.
Travelling a little further to Westport, you can visit Westport House where childrens entertainment is the order of the day. Farm animals and fun rides provide plenty of fun for all ages.
The majestic Croagh Patrick cannot be missed with a walking trail to the summit not for the feint hearted. For those with boundless energy, there are two adventure centres in the locality.
The Killary Adventure Centre is just 3 miles away, providing an abundance of adventure sports to enjoy such as surfing, kayaking, hillwalking etc. Day Trips are on offer for both adults and children.
The Delphi Adventure Centre is 8 miles away and is located beside the Mountain Spa and Lodge. In the spa you can avail of beauty and relaxation treatments such as seaweed baths, facials, massages, etc. They also take day guests.
Fishing permits can be obtained from Eriff Fisheries in Leenane or from Delphi Lodge. There is great fishing to be had on both of the rivers nearby and if you wish to hire a boat for lake fishing, you can do so at Kylemore House, 8 miles away.
The charming towns of Westport and Clifden with their mix of modern and traditional shops offering quality crafts are both 20 miles away.
Westport Adventure at Westport Estate offers thrilling outdoor activities set in a stunning woodland, lakeland and historic 430-acre estate setting. Perfect for families (with toddlers to teens), groups, and thrill-seekers looking for ziplining, net parks, and giant swings in a breathtaking setting
5 miles / 8 kilometres from the hotel on road N59 towards Clifden ( left from the hotel); A traditional working mountain farm with approx. 200 ewes and lambs roaming freely in the mountain with spectacular scenery overlooking Killary Fjord, on the Wild Atlantic Way.
LINK: KILLARY ADVENTURE CENTRE:
Kayak on Ireland’s only fjord or experience exhilarating Ringo Rides with the mountains of Connemara soaring up around you. Take on their famous Turf Challenge or test your nerve high in the treetops on their High Ropes course and only 4.8 km (3 miles ) away from the hotel on road N59 towards Clifden (Left from the hotel ).
The Aran Islands offer visitors a glimpse into a way of life that has long since disappeared from most of the world. Filled with traditional Irish culture, the islands offer breath-taking scenery, ecclesiastical ruins and world-renowned stone forts. Depending on which island you visit, the ferry journey is approximately 40-minutes from Rossaveel, Connemara and 90-minutes from Galway City.
The best way to get to the Aran Islands is on their Aran Islands Ferry from Rossaveel, Connemara or Galway City. The fastest ferry from Galway is our sailing from Rossaveel, Connemara to Inis Mór. These three rocky limestone outcrops are a bastion of traditional language, culture, music and history on the edge of Europe. Regular music sessions, lively dances, traditional crafts, sea-going currachs and the wonderfully warm and welcoming Atlantic spirit, are inimitable parts of Aran.
The unique Island of Inishbofin is located only 10 kilometers off the north Connemara coast, and is only a 30 minute crossing from the idyllic fishing village of Cleggan, just a few minutes drive from Clifden. The Ferry Service is aboard the fast, comfortable Ferry “The Island Discovery”.
Cleggan ( Clifden direction ) is the point of departure for the Ferry service to the Island. The Island itself, is a haven of beauty, boasting magnificent scenery from cliff top walks, to the sea on all sides, to white sandy beaches and an abundance of rare flora and fauna.
Encapsulated in the Saw Doctor’s song ‘The Green and Red of Mayo’, Clare Island is located 3.5 miles off the west coast of County Mayo, Ireland. The ferry crossing from Roonagh Pier takes approximately 25 minutes and there is every chance that you will be accompanied on your journey by a school of dolphins. Clare Island is the largest (5 miles long and 3 miles wide) of the 365 islands in Clew Bay. Famous as the ancestral home of the legendary Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley (Granuaile), the island has a population of about 160 people; economic activities include farming, fishing and tourism with numerous other small businesses also supporting a vibrant community. The Ferrie departs from Roonagh ( left from the Louisburgh Road ).
Connemara’s best preserved late-medieval tower house, Aughnanure Castle is beautifully positioned on a rocky outcrop overhanging the Drimneen River, close to the western shores of Lough Corrib. Built in the late-fifteenth century, the castle served as the stronghold of the O’Flaherty Gaelic lords of Iarchonnacht (West Connacht) for over two centuries. Its location on water is in keeping with the O’Flaherty tradition of building their strongholds with access to lakes, rivers and coastline. The tower house stands as a testament to what was once the most powerful and influential force in the late-medieval Gaelic lordship of Iarchonnacht, and is a visible statement of the family’s prestige and status on an important route-way to the Corrib. The clastle is located in Aughnanure, Oughterard, co. Galway H91 PX20, 3,5 km from Oughterard off N59- Oughterard to Galway Road
LOCAL BEACHES:
- Glassilaun Beach – 15 minutes ‘ drive from the hotel, Clifden direction; take the turn right from road N59 towards Tullycross.
- Lettergesh Beach – 20 minutes’ drive from the hotel, Clifden direction; take the turn right from road N59 towards Tullycross.
- Whitestrand Beach – 45 minutes’ drive from the hotel, Louisburgh direction.
