Traveler Magazine Andrew Harper Fall 2019 | Page 14

14
THE WILD
ATL ANTIC
WAY
The fables of Ireland’s enchanting countryside
stretch back to the time of fairies and
castles—a sense of magic still very much
present today. Where the Atlantic Ocean
greets the western side of the island is a stretch
of road that’s been dubbed “The Wild Atlantic
Way:” approximately 1,600 miles of adventure
threaded between wave-worn cliffs and rolling
green hills, with quintessential charming
towns dotted in between. Passing through nine
coastal counties, the pacing of your road trip is
entirely your preference. You could make the
focus of the day the drive from pit stop to pit
stop, or you could opt to drive in the mornings
and evenings for the chance to spend the day
immersed in each town’s cultural gems and
activities—whale-watching in West Cork, the
Roman Catholic cathedral of Letterkenny, the
views from the Slieve League’s cliffs, the golf
courses of Strandhill and Kylemore Abbey’s
timeless grounds in Connemara, just to name
a few. Either way, know that these towns
also harbor the perfect place to call it a day
with Andrew Harper Travel-recommended
properties as abundant as the craic in the pubs.
PHOTO
T H E W I L D A L T A N T I C W A Y, I R E L A N D
FALL | 2019
C O N TACT YO U R T R AV E L A DV I S O R TO DAY