The Wild Atlantic Way is, as Tourism Ireland puts it, one of the world’s longest defined coastal touring routes, a 2,500 km road trip.[1] It runs along the west coast of Ireland from County Donegal to Kinsale in County Cork. This guide covers the length of the route, how to split it into days and regions, which airports are near it and how the signposts work for a driver in a rental car.
Where does the Wild Atlantic Way start and end?
Tourism Ireland’s introduction describes the route as running from the tip of Malin Head in County Donegal to Kinsale in County Cork, while its FAQ gives Muff in County Donegal as the official start. The Fáilte Ireland guide calls Malin Head Ireland’s most northerly point.[2]
This site has pages for Shannon, Knock and Cork, with airport pages for Shannon Airport, Ireland West Airport Knock and Cork Airport. For the rules that apply to any rental in Ireland, see the Ireland country page.
How many days do you need for the Wild Atlantic Way?
There is no single answer, because the whole route is 2,500 km. Tourism Ireland recommends spending at least 10 days on it, with 14 or more for the best experience, and says it can also be enjoyed in sections. It publishes one example: a 10-day trip of 1,241 km, which is about 771 miles, from County Donegal to Cork city.[3] The page lists a county or city for each day.
| Day | Where |
|---|---|
| 1 | County Donegal |
| 2 | County Sligo |
| 3 | County Mayo |
| 4 | Galway city |
| 5 | Connemara, County Galway |
| 6 | County Clare |
| 7 | County Limerick |
| 8 | County Kerry |
| 9 | West Cork |
| 10 | Cork city |
That is one example of how to pace the coast, not the only way to drive it. Because the route can be driven in sections, a shorter trip can take one or two of these stretches and leave the rest.
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Wild Atlantic Way itinerary by region
Fáilte Ireland’s Discover Ireland guide lists places by county, and the table shows some of the places it names for each county, in the order of the guide from Donegal to Cork.
| County | Places named |
|---|---|
| Donegal | Malin Head, Fanad Head, Sliabh Liag (Slieve League) |
| Sligo | Mullaghmore Head |
| Mayo | Downpatrick Head, Keem Bay on Achill Island |
| Galway | Killary Harbour, Derrigimlagh |
| Clare | Cliffs of Moher, Loop Head |
| Kerry | The Blasket Islands, the Skellig Islands |
| Cork | Dursey Island, Mizen Head, Old Head of Kinsale |
The same guide calls Sliabh Liag the highest accessible sea cliffs in Europe, and says that to visit Dursey Island you board Ireland’s only cable car service across Dursey Sound.
What is it like to drive the Wild Atlantic Way?
This guide does not give speed limits or road conditions for the route, because the sources above do not cover them. The one rule worth knowing before you pick up the car is that Ireland drives on the left. What changes when you drive on the left explains it for a driver used to the right side of the road, and the Ireland country page sums up the local driving rules.
How are Discovery Points signposted?
Fáilte Ireland says the route has 180 Discovery Points to guide you on your journey, each marked with a distinctive Wild Atlantic Way signpost. It adds that the 15 Signature Points along the route are a way to get a taste of the best views and historical sites.
To compare this route with the other three, see best road trip routes in Europe by rental car.
