Achill Island, the largest island off the Irish coast, is connected to the mainland by a swing bridge and reachable from Westport in about an hour by car. Most visitors do it as a day trip. The island has five Blue Flag beaches, the highest sea cliffs in Europe, and a permanent population of around 2,500.
The headline drives
Atlantic Drive is the coastal road around the south of the island, from Achill Sound to Keel. About twenty kilometres, an hour to drive with stops, with views back to the Mayo mainland and out across the Atlantic. The Sky Road version, called the Atlantic Drive locally, gives you Croaghaun cliffs in the distance.
Keem Beach
The most photographed beach on the island, at the far western end. A horseshoe of white sand at the foot of two-hundred-metre cliffs. The road down to Keem winds along the cliff edge and is hair-raising the first time. The water is properly cold even in summer. Surfers come here when the swell is right.
Croaghaun cliffs
Behind Keem, the Croaghaun cliffs are the third-highest in Europe at 688 metres. They are not accessible by road; you walk from Keem along the headland for about an hour. The view from the top, looking down at the Atlantic, is one of the finest in Ireland. Not a walk for those with a fear of heights.
How long do I need on Achill?
A full day. Half a day is too short to do the Atlantic Drive properly and still have time at Keem. Two days is luxurious but justified if you want to also walk Croaghaun. Many visitors stay overnight at Keel or Dugort.
What about food on the island?
The Beehive Cafe at Keel is the long-running local favourite, with seafood chowder and proper home baking. Calvey's of Achill in Keel does the famous local lamb. The Pure Magic at Keel is the surf-bro cafe with smoothies, burritos and good coffee. Achill Cliff House Hotel in Keel is the sit-down dinner option.
Is there much to do besides beaches?
The Deserted Village at Slievemore, an abandoned famine-era settlement on the side of a mountain, is one of the most affecting places in Ireland. Free, open. About an hour to walk through. Achill Henge, a private monumental construction by an artist on the side of Slievemore, is also free and bizarre. Achill Island Sea Salt has a small visitor centre. The Heinrich Boll Cottage in Dugort is open in summer for those interested in the German Nobel laureate who lived there.
Can I cycle Achill from Westport?
You can. The Greenway gets you to Achill Sound, then there is another fifteen kilometres of road cycling to Keel. The roads on Achill have moderate traffic in summer and the wind is the bigger factor. A round trip of Westport-Achill-Westport on a bike is a long day, around 110 kilometres. Most people drive Achill and cycle the Greenway as separate days.
Are there any boat trips?
Yes. Achill Sea Adventures runs from Purteen Harbour and does coastal tours including landing at Inishbofin (the Mayo Inishbofin, a small uninhabited island, distinct from the more famous Galway one). Trips run from June through September, weather depending.
The basking shark angle
Basking sharks, the second-largest fish in the world, return to the waters off Keem Beach in late spring. From May into July, you can sometimes see them feeding from the cliff above. Achill Adventures and other operators run boat trips out to look for them.
Where to stay
Keel village has the Achill Cliff House Hotel and several B and Bs. Dugort has the smaller, quieter Slievemore Hotel. Self-catering cottages are widespread; the harbour villages of Doogort and Doogan are the most charming.