WHY IT’S SPECIAL

The Wild Atlantic Way runs from the Inishowen peninsula in Donegal to Kinsale, Co Cork. You can drive the whole 1,550 miles (2,500km) in a week if you go at breakneck speed; allow two for a more leisurely approach.

On the Co Sligo coast, glance up at any point and you’ll see the great Ben Bulben looming into the sky. This is WB Yeats country – and it’s made for poetry. The sweep of Sligo Bay is fringed by white beaches: walk for miles or take a Voya seaweed bath (voya.ie) on Strandhill beach, fly a kite, or try a little surfing in the clean, green breakers. Visit nearby Lissadell House (lissadellhouse.com), with its miles of woodland walks. Further west, walk or swim from Enniscrone beach – and carry on to the wild and remote Mullet peninsula. Then, what a delight to find Westport, with its fine Georgian architecture, and its marvellous setting on the shores of island-flecked Clew Bay.

YOU’LL NEVER FORGET…

The Ceide Fields (heritageireland.ie), the world’s largest Stone Age monument, offering an insight into the lives of our Neolithic ancestors.

INSIDER TIP

At Carne (carnegolflinks.com), near Belmullet, play golf between dunes like mountains, and drink in the views across the sea to Achill island.

HOW TO DO IT

Take a ferry to Dublin or fly to Ireland West Airport (irelandwestairport. com) with Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com), Ryanair (ryanair.com) or Flybe (flybe. com) – then pick up a car or camper van for ultimate freedom. Stay at the marvellous Ice House Hotel (icehousehotel.ie) overlooking the water at Ballina; in Westport, check in at comfortable Knockranny House (knockrannyhousehotel.ie); and enjoy excellent Irish trad music at Matt Molloy’s (mattmolloy.com).