Connemara Loop Drive

The Connemara Loop

Scenic route of must see Connemara places 🏖️🏕️🌄

The Connemara Loop, to the North West of Connemara is one of the most scenic places to visit in the West of Ireland. Now part of the Wild Atlantic Way, this corner of Connemara, with its ever changing landscape, presents visitors with the most spectacular mountain views, mist covered lakes, pre-historic bogs, shady glens and remote, unspoilt beaches facing out towards the wild Atlantic.

Connemara Loop highlights

The landscape is dotted with quaint but lively villages where modern conveniences are available along with an opportunity to step back in time to a more relaxed era at a slower pace of life. The Connemara Loop is the ideal location all year round for holiday getaways with your family or for couples looking to escape to a unique destination of for adventure back-packers of all ages.

The Connemara Loop is well signposted and takes you through the villages and townlands of Maam Cross, Maam, Leenane, Killary Fjord, Lettergesh, Tully Cross, Tully, Renvyle, Derryinver, Letterfrack, Kylemore, the Inagh Valley and Recess.


Tour Connemara


Connemara Loop: what to expect


video by www.goconnemara.com


Connemara Loop Map


Connemara Loop FAQs

What accommodation options are on the Connemara Loop?
You’ll find a great selection of top quality accommodation options at most villages along the Connemara Loop. Below is a number of the top places to stay.

  • Kylemore Pass Hotel & Restaurant
    Situated on almost 5 acres and overlooking the Inagh Valley and the Twelve Pins & Maamturk Mountains, Kylemore Pass is a truley unique place to immerse yourself in the beauty of Connemara.
  • Connemara National Park Hostel
    Connemara National Park Hostel is situated in the community of Letterfrack, provides excellent self-catering and hostel accommodations with 11 ensuite bedrooms.
  • Rosleague Manor Hotel
    Rosleague is a regency manor now run as a luxury country house hotel, located 7 miles north west of Clifden on the coast overlooking Ballinakill bay and near Connemara National Park.
  • Renvyle House Hotel
    Surrounded by private parkland on the shores of the Atlantic, Renvyle House features a golf course, outdoor swimming pool (seasonal) and award-winning restaurant.
  • Leenane Hotel
    Leenane Hotel enjoys a uniquely scenic location in the scenic village of Leenane, overlooking the stunning Killary Harbour, Ireland’s deepest fjord with spetacular views of north Connemara. This three-star hotel has 66 En suite Guest Bedrooms in total, 50 of which have stunning views of Killary Harbour and the rest with mountains views of the Maumturks.
Where is good to eat on the Connemara Loop?
You’ll be spoilt for choice on where to eat on the Connemara Loop as per the list below.

  • Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden
    Perched in the Connemara mountains, Kylemore Abbey, a striking neo-Gothic Castle built by Mitchell Henry in 1868, boasts a large restaurant and café serving hot dishes and drinks daily, accessible without a museum and gardens ticket.
  • Killary Sheep And Wool Centre
    Delve into the region’s sheep and wool industry at the Sheep and Wool Centre in Leenane, offering the Bia Blas Café’s snacks, sandwiches, soups, desserts, and hot drinks.
  • Kings Shop & Coffee Bar
    In the quaint village of Lettergesh, Renvyle, Co Galway, Kings Shop & Coffee Bar provides snacks and coffees for a quick refuel during your Connemara Loop adventure.
  • Veldons Seafarer Bar & Restaurant
    Enjoy fine seafood and more at Veldons, renowned for its culinary offerings, with both bar and restaurant service available throughout the day.
  • Anglers Rest Bar
    Experience good food and drink with friendly service at Anglers Rest Bar, a cozy family-run pub in Tullycross village, perfect for relaxing and socializing.
  • Clover Fox Pub and Restaurant
    Nestled in Letterfrack, Clover Fox offers fine food and hospitality against the backdrop of Diamond Hill and Connemara’s scenic beauty.
  • Hamiltons Bar
    Situated in Leenane, Hamiltons Bar serves a lunch menu featuring fresh seafood and sandwiches in a traditional pub setting.
  • Gaynors Bar
    In the heart of Leenane village, Gaynors Bar invites you to enjoy a pint by the turf fire alongside comforting soup and sandwiches.
What species of marine life can be seen on Connemara Beaches?
The abundance of sea life has made the coastline of Connemara a mecca for divers and snorkelling. Below are some of the creatures you can expect to encounter.

  • Various seabirds
  • Otters
  • Sea anemones
  • Sea urchins
  • Shrimps
  • Crabs
What Birdlife can be found along the coast of Connemara?
As the Connemara coast has a vast array of marine life, it makes for an ideal habitat for sea birds.

  • Turnstones
  • Curlews
  • Sanderlings
  • Oystercatchers
  • Redshank
  • Bar-tailed godwit
  • Common shag
  • Cormorant
  • Grey herons
  • Lesser black-backed gull
  • Great black-backed gull
  • Herring gull
  • Black-headed gull
  • Common gull
  • Glaucous gull
  • Iceland gull
  • Terns
What coastal plants are common to Connemara?
Many areas of North Connemara are protected areas of special conservation which allows plant life to thrive. You can expect to find the following flora on your travels.

  • Sea holly (Eryngium maritimum)
  • Thrift or seapink (Armeria maritima)
  • Common scurvygrass (Cochlearia officinalis)
  • Biting stonecrop or wall-pepper (Sedum acre)
  • Orchids (Common spotted orchid, Early-purple orchid, Pyramidal orchid, Fragrant orchid)
  • Wild thyme (Thymus polytrichus)
What types of seaweeds are on the coast of Connemara?
During your visit to any beach in this region you will see a lot of seaweed, so here are some names to get familiar with.

  • Bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus)
  • Dabberlocks (Alaria esculenta)
  • Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca)
  • Carragheen or Irish Moss (Chondrus crispus)
  • Poor-man’s weatherglass (Laminaria saccharina)
  • Lithothamnia

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