In Mayo, life’s a beach

Strolling the sands


With the second longest coastline in Ireland, County Mayo boasts 13 Blue Flag beaches, between Louisburgh on the southern Atlantic coast and Kilalla Bay on the Sligo border, writes Neill O’Neill

IN a county where parts of the sparsely-populated coastline have changed little over thousands of years, there are also hundreds of naturally-formed and untouched beaches just waiting to be discovered. Whether you want to walk in undulating dunes amidst marram grasses that sway ito the mystical tune of a light summer breeze, or take a swim in the frigid but refreshing turquoise waters of the pristine Atlantic ocean, Mayo’s beaches offer all visitors something unique to savour.
Regardless of your location in the county, beaches in Mayo are well sign-posted and easily accessible. In the south-western corner of the county, near the popular towns of Westport and Louisburgh, the amethyst blue waters of Clew Bay provide the setting for some of the most popular beaches to be found anywhere in the west of Ireland.
The R335 road along the coast between these towns will bring you to Bertra and Old Head beaches, though unsuspecting tourists should be aware that there are several less-well-known but equally inspiring strands, hidden all along this scenic route.
A sand bar in the shadow of Croagh Patrick, Bertra beach stretches two kilometres out into the drumlin fields of Clew Bay, and is a favourite with walking enthusiasts all year round. This beach has a unique setting and is regarded as an area of geomorphological significance (study of its physical features), owing to its location in the middle of one of the few drowned drumlin landscapes in the world.
Closer to Louisburgh, Old Head lies at the base of a prominent headland. Flanked by a natural wood on its western edge and sheer cliffs which run down the strand towards Lecanvey village, Old Head is one of Mayo’s busiest beaches whenever the sun is shining. At the height of summer the laughter of children, as they plunge into the sheltered waters around Old Head’s still functioning pier, blends with the chime of approaching ice-cream vans, and carries for miles from the beach and adjacent campsite. At low tide the myriad of rock-pools on the shore teem with life and form the most natural of aquariums – making for fascinating investigations for children and adults alike.
On the rugged coast beyond Louisburgh, where the abandoned potato furrows of pre-famine Ireland scar the rock-strewn landscape running down to the sea, an adventurous spirit will discover the vast sandy expanses of White Strand and Silver Strand. At first glance these enormous beaches seem to stretch across the waves to Clare Island and Inisturk – the islands which guard the entrance to Clew Bay – but it will quickly become apparent that their uniqueness lies in their isolation and serene beauty. Not many people ever visit them, as not many know of their existence, but for a walk in a tranquil paradise, they are well worth a visit.
Further back from this rural splendour, in the direction of Louisburgh, are the surfing beaches of Cross and Carrowniskey. Though no Blue Flag flies at Carrowniskey, the beach enjoys daily lifeguard patrols during summer months, owing to its popularity with surfers and water sports enthusiasts.
Whilst in this area a short ferry ride from nearby Roonagh Pier will land you at the harbour-side beach on Clare Island. With the medieval castle and spirit of legendary pirate queen Granuaile still watching over the area, this unique Blue Flag beach still safeguards the secrets and history of hundreds of years of island life, and remains a prominent feature of one of Ireland’s most accessible and friendly islands.
There are far too many beaches in Mayo to be visited in one trip – indeed it might take weeks or months to see them all – but with the highest concentration of Blue Flag beaches anywhere in Ireland, Achill Island should not be missed. Connected to the mainland by a short bridge, Ireland’s largest island is littered with golden sandy beaches.
Perhaps favourite with many visitors to Achill is Keem Beach, a small, isolated strand nestled at the foot of two rocky hills. Reaching this beach is an adventure in itself and though the approach road is not for the faint-hearted, the reward is one of the finest beaches to be found anywhere. Among the regular visitors to the waters around Keem Beach in spring and early summer are four-tonne basking sharks – the world’s second largest fish.
A short distance down the coast is Keel Beach, which takes a very different form from its   sheltered and quiet neighbour. With the full brunt of the Atlantic Ocean making it a haven for water and adventure sports enthusiasts, this busy beach is also in the proximity of a nine-hole golf course, horse-riding and a camping and caravan park. Nestled between the headlands of Craughan and Minaun Heights, families also flock here in summer for the excellent facilities, and to enjoy three uninterrupted kilometers of sweeping sand.
Among the numerous other beaches in Achill, those which boast Blue Flags are Dooega Head, Golden Strand and Doogort Beach.
North Mayo, too, has plenty to offer the avid beach-goer. Like in the south-west of the county, there are numerous inlets and beaches waiting to be discovered on the Mullet Peninsula and around Kilalla.
Nine kilometers south of Belmullet town, the arcing sandscape of Elly Bay Beach lies on the fringe of Blacksod Bay. Designated as a Natural Heritage Area, this beach is of international importance for botanical, ecological, geological, ornithological and zoological studies. A plethora of animals and birds call the flat windswept Machair sand plains around this beach home, and it remains one of the most untouched and beautiful parts of Gaeltacht Ireland.
Further inland from the raging Atlantic, on the shores of Kilalla Bay, lies the sheltered Ross Strand. The most northerly of Mayo’s Blue Flag beaches, Ross is located near the estuary of the great River Moy, and faces across Kilalla Bay and Bartragh Island towards Enniscrone. As a secluded strand, this beach is sensitive to its rural surroundings, but it is a poorly kept secret amongst the local population of north Mayo.