OCTOBER 2024
There is a county in Ireland which I don’t see on many itineraries: Sligo. The Irish themselves know it is beautiful, but it doesn’t seem to be discovered by international tourists yet. I had seen pictures of the Table mountain like Benbulbin, so I pinned it on google maps. When we drove down the Wild Atlantic Way, it actually was quite easy to stop near Benbulbin and this is how we discovered County Sligo. In this blogpost I will give you some ideas of things to do in this county.
Benbulbin
Benbulbin is the Irish answer to the Table Mountain. It is a large rock formation with a flat top, which is 526meters high. When you are driving to Sligo you will most certainly see it in the background. It is possible to hike Benbulbin, but when you are climbing a mountain you cannot see the mountain itself. Which is why we decided to the Ben Bulben forest walk (it is well indicated on maps). There are several routes and shortcuts, but we did the longest route of 2 hours. I highly recommend doing the longest route as this is the only route that includes the beautiful viewpoint of Benbulbin, with the forest path in the front. The hike is not strenuous at all, even Hugo was able to complete most of it. The scenery changes quite a bit throughout the hike, making it very enjoyable. Parking should not be an issue, but if you are visiting with a campervan there are only some parking spots. We arrived just after lunchtime, parking lot for vans was full, but by waiting for a bit we were still able to park.
Mullaghmore Beach
During our time in County Sligo Hielke wanted to go running on a beach and through dunes. We discovered that Mullaghmore Beach is the perfect place for that. It is a beautiful sandy beach with Benbulbin in the background. Unfortunately there were quite a lot of jellyfish, so we didn’t dare to swim. Mullaghmore Beach is located near Mullaghmore which is a cute little town, with a pier, harbor and some bars/terraces. Good vibes all around! Near Mullaghmore you will also find Bishop’s Pool, which is a popular “natural swimming pool” in the Atlantic. It wouldn’t be Ireland without some pretty cliffs, so you can find those near Castle Classiebawn Viewpoint.
Glencar Waterfall
Glencar Waterfall technically isn’t in County Sligo, but it is located just at the edge. There is a big parking lot and it is only a five minute walk from the parking lot, so a very easy visit. Most people just walk around the waterfall and leave, but that was not enough for us, so Hielke went into the water! Super cold… but very special to have a waterfall all to yourself. You don’t have to pay an entrance fee to see the waterfall. There is a small cafe next to the waterfall and there was an icecream truck during summer. Lovely little playground with views of the beautiful surroundings.
Restaurants
These spots are a little less touristy than the South of Ireland, which means that the density of restaurants and their opening hours is less. We wanted to have dinner in Mullaghmore but were only able to get fish and chips. We therefore went to Henrys Bar & Restaurant, where they had a wide choice of food. The dishes are not cheap (20-25 euros per meal), but they are large and come with sides and vegetables, so it ended up being value-for-money. Super kind personnel and good atmosphere! Opposite Henrys you will find Roasted & Toasted where they sell delicious coffee, cakes and toasties (also takeaway).
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