Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [372]
WESTPORT
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Westport (Cathair na Mairt) is exceedingly proud of its Tidy Town status, having won the nation’s top honours three times in the past decade alone. To be sure, the town’s Georgian streets, lime-tree-shaded riverside mall and colourful pubs are about as photogenic as Ireland gets. A couple of kilometres west on Clew Bay, the town’s harbour, Westport Quay, is a picturesque spot for a sundowner.
Westport is Mayo’s nightlife hub (though it has clamped down on hen-and-stag revellers), and its central location makes it a convenient and enjoyable base for exploring the county.
Information
Central banks include the AIB (Shop St), with an ATM and bureau de change.
Cotton’s Laundry ( 098-29935; James St; per kilo €2.50; 9.30am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-6pm Sat)
Gavin’s Video & Internet Cafe ( 098-26461; Bridge St; per hr €4; 10am-10pm Mon-Fri, noon-10pm Sat & Sun) Internet access.
The Bookshop ( 098-26816; Bridge St) Good selection of OS maps and books on Ireland.
Tourist office ( 098-25711; www.discoverireland.ie/west; James St; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm Sun Jul & Aug, 9am-5.45pm Mon-Sat Apr-Jun & Sep, 9am-12.45pm & 2-5pm Mon-Fri rest of year) Mayo’s only official tourist office to open year-round.
Sights
TOWN CENTRE
The town’s unusual layout unfurls from the octagonal-shaped town square, and slopes down to the River Carrowbeg. The first settlement was built around an O’Malley castle, but it disappeared beneath the demolish-and-build spree that was the Georgian era. The new town was designed by 18th-century architect James Wyatt, with a little help from Georgian superstar Richard Castle.
WESTPORT HOUSE
The charms of this 1730-built country mansion ( 098-25430; www.westporthouse.ie; Quay Rd; house & gardens adult/child €12/6.50, house, gardens & Pirate Adventure Park adult/child €21/16.50; house & gardens 10am-4pm Sat & Sun Mar, 10am-4pm daily Apr, Jun, Sep & Oct, 10am-5pm daily May, 10am-5.30pm daily Jul & Aug) set in glorious gardens on the ruins of the 16th-century castle built for Grace O’Malley, Ireland’s pirate queen, outshines its commercial overhaul of recent years. It’s now a kind of stately home theme-park hybrid, incorporating a kid-friendly Pirate Adventure Park ( 10am-4pm mid-Apr & Jun, 10am-5pm bank holiday weekend & Sun thereafter May, 10am-5.30pm Jul & Aug, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun Sep) complete with a swinging pirate ship, a ‘pirate’s playground’ and a roller-coaster-style flume ride through a water channel.
To reach Westport House, head out of Westport on Quay Rd towards Croagh Patrick and Louisburgh. Just before Westport Quay, take a small road to the right and through the grand gateway.
Activities
For tackle, camping gear, all-weather clothing and information about fishing, stop into Hewetson ( 098-26018; Bridge St; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat).
Contact Carrowholly Stables ( 098-27057; www.carrowholly-stables.com; Carrowholly) for details of guided horse and pony treks along trails overlooking Clew Bay. The stables are 3km north of the town centre, next to Westport Golf Club, off the N59 to Newport.
Beach treks (€150) and guided hour-long rides (€60) are available at Westport Woods Riding Centre, at Westport Woods Hotel (right). Rates are one-third cheaper for hotel guests.
Sleeping
Westport is Mayo’s major tourist magnet and while there’s an abundance of B&Bs and hotels, rooms are in short supply during summer and special events. The tourist office can book rooms for a €4 service fee. Rates drop considerably outside peak periods.
BUDGET
Parkland Caravan & Camping Park ( 098-27766; camping@westporthouse.ie; Westport House, Quay Rd; campsites €25-32; May-early Sep) Wide-open spaces and proximity to Westport House’s funfairlike attractions make this site a hit for families with young children.
Old Mill Holiday Hostel ( 098-27045; www.oldmillhostel.com; Barrack Yard, James St; dm €18.50-19.30, d €48-50, tr €66; closed late Dec-early Jan; ) Inside a converted stone mill, this central IHH hostel has 58 beds spread across its well-kept rooms, and inviting communal areas that make