Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [379]
Intense media coverage also followed the jailing of another protester in 2009. Keep tabs on developments at Shell to Sea (www.corribsos.com), Shell (www.shell.com) and Mayo County Council (www.mayococo.ie).
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The road to Blacksod Point passes the Blue Flag beach of Elly Bay, a prime spot for birdwatchers and dolphin-watchers, as well as surfers – contact UISCE ( 097-82111; www.uisce.ie) for the local surf low-down. Further south it passes stunning Mullaghroe Beach. In the early 20th century, a whaling station operated at nearby Ardelly Point. The weather centre here determined the eventual date for the D-Day Normandy landing.
Sleeping & Eating
Cheerful cafes ring Belmullet’s central roundabout.
Western Strands Hotel ( 097-81096; www.westernstrandshotel.com; Main St, Belmullet; s/d €48/70) A good-time atmosphere predominates in this old-time pub smack-dab in the centre of tiny Belmullet. The bar doubles as the reception desk, and staff (along with pub regulars) can fill you in on the area. Upstairs, it has 10 decent rooms (with four more on the way), all with private bathroom. Satisfying, inexpensive food is available in the bar.
Chez Nous ( 097-82167; cheznousbelmullet@yahoo.co.uk; Church Rd, Belmullet; s/d €50/80; Mar-Dec; ) You’ll find four wonderfully snug, tastefully decorated rooms with private bathroom at this modern B&B. It’s opposite the old Church of Ireland, which now hosts occasional art exhibits, and is a five-minute walk from the town centre.
Getting There & Around
Bus Éireann ( 096-71800) runs one to two buses from Ballina to Belmullet (€12.50, 1¼ hours) Monday to Saturday, continuing on to Blacksod Point.
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POLLATOMISH
pop 150
Irresistibly remote and pretty, Pollatomish (Poll an Tómais), also spelled Pullathomas, drowses in a serene bay some 16km east of Belmullet, signposted on the road to Ballycastle (R314). Those who find their way here often extend their stay to stroll on its sandy beach and walk up to Benwee Head to take in sensational views.
Kilcommon Lodge Hostel ( 097-84621; www.kilcommonlodge.net; Pollatomish; dm/d €16/40; ) is a garden-set hostel a short stroll from the beach. It’s now headed up by the long-time owners’ son, Ciarán, an outdoors enthusiast who can organise surfing, guided walks and rock climbing, as well as Irish-language courses. Less-energetic travellers can curl up with books and board games by the turf fire in the common room. Breakfast is €6, dinner €16.
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BALLYCASTLE & AROUND
pop 250
The superbly sited village of Ballycastle (Baile an Chaisil) consists of a sole sloping street. Its main draw (apart from breathtaking coastal scenery) is its megalithic tombs – one of the greatest concentrations in Europe.
Sights
CÉIDE FIELDS
A famous wit once described archaeology as being all about ‘a series of small walls’. But it’s not often that such walls have had experts hopping up and down with such excitement than at Céide Fields (Achaidh Chéide), 8km northwest of Ballycastle.
During the 1930s, local man Patrick Caulfield was digging in the bog when he noticed a lot of piled-up stones buried beneath it. About 40 years later, his son Seamus, who had become an archaeologist on the basis of his father’s discovery, began extensive exploration of the area. What he, and later others, uncovered was the world’s most extensive Stone Age monument, consisting of stone-walled fields, houses and megalithic tombs – about half a million tonnes of stone. Astonishingly, five millennia ago a thriving farming community lived here, growing wheat and barley and grazing sheep and cattle. The award-winning Interpretive Centre ( 096-43325; www.heritageireland.ie; R314; adult/child incl tour €4/2; 10am-6pm Jun–mid-Oct, 10am-5pm Easter-May & mid-Oct–end Oct, last tour 1hr prior to closing), in a glass pyramid overlooking the