Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [394]
Easkey & Enniscrone
The town of Easkey (Eascaigh; sometimes spelt Easky) seems blissfully unaware that it’s one of Europe’s best year-round surfing destinations. Pub conversations revolve around hurling and Gaelic football, and the road to the beach isn’t even signposted (turn off next to the childcare centre). Facilities are few; most surfers camp (free) around the castle ruins by the sea. If you’re planning on hitting the waves, information and advice are available from Easkey Surfing & Information Centre (Irish Surfing Association; 096-49428; www.isasurf.ie).
Some 14km south at Enniscrone (Innis Crabhann), a stunning beach known as the Hollow stretches for 5km. The town is also famous for its seaweed baths (see boxed text, Click here). Surf lessons and board hire are available from Enniscrone-based Seventh Wave Surf School ( 087 971 6389; www.seventhwavesurfschool.com).
Atlantic Caravan & Camping Park ( 096-36132; www.atlanticcaravanpark.com; Enniscrone; campsites €15-20; Mar-Sep), a sandy two-star camping ground, is spitting distance from Hollow beach. For the tentless, it has furnished caravans that can sleep four or more available for weekly rental.
Getting There & Away
Bus Éireann ( 071-916 0066) express service 23 to Sligo from Dublin (€19, 3¾ hours) and service 64 between Galway (€16, 2½ hours) and Derry (€19, 2½ hours) stop outside Quigley’s in Collooney. On Saturday only, the Sligo–Castlerea bus 460 stops at Collooney (€3.90, 15 minutes), Ballymote (€6.80, 30 minutes) and Tubbercurry (€9.80, 40 minutes). Buses run from Sligo to Collooney, Monday to Saturday. From Easkey, buses run four times daily (once on Sunday) to Sligo (€10.30, 50 minutes) and Ballina (€7.60, 30 minutes). From Enniscrone, buses also run four times daily (once on Sunday) to Sligo (€12.70, 65 minutes) and Ballina (€4.20, 15 minutes).
The Sligo train ( 071-916 9888) stops at Collooney and Ballymote (both €7 to €10.20, four to six times daily) en route to Dublin.
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LOUGH GILL
The mirrorlike ‘Lake of Brightness’, Lough Gill is home to as many legends as fish. One that can be tested easily is the story that a silver bell from the abbey in Sligo was thrown into the lough and only those free from sin can hear it pealing. (We didn’t hear it…)
The lake, southeast of Sligo town, is an easy day trip from anywhere in the county. Two magical swaths of woodland – Hazelwood and Slish Wood – have loop trails; there are good views of Innisfree Island from the latter.
Dooney Rock
Immortalised by Yeats in The Fiddler of Dooney, this huge fissured limestone knoll bulges awkwardly upward by the lough’s southern shore. There’s a great lake view from the top.
Leave Sligo south on the N4, but turn left at the sign to Lough Gill. Another left at the T-junction brings you onto the R287 towards Dooney car park.
Innisfree Island
This pint-sized island (Inis Fraoigh) lies tantalisingly close to the lough’s southeastern shore, but alas, can’t be accessed. Still, it’s visible from the shore. Its air of tranquillity so moved Yeats that he famously wrote The Lake Isle of Innisfree:
I will arise and go now, and go to
Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
Continue east from Dooney Rock and turn left at the crossroads. After 3km turn left again for another 3km. A small road leads down to the lake.
Getting There & Away
By car and bicycle, leave Sligo east via the Mall past the hospital, and turn right off the N16 onto the R286, which leads to the northern shore of Lough Gill. The southern route is less interesting until you reach Dooney Rock.
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NORTH OF SLIGO TOWN