A Wet Weekend in Connemara

(1) The first morning of the hike, when I walked from Oughterard to the shore of Lough Corrib. There was no-one else on the trail, the weather was cool and dry, and there was a silence that I found calming and invigorating. (2) On day two, the walk from Leenane to Roscoe, along the Killary Harbour Way. Killary Harbour is actually Ireland's only fjord, and the scenery here is stark and spectular, especially when rain clouds come scudding in like bomberplanes, like they did that day. Amid the roar of the sea and the hiss of falling rain, I found what is truly rare in Ireland: wildness.

Quick Tips:

(1) This is Ireland, folks: carry wet gear -- all the time. Ignore what the weather forecast says, and do not be deceived by divine, sunny mornings. It will more than likely rain before evening. The chances of it raining increase proportionally for each item of wet gear you do not bring. (2) Wear good boots if you are walking the Western Way, or any other Irish walking route that runs over bog. Also, you might like to invest in a good pair of knee-high 'gaters. A trekking pole or two would also be handy for testing out the firmness of the trail in front of you. (3) Do the trail in summer or early autumn and enjoy the scenery! It really is lovely, and worth the effort of tramping over bogs to get to.

Best Way To Get Around:

On foot! The Western Way is a walking trail, though quite a bit of its early and later stages are routed over secondary and tertiary country roads. It is possible to drive to the trailheads (Oughterard in the south and Leenane in the north), but I'd recommend taking a bus from Galway to Oughterard and from Leenane back to Galway or onto Westport for a wash, a pint of Guinness and a well-deserved sleep!

Standard Irish hostel, with clean bedrooms, dirty kitchen, and gregarious owner. The owner likes to encourage conversation, so there's no television in the hostel, but there is a nice library of books you can use, and a comfortable lounge for ... well, lounging. You can hire bicycles, canoes, and fishing rods through the hostel.

The Killary Harbour Hostel is located at the end of the Killary Harbour Walk, in the small fishing village of Roscoe, in a building that originally a school. Unfortunately, the hostel retains a certain institutional feel. Perhaps it was just me, but I couldn't get really comfortable or cozy there. Still, there are hot showers, clean rooms, and a view of the Atlantic to die for in the common room. You won't linger here, but you will remember the haunting and dramatic landscape that surrounds the hostel, and want to come back.

Not a particularly difficult route in terms of length or gradient, but a challenge if you've never walked on bogs before. For most of its first half the trail meanders over wet, vetch-brown land; watch out that you don't fall, or you'll stumble the rest of the way covered in dark Irish muck. But, if you get a couple of clear, dry days (rare enough in Ireland) the Western Way is worth walking, especially its later stages, where it is possible to find along the way something that is truly rare in Ireland: wildness. Just don't forget to bring your raingear!

It’s a wonderful trail, with great views and great walking.

I started it, awkwardly enough, from the Leenane side, where it runs innocently enough along a metalled road through bog, then through farmland until it becomes a trail running precipitously above the south rim of the fjord.

That day, it was was just me on the trail, the sheep and the spectacular scenery: Ireland's Atlantic coast is rugged, and nowhere more so than here, where the Atlantic has made a dagger-cut five miles into the country.

The weather -- which had turned sunny around midday -- became more inclement with the evening, until I was walking in a spiteful summer storm, half-blinded by sea-smelling rain. And I loved it: high above the hard sea, among gray serrated mountains, soaking wet, I felt my worries slip away as I found what I had come looking for: wildness, which is truly rare in Ireland.

The trail ran out to nothing about a half-mile before the end of the fjord, so I followed a low stone wall through a farmer's barren field until I came to a small road. Turning left, I came to the hostel -- which is the last building in the village of Roscoe – in less than a minute. The hostel is located in an old school building and is functional, at best. Still, the dining room has huge windows that make a landscape of the view (looking out to sea) and the common room has comfortable couches and an open fire. Plus, the showers are hot and powerful.