West Coast Camping

Started by gawa316, June 19, 2008, 12:00:40 PM

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gawa316

Heading down the West coast around the 12th week for a few days camping, drinking and surfing.

Anybody any good campsites they would recommend? Someting akin to Standhill or Achill where the campsite is right on the beach, there are several watering holes and restaurants close by and there is a decent chance of some surf?

Cheers in advance


Croí na hÉireann

Don't think there's any surfing to be had but there's a lovely campsite on Inis Oirr...
Westmeath - Home of the Christy Ring Cup...

Donagh

There's a site down beside Doolin pier and a three or four pubs a short dander up in the village. Only downside is it's usually mobbed with overseas tourists during the summer and hence the price of a pint is a bit steep. Plenty of surfers about but I was always under the impression the tides were dangerous (number of people drowned during the Lisdoonvarna festival in the 80's).

gawa316

How far down are Doolin Pier and Inis Oirr?

Croí na hÉireann

Inis Oirr is the smallest of the Aran Islands, west of Galway city...
Westmeath - Home of the Christy Ring Cup...

Donagh

Quote from: gawa316 on June 19, 2008, 12:27:40 PM
How far down are Doolin Pier and Inis Oirr?

Doolin is in Clare (just south of Galway). There's a new stretch of motorway to the west now and you could make it from Dublin in under 3 hours. If you have the time though, the drive down the west coast (Sligo/Mayo/Galway) is stunning - about 7 or 8 hours from the Donegal border.

The Gs Man

Make sure ye go to Carrowniskey in Co.Mayo.  Near a place called Louisburgh.  Dunno if there's any camping around it but its one of the best places Ive surfed on the West coast.  Waves are really consistent and it's never really crowded.  Probably cos the locals took down the sign for the road!  haha.
Keep 'er lit

rosnarun

lough lanagh near castlebar. very friendly locals . not much surfing but very camp
If you make yourself understood, you're always speaking well. Moliere

The Real Laoislad

Quote from: rosnarun on June 19, 2008, 01:44:47 PM
lough lanagh near castlebar. very friendly locals . not much surfing but very camp


So there's more than one Gay in the village?
You'll Never Walk Alone.

Mickey Linden

Quote from: The Gs Man on June 19, 2008, 12:37:43 PM
Make sure ye go to Carrowniskey in Co.Mayo.  Near a place called Louisburgh.  Dunno if there's any camping around it but its one of the best places Ive surfed on the West coast.  Waves are really consistent and it's never really crowded.  Probably cos the locals took down the sign for the road!  haha.

Have u taken up the surfing then G man?

WeeDonns

gawa316 , Are you going to be travelling down the coast or are you just looking to stay in one spot? Assuming you're starting from the North you should really check out bundoran. Plenty on the board might slag it as a tourist destination, but for you, you can camp on the dunes or on the cliffs at tullan strand and the waves are pretty good. (Claimed to be among the best in Europe) and there's plenty of drinking spots.
I've been down quite a bit over the last two months and its been real good. 6-7ft on tullan. Probably pretty good off the main beach aswell, but i'm too shit (& scared) to surf it!
The only problem with the twelfth week is that there'll be a lot of spides from Belfast about the town, which i'd say you wouldn't be too comfortable with, but they wouldn't be about tullan. The bridge bar is a good surfers bar, great craic but doesn't fill up til 11.30 at earliest at night – spides/celtic jersey wearing people don't get in. http://www.maddensbridgebar.com/
Bundoran's a good place to use as a base, good beaches further south in Sligo and some just north.
The best thing bundoran has going for it is the waves , but I suppose if you're taking a week you may aswell go a bit further down when you've got the chance. Lahinch is supposed to be next best/better than bundoran.
I was only intending to write a short post, hope it helps anyway :)

gawa316

Quote from: WeeDonns on June 19, 2008, 09:56:54 PM
gawa316 , Are you going to be travelling down the coast or are you just looking to stay in one spot? Assuming you're starting from the North you should really check out bundoran. Plenty on the board might slag it as a tourist destination, but for you, you can camp on the dunes or on the cliffs at tullan strand and the waves are pretty good. (Claimed to be among the best in Europe) and there's plenty of drinking spots.
I've been down quite a bit over the last two months and its been real good. 6-7ft on tullan. Probably pretty good off the main beach aswell, but i'm too shit (& scared) to surf it!
The only problem with the twelfth week is that there'll be a lot of spides from Belfast about the town, which i'd say you wouldn't be too comfortable with, but they wouldn't be about tullan. The bridge bar is a good surfers bar, great craic but doesn't fill up til 11.30 at earliest at night – spides/celtic jersey wearing people don't get in. http://www.maddensbridgebar.com/
Bundoran's a good place to use as a base, good beaches further south in Sligo and some just north.
The best thing bundoran has going for it is the waves , but I suppose if you're taking a week you may aswell go a bit further down when you've got the chance. Lahinch is supposed to be next best/better than bundoran.
I was only intending to write a short post, hope it helps anyway :)


Cheers for the info., yeah your right Tullan is always consistant. I spent my summers growing up in Rossnowlagh so know the place pretty well.

The wife is from California so she wants to see abit more of ireland. We'll probably head straight to Galway (whats salthill like?) and then move further south from there

Donagh

Quote from: gawa316 on June 19, 2008, 10:20:10 PM

The wife is from California so she wants to see abit more of ireland. We'll probably head straight to Galway (whats salthill like?) and then move further south from there

Bundoran  ;)

RedandGreenSniper

Salthill has ten times the class of Bundoran and you're only out the road from a great city like Galway.
Agree with GsMan about Carrowniskey - as good a place for surfing as you will find but you'd be as well to base yourself in towards Westport as Carrowniskey and Louisburgh are a bit remote. Not sure if there's camping spots like.
Keel Beach in Achill is very good too. Very scenic area as well and good camping sites in Keel and a few nice 'local' pubs where all are welcome but they still have that rural charm if you know what I mean.
It's not known for surfing but if you are just into seeing something different Clare Island is fantastic to go to on a warm day and the craic at nighttime on the island is mental
Mayo for Sam! Just don't ask me for a year

RedandGreenSniper

Quote from: hardstation on June 20, 2008, 01:54:08 AM
Only thing is, they really hate Prods and Americans.

Good point! There's a fairly extreme republican bar in Keel called the Minuan Bar. We were down there for a weekend and one of the lads went in with an FCA bag and they ran him!! There'd only be a minority of people in Achill with hardline republican views but its a larger minority than most places down south
Mayo for Sam! Just don't ask me for a year