The Wild Atlantic Way is the marquee campervan route in Ireland — 2,500km of Atlantic coastline from Kinsale in West Cork to Malin Head in Donegal, tracing every headland, bay, and sea stack along the way. It rewards those who slow down, take the minor roads, and resist the urge to tick off Discovery Points like a checklist. Two weeks is the minimum for a meaningful run; a section at a time suits most renters better than rushing the whole thing.
Route overview
The Wild Atlantic Way runs from Kinsale, Co. Cork in the south to Malin Head, Co. Donegal in the north — a total of 2,500km following the official waymarked route. Most renters tackle a section: either the southern section (Cork to Clare or Galway), the central section (Galway to Mayo), or the northern section (Sligo to Donegal). Doing the full run south-to-north is the classic itinerary.
The route is divided into five sections by the official Wild Atlantic Way branding: The Mizen to Malin route, broadly speaking. The southern section is the most dramatic per kilometre — Kerry, the Beara Peninsula, Mizen Head — but the northern section (Donegal, Sligo, Mayo) is consistently underrated and often less crowded.
~2,500km following the full official route. Typically 1,200–1,500km of actual driving on a 12–14 day run.
12–14 days for the full run; 5–7 days for a section. Don't rush it.
Kinsale, Co. Cork (southbound) or Malin Head, Co. Donegal (northbound)
Malin Head, Co. Donegal (southbound start) or Kinsale, Co. Cork (northbound start)
Day-by-day itinerary
The following itinerary runs south-to-north — Cork to Donegal — over 12 days. Adjust the pace to your interests. The days marked with * are where most people try to cover too much ground; resist the temptation.
| Day | Route | Distance | Key stops |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cork / Dublin → Kinsale | Pickup + 1–2 hrs drive | Kinsale harbour, Charles Fort |
| 2 | Kinsale → Skibbereen | ~60km | Clonakilty, Rosscarbery, Drombeg stone circle |
| 3 | Skibbereen → Mizen Head | ~50km | Schull, Barleycove Beach, Mizen Head visitor centre |
| 4* | Mizen → Bantry → Beara | ~70km | Bantry Bay, Glengarriff, Castletownbere (Beara detour) |
| 5 | Beara → Killarney | ~80km | Kenmare, Ladies View, Killarney National Park |
| 6* | Ring of Kerry | ~170km loop | Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Waterville, Cahirciveen — go anti-clockwise |
| 7 | Dingle Peninsula | ~80km | Dingle town, Slea Head Drive (compact vehicles only), Blasket Sound viewpoint |
| 8 | Dingle → Lahinch | ~120km | Tarbert–Killimer ferry, Kilkee, Loop Head, Spanish Point |
| 9 | Lahinch → Galway | ~80km | Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, the Burren, Kinvara |
| 10* | Connemara day | ~150km loop | Clifden, Sky Road, Kylemore Abbey, Leenane, Killary Harbour |
| 11 | Galway → Westport | ~130km | Croagh Patrick viewpoint, Clew Bay, Westport town |
| 12 | Westport → Sligo | ~100km | Achill Island, Mulrany, Ballina, Enniscrone |
| 13 | Sligo → Donegal | ~100km | Benbulben, Drumcliff (Yeats grave), Donegal town, Slieve League |
| 14 | Donegal → Malin Head | ~100km | Glencolumbkille, Ardara, Dungloe, or direct to Malin Head |
Days 1–5 (Cork and Kerry): The southern section is the most congested in high summer. Start early each day. The Beara Peninsula is extraordinary but the Healy Pass is not for motorhomes — take the R572 around the peninsula instead and save the Healy Pass for a future trip in a small car. Kerry's Ring road is best driven anti-clockwise to avoid the coach-tour convoys that all run clockwise in the morning.
Days 6–9 (Clare and Galway): The Cliffs of Moher are genuinely spectacular but the car park is enormous and expensive. Consider stopping at the lesser-known cliff-top walking points north of Doolin for the same views and none of the crowds. Galway city is worth a half-day — park up at a campsite south of the city and bus or cycle in.
Days 10–14 (Mayo, Sligo, Donegal): This section is consistently underestimated. Achill Island in particular — Ireland's largest island — rewards a slow approach. The bogland roads of north Donegal, Slieve League (the highest sea cliffs in Europe), and the Glencolumbkille valley are among the most remote and atmospheric stretches of the whole route.
Overnight stops
The Wild Atlantic Way has good campsite infrastructure for a route of this scale, but it is not uniformly distributed. The Kerry and Galway sections have the most choice; the Donegal section has fewer formal facilities. Wild camping is tolerated in many areas of the west, but always leave no trace and move on in the morning.
| Location | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kinsale area | Campsite | Several campsites south of Kinsale. Book ahead in summer. |
| Barleycove / Mizen | Campsite/wild | Campsites near Barleycove Beach. Some tolerated roadside spots near the Mizen. |
| Killarney area | Multiple campsites | Best campsite cluster on the full route. Book ahead — fills quickly in July/August. |
| Dingle town | Campsite | Campsite on the edge of Dingle town. Convenient for the peninsula. |
| Doolin / Lahinch | Campsite | Campsites at Doolin and Lahinch/Ennistymon area. Good facilities. |
| Salthill, Galway | Campsite | Established campsite with good access to Galway city by bus. |
| Clifden area | Campsite | Clifden Eco Beach Camping and Caravan Park — popular, book ahead. |
| Westport area | Campsite | Several options around Westport and Clew Bay. |
| Sligo Bay area | Campsite | Campsites at Strandhill and around Sligo Bay. |
| Donegal area | Campsite/wild | Fewer formal sites. Some tolerated wild camping on the Donegal coast. |
Road notes for campervans
Vehicle size matters enormously on this route. The Wild Atlantic Way route includes sections that are difficult or impassable for larger motorhomes. Here's the honest breakdown:
- Slea Head Drive (Dingle): A narrow, single-track road in places. Not recommended for motorhomes over 6m. Campervans and compact hire vehicles are fine with care.
- Beara Peninsula: The coast road around the Beara is narrow. Manageable for campervans and shorter motorhomes; larger motorhomes should take the main R572.
- Healy Pass: Steep and narrow mountain pass. Not recommended for motorhomes or campervans. Use as a walking viewpoint, not a driving route.
- Sky Road, Clifden: Narrow and steep. Campervans under 6m are fine; motorhomes over 7m should skip this and view from the top car park instead.
- Mamore Gap, Inishowen: Very steep and narrow. Not recommended for any vehicle over 6.5m or 3 tonnes.
- Main WAW route (N/R roads on coastal sections): Generally fine for standard campervans and most motorhomes up to 7.5m.
Height restrictions are less of a concern on open roads but watch for low-clearance car parks at tourist sites — particularly the car park at the Cliffs of Moher and some Kerry car parks. If in doubt, park at the outer edge of any car park and walk in.
Practical tips
- Water fill-up: Most campsites along the route have water points. In gaps between sites (particularly in Donegal), fill your tank at the previous campsite before heading into more remote areas.
- Waste disposal: Campsite dump stations are the primary option. Not all campsites have them — check before arriving if this matters to your vehicle.
- LPG (gas): Available at most large petrol stations and some hardware stores en route. Calor Gas is the dominant brand in Ireland — campervans using other gas brands (particularly Campingaz) should carry spare cylinders.
- Diesel and petrol: Plentiful along the full route. Prices in rural Kerry and Donegal can be marginally higher than national average. Fill up in larger towns rather than remote villages to avoid premium pricing.
- Mobile coverage: Three and Eir have the best coverage on the west coast. Vodafone has gaps in parts of Donegal and west Mayo. Download offline maps before heading into coverage dead zones — this is not theoretical advice.
- Tarbert–Killimer ferry: The Shannon Estuary crossing between Kerry and Clare saves about 90 minutes versus driving via Limerick. Takes cars and campervans/motorhomes — check current size restrictions and schedule before planning. Runs frequently in summer.
- Tolls: The M50 Dublin ring road has an electronic toll. If your hire starts in Dublin, confirm whether the toll account is included or whether you need to register separately.
Best time to visit
Peak (July–August): Warmest weather, longest days (sunset after 10pm in late June), but significant crowds at the main tourist stops — Cliffs of Moher, Killarney, Dingle — and campsite booking essential weeks in advance. Prices are highest. The west coast weather remains changeable regardless.
Shoulder — best overall (May–June and September): Genuinely the best time for the Wild Atlantic Way. Weather is good (particularly June), crowds are manageable, campsites have availability, and the landscapes are at their greenest. September is the most underrated month — quieter than peak summer, often warm, and the light is exceptional.
Off-season (October–April): Some campsites close entirely. The route is driveable year-round but facilities are sparse, weather can be brutal, and the short winter days limit usable time. Not recommended for a first WAW trip, but experienced campervans find the winter Donegal coast extraordinary in its own way.
Recommended operators for this route
The Wild Atlantic Way can be started from Dublin or Kerry, depending on your direction of travel and flight routing.
- Bunk Campers (Dublin or Belfast): The default for a north-to-south run starting in Dublin or for one-way Cork-to-Donegal itineraries. Widest fleet choice, best for families.
- Indie Campers (Dublin): Good for unlimited-km solo or couples touring. One-way to a European destination possible if extending the trip.
- Killarney Campervans (Kerry): The logical choice for south-to-north runs starting in Kerry — you're on the route from Day 1 rather than spending Day 1 driving from Dublin.
For a classic campervan version of this route — touring in a T2 or T3 — see the guide at our sister site retrocamper.ie.