Things To Do
Murrisk Apartments are a superb base for a holiday with a wealth of activities and things to do within easy reach. In the immediate vicinity are the haunting National Famine Memorial, the beautiful ruins of Murrisk Abbey in its tranquil waterside location, the starting point for ascending Croagh Patrick, horse riding at Croagh Patrick Stables and swimming or walking on Bertra Blue Flag beach.
Westport
Westport town, bursting with character and charisma is 8km away. It’s full of cafés, award-winning restaurants, bars, craft shops, boutiques and other intriguing shops. Historic Westport House is a hugely popular family day out at its Pirate Adventure Park and the grounds are beautiful to walk in at any time of year. The 2.5km old railway line links the town and The Quay and is a lovely walk, safe for children with street lighting. Clew Bay Heritage Centre at The Quay offers a fascinating glimpse into the history and heritage of the area. Westport also has excellent grocery shopping and wonderful butchers to make self-catering simple. Some shops still close on Wednesdays, the traditional market day. Thursday morning sees Westport Country Market open its doors in the Old Railway Hotel along the Mall River. Westport is the starting point for the Great Western Greenway cycling trail and bike hire is readily available. Some operators will drop you to Achill and let you enjoy the glorious cycle home in your own time. Along the way Mulranny and Newport offer welcome refreshment for body and soul. Westport has many other activities – a cruise on the bay, sea angling or water sports.
Walking
Croagh Patrick is a deceptively tough climb and good footwear is essential, although the panoramic view from the top on a clear day is truly spectacular taking in all of Clew Bay and its islands. Many hikers take the shorter options, going to ‘the shoulder’ or even just as far as the statue of St. Patrick overlooking Clew Bay.A wealth of other walks and hikes are within easy driving distance. These include other Mayo peaks, Mweelrea and Nephin as well as Wild Nephin Ballycroy National Park, The Bangor Trail and Achill Island. Connemara is less than an hour away with easier climbs like Diamond Hill in Connemara National Park and the tougher challenges of the Twelve Bens (Pins).
Louisburgh
Louisburgh is another lovely town with excellent cafes. Nearby are a string of glorious sandy beaches. Carrowmore is the closest to Louisburgh and slightly further out, Carrowniskey is well known to surfers and bodyboarders for its consistent waves. Board and equipment rental are available at the beach.
Between Murrisk and Louisburgh is the delightful sandy beach at Old Head popular for swimming and SUPping (stand up paddleboarding). SUPs are available for hire at the beach.
Killary Drive
The drive from Louisburgh along the Doolough Valley to Leenane and Killary Fjord and on to Kylemore Abbey is one of the most scenic in the country. It has exceptional views all along the route.
