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Map - Beaches on the Aughrus Peninsula mainland.pdf Size : 1699.485 Kb Type : pdf |
1. CLEGGAN BEACH:
Cleggan Beach is at the very head of Cleggan Bay. It is on the sea side of "Cleggan Causeway" - a narrow run of land over which the road runs, connecting Cleggan and Aughrus Peninsula to Cleggan Head (and the road continues on to Ballynakill and other destinations including, eventually, taking you to the N59 Clifden-Letterfrack-Kylemore-Leenane-Westport road, near Moyard. On the other side of the causeway is a very beautiful freshwater lake, the beginning of Ballynakill Lake.
Cleggan Beach is a stony one, and perhaps not the most attractive for swimming from, although at low tide it is sandy; and it's a safe beach, sheltered except when there's a stiff Nor'-Westerly blowing up the bay.
2. SELLERNA BEACH:
Sellerna is a large, sweeping beach very close to Cleggan, reached from a small road to the right as you leave Cleggan in the direction of the end of Peninsula - you'll find it, signposted "Tra" (meaning "Beach" or "Strand" in Irish), just by the large white "Cleggan" sign marking the edge of the village.
It's a lovely, safe, sandy beach, a great favourite with families.
Even on a relatively windy day, Sellerna beach is generally quite safe, though on every beach you should always take care.
3. TRA BHRIDE, ROSSADILISK:
From Cleggan, proceed from Cleggan towards the end of the peninsula and find the right turn to Rossadilisk about 2km from Cleggan. From Claddaghduff, take the left turn 50m from Sweeney's, over the hill, turn right at the T-Junction, and the left turn to Rossadilisk is only a couple of hundred metres along the road in a Cleggan-wards direction.
As you proceed down the narrow road to Rossadilisk, take the first turn to the right along an untarred road, and this will bring you to the very lovely Tra Bhride, on Cleggan Bay. It's a smaller beach than Sellerna, but it really is beautiful, as you will see from the photo above. Anglers sometimes fish from the rocks at each end of the beach.
4. ROSSADILISK STRAND:
Rossadilisk Strand proper is a broad, curved length of beach, stretching right around Rossadilisk Point, protected by reefs of offlying rocks. Around the point is Rossadilisk Harbour, with its pier and, except in winter, small fishing vessels including traditional currachs, moored there. When the tide is high, there's a small stretch of sand but, when the tide is out, the sea recedes quite a long way across the flat beach.
The sea is often warm here, especially at the top of a flood tide, the sea warm from flowing in over the sun-warmed sand.
It's great for swimming, as well as for taking a relaxed stroll of a summer evening. It's a romantic-feeling place, which would put you in mind of the poem (here, only slightly adapted) by Charlotte Mew:
"Tide be runnin' the whole world over!
T'was only last June month I mind that we was thinkin'
The toss and the call in the breast of the lover
So everlasting as the sea...
...Here's the same little fishes that sputter and stir
With the moon's old glim on the grey wet sand;
And her no more to me nor me to her
Than the wind goin' over me hand."
5. ANCHOR BEACH & OTHER COVES AT AUGHRUSBEG:
The "Anchor"Beach, at Aughrusbeg on the sea side of Aughrus Lake is a fine place . The banner photo at the head of each of the pages on this website is of the Anchor beach. In fact there is a series of small interconnected beaches there, all great for families to spend the day, swimming, playing or just sun-bathing.
6. TRA MHOR:
Tra Mhor (the Big Beach) is also on the sea side of Aughrus Lake. Near the small road leading to the area known locally as Gannoughs, and to Aughrus Point itself, a rough track between fences leads you to the beach.
Again, this is a grand beach for families - a bit off the beaten track so that not that many people other than locals and those who read these pages know about it. It's sandy, with rocky outcrops - great for swimming and sunbathing, and the best beach we can think of for that endlessly enjoyable task of gazing into rock pools with their great diversity of shore life. Perfect activity for children from eight to eighty.
7. OMEY STRAND:
By now you need no introduction to Omey Strand. In case you do, click here to read about Omey.
It's great for walking, swimming, sailing, surfboarding, kitesurfing, flying kites, practising your car-driving skills at low tide...just about everything!
8. FOUNTAINHILL:
Finally, Fountainhill, around the Peninsula in the direction of Streamstown Bay, but before the road turns left along Streamstown, is reached by taking one of the right turns from the road. A very beautiful beach, quite steeply sloping but generally safe otherwise, the sand is silver rather than gold, and a perfect spot for picnicking.
WELL...these are just some of the beaches and coves you can visit and explore on the Aughrus Peninsula. There are more on Omey Island, as described on other pages on this site.
They are all there just for you to enjoy - we hope you do!