Randal’s guidebook
Outdoor Activites
Ashford Outdoors offers a host of fun activities like horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, zip-lining, and canoeing. All set in and around the beautiful grounds of Ashford Castle.
8 locals recommend
Ashford Outdoors
Ashford Outdoors offers a host of fun activities like horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, zip-lining, and canoeing. All set in and around the beautiful grounds of Ashford Castle.
Petersburg offers a selection of outdoor activities. Top tip, try the caving if it is available, best-kept secret.
14 locals recommend
Petersburg Outdoor Education Centre
Petersburg offers a selection of outdoor activities. Top tip, try the caving if it is available, best-kept secret.
Surf Mayo
Great on beach facility, offering surfboard and wetsuit rental.
Scubadive West
Try some scuba diving in a stunning location.
Just under an hour's drive from Cong, the Summer Sup School offers paddleboarding lessons and rentals. Located at the very popular Old Head beach, would strongly recommend booking by phone/web to avoid disapointment See their website for details. www.summersup.ie
6 locals recommend
Summer Sup School
Oldhead CloseJust under an hour's drive from Cong, the Summer Sup School offers paddleboarding lessons and rentals. Located at the very popular Old Head beach, would strongly recommend booking by phone/web to avoid disapointment See their website for details. www.summersup.ie
Picnic & hill walk
About one-hour scenic drive from the Village of Cong. The National Park offers a great place for a picnic and has a number of different walks catering to all abilities. Stunning views from the top of Dimond Hill. Bring suitable clothing and footwear.
300 locals recommend
Connemara National Park
About one-hour scenic drive from the Village of Cong. The National Park offers a great place for a picnic and has a number of different walks catering to all abilities. Stunning views from the top of Dimond Hill. Bring suitable clothing and footwear.
This famous pilgrimage offers stunning views of Clew Bay. Depending on fitness the walk to the summit and back takes 3 to 5 hours. Make sure you are wearing sensible walking shoes.
132 locals recommend
Croagh Patrick
This famous pilgrimage offers stunning views of Clew Bay. Depending on fitness the walk to the summit and back takes 3 to 5 hours. Make sure you are wearing sensible walking shoes.
City/town information
This multiple winner of the Tidy Towns Award, a great offering of places to eat and drink.
141 locals recommend
Westport
This multiple winner of the Tidy Towns Award, a great offering of places to eat and drink.
The beautiful seaside town of Roundstone sits right beside two of Connemara's best beaches, Gurteen Bay and Dogs Bay.
58 locals recommend
Roundstone
The beautiful seaside town of Roundstone sits right beside two of Connemara's best beaches, Gurteen Bay and Dogs Bay.
Sightseeing
Kylemore Abbey (Irish: Mainistir na Coille Móire) is a Benedictine monastery founded in 1920 on the grounds of Kylemore Castle, in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The abbey was founded for Benedictine Nuns who fled Belgium in World War I
15 locals recommend
Kylemore (Abbey Entrance) station
Kylemore Abbey (Irish: Mainistir na Coille Móire) is a Benedictine monastery founded in 1920 on the grounds of Kylemore Castle, in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The abbey was founded for Benedictine Nuns who fled Belgium in World War I
Cong is a small village in south Mayo famous for its 12th century abbey, the lavish gold and silver processional Cross of Cong from 1123, the magnificent Ashford Castle, the village’s links with Oscar Wilde and, most popularly, its association with the John Wayne classic movie, The Quiet Man.
58 locals recommend
Cong
Cong is a small village in south Mayo famous for its 12th century abbey, the lavish gold and silver processional Cross of Cong from 1123, the magnificent Ashford Castle, the village’s links with Oscar Wilde and, most popularly, its association with the John Wayne classic movie, The Quiet Man.
Beach
This is a little gem of a beach. It a bit of a drive but beautiful. Get here early because of the small car park. If the tide is out see if you can find the natural swimming pool at the very west end, at the island.
19 locals recommend
Glassilaun Beach
This is a little gem of a beach. It a bit of a drive but beautiful. Get here early because of the small car park. If the tide is out see if you can find the natural swimming pool at the very west end, at the island.
Popular surf beach, surfboard, and wetsuit rental are normally available. Contact Elvis at Surf Mayo for information. Nice beach but at high tide most to all of the sand can be covered.
8 locals recommend
Carrownisky Beach
Popular surf beach, surfboard, and wetsuit rental are normally available. Contact Elvis at Surf Mayo for information. Nice beach but at high tide most to all of the sand can be covered.
This beach is hard to beat. Located on the north side of the mouth of Killary Harbour. It's about 90 minutes drive from Cong, but on a sunny day is well worth it. The car park at Silver Strand can become full during the summer, if so try White Strand just 10 back up the road which quite often gets overlooked (there is a small river to cross to get onto the beach at White strand but is very shallow by the car park).
17 locals recommend
Silver Strand
This beach is hard to beat. Located on the north side of the mouth of Killary Harbour. It's about 90 minutes drive from Cong, but on a sunny day is well worth it. The car park at Silver Strand can become full during the summer, if so try White Strand just 10 back up the road which quite often gets overlooked (there is a small river to cross to get onto the beach at White strand but is very shallow by the car park).