Sky Road

The Sky Road runs a loop of about sixteen kilometres west from Clifden around the Kingstown peninsula and back, splitting into an upper and a lower road. The upper is the one to take: it climbs to roughly 150 metres with the land dropping away to Clifden Bay on one side, and a viewpoint with a car park near the high point looks out over the bay, the islands, Inishturk and Turbot, and the Twelve Bens inland. On the way out are the ruins of Clifden Castle, the 1818 house of John D'Arcy who founded the town, standing roofless in a field on private land with informal access. The lower road runs closer to the water past small harbours. The whole loop takes under an hour without stopping and two with. It is narrow with passing places, exposed, and completely dependent on visibility - in cloud there is nothing to see at all.

History

The town of Clifden, from which the road runs, was founded at the start of the 19th century by John D'Arcy, who lived in Clifden Castle, built around 1818 and now a ruin; he had inherited the estate in 1804, when it was mostly home to fishermen and farmers (Wikipedia, Clifden).

Highlights

• The clifftop viewpoint - about 150 metres above Clifden Bay with a car park.
• Clifden Castle - the roofless 1818 D'Arcy house on the way out.
• The islands - Inishturk, Turbot and the bay from the high road.
• The Twelve Bens - the range inland on the return.

When to go

April to October. Late afternoon and evening light over the Atlantic is the reason to time it. In cloud or rain the drive shows nothing - check visibility before going.

What to expect

Narrow with passing places and limited parking at the viewpoint, which fills on fine evenings. Clifden Castle is on private land with informal access and unstable masonry. Nothing to see in poor visibility.

Nearby

Clifden is at both ends; Derrigimlagh bog and Roundstone are south.

Key facts