Explore the best place to go wild in Ireland during the Erris Beo Festival, which takes place from Thursday, 16 June to Sunday, 19 June. Now in its sixth year, this annual festival celebrates the beauty of this corner of the Wild Atlantic Way through activities and adventures in the great outdoors.
This year’s festival includes activities for all ages, allowing you to enjoy the stunning scenery of this vast landscape and seascape. Discover the deserted Inis Gé (Iniskea ) islands, or visit Achill Island, by embarking on a boat at Blacksod Lighthouse. Hear the unique ‘crex-crex’ call of the corncrake on a midnight tour on the Mullet Peninsula. Play a round of golf on the world-class Carne Golf Links course. Enjoy guided walks on one of the many scenic walks including the Belmullet Heritage Trail, the Erris Head Loop, the Cross Loop, the new Bellacorick Bog Loop, and one of the Ceathrú Thaidhg Loops. Forage for food on the seashore at Rossport. Make a splash in Elly Bay and try your hand at kayaking or surfing. Enjoy a scenic cycle from Belmullet to Scotchport. Run 10km through the Gaeltacht villages of Fál Mór, An Fód Dubh and Eachléim. These are just some of the events taking place in this corner of Mayo. Whether you choose to go wild in the water or on the land, there’s something in Erris for everyone.
The Erris location is one of the most westerly points in Europe (next stop New York ), which means that the Belmullet region is a stunningly unspoilt and unique destination. At the four corners of the Erris area, you’ll find: the Neolithic Céide Fields (older than the pyramids ), the vast landscape of Ballycroy National Park, the towering cliffs of Benwee Head (higher than the cliffs of Moher ), and the deserted islands of Inis Gé and Inis Gluaire (where the Children of Lir are said to be buried ).
The Erris region is often named as one of Ireland’s hidden gems and visitors have been richly rewarded upon making the journey to this “glorious, wild, uniformly unspoilt and stunning” area, as described by Rosita Boland of The Irish Times. Rina Garrett, Tourism Development Manager with Erris Beo, says, “Erris is a location that is off the beaten path, and that is why our area is so special. You can’t pass through it. You have to get in your car and drive until the road runs out. And what an exhilarating journey it is – the Erris region encompasses such a range of different landscapes and seascapes, with rivers and lakes, and bogs and cliffs, it is hard to believe that it is only one corner of Mayo, and not an entire county in itself. The Erris Beo Festival shows off our natural beauty and encourages everyone to go wild for at least one weekend this summer.”
Find out more about the best place in Ireland to go wild on www.errisbeo.ie
