CALL OF THE WILD

Spectacular sea stacks, leaping marine life and engineering masterpieces Wild Atlantic Way

- Jo Saunders

I never thought I'd be craving a stretch of boring, straight road with nothing to look at. But that's what the Wild Atlantic Way does to you. The scenery's so intensely spectacular you can find yourself reaching saturation point. Three weeks of virtually unbroken sunshine help, maximising opportunities to swim in admittedly chilly - turquoise waters on exquisite beaches. And whatever the weather, the views are captivating.

We had fallen in love with the soft vistas of the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula - emerald slopes, whitewashed cottages, sapphire seas, endless peninsulas, mountains and islands floating on sea mist. It's no wonder these postcard views draw the crowds. But we had also set our sights on some quieter corners that promise a more authentic experience away from the tourist buzz. Here's what we found.

Across the water

Pretty Kinsale, County Cork, the official start of the Wild Atlantic Way, was jam-packed. Unable to park our Rapido motorhome, our first stop was Drombeg Stone Circle, one of the most significant of its kind in Ireland. Dating back to the late Bronze Age, it was the burial place of a young man. It's hauntingly beautiful - a place of quiet contemplation with stunning views down to the coast.

Skibbereen provided a base to begin exploring the southwest Cork peninsulas. A day trip out to Fastnet Rock Lighthouse piqued our interest. We caught a bus to Baltimore Harbour and set out by boat, threading between sparsely populated Heir and Sherkin islands en route to (Ireland's most southerly inhabited) Cape Clear Island. There was time to walk the hills and enjoy a Guinness by the harbour before rejoining the cruise.