We love the magnificent beaches that surround us in Mayo, on Ireland's west coast. After many many years of exploring our coast as family, we've put together a special guide just for you. These are our favourite spots for enjoying nature, exploring coastal habitats, and spending time together.
1. Cross Beach - The Wildest One
Location: Cross Beach on Google Maps
A magical, windswept beach with glistening waves and views of Clare Island, Caher Island, and Inisturk. This vast and exposed beach is windswept almost year round. The beach itself is a good spot for a bracing walk, confident swimmers, surfing or sea fishing in the estuary. At the lowest tide of the year you might encounter the drowned forest. Behind the dunes you will find the sheltered machair grasses (filled with tiny, rare, and delicate wildflowers) and the large intertidal Lough Roonagh and nearby Cross Lough (surrounded by water mint, host a wealth of bird life). This is where we spend most of our time when visiting with young children. Cross beach is a life-affirming and energetic spot that will feed your soul with a wealth of raw nature.
Nature lovers go here to: Explore the Machair grasses, discover the Drowned Forest (at the lowest tide of the year), enjoy Birdwatching, sea fishing and surfing
Beach Amenities: Facilities are limited, with only a small car park and a steep, stony drop to the sandy section of the beach, making it unsuitable for buggies or wheelchairs. There are no lifeguards, public toilets, no on-beach sauna or food trucks —just raw, natural beauty.
Keep Reading: Superfolk Guide to Drowned Forests
Doolough Valley drive
Big Style Sauna
P.Dans for pints at sunset
Horseback riding
Big Style surfing lessons
2. Old Head - The Family-Friendly One
Location: Old Head on Google Maps
While the western-facing Cross Beach can be a wild and windy beach to visit, Old Head, in contrast, is a family-friendly sheltered cove. It is an east-facing beach nestled into the headland of Old Head and situated within the confines of Clew Bay. On a clear day the majestic Croagh Patrick presides over the long stretch of soft sand, crashing waves and picturesque pier. Old Head can get (relatively) busy at the height of summer but don’t let its popularity put you off. This is a great spot for nature-loving families. To the north of the pier, you'll find excellent rock pools at low tide for catching small crabs and foraging seaweed. On the headland itself you will find Old Head Woods, a scenic woodland overlooking the bay. Here you will find Atlantic oaks, birch, rowan, willow, and some beech and sycamore. This sheltered coastal forest has a humid climate and is rich with mushrooms, liverworts, hornworts, and mosses. Take note that the path leading to the woods is almost hidden, steep and not in anyway wheelchair or buggy accessible. In winter the path through the woods can be soggy and slippery, so take great care.
Nature lovers go here to: Enjoy a sauna and a jump in the fresh Atlantic waters, forage for seaweed and explore rock pools at low tide, wander through an Atlantic rainforest, or try stand-up paddleboarding or sea kayaking.
Beach Amenities: The Blue Flag beach at Old Head has public toilets, car parking, a pier and lifeguards during peak hours/season. There is sometimes a coffee truck parked here and a public sauna that can be booked. There is also a Summertime Stand Up Paddle Boarding and Kayaking School.
Keep Reading: Superfolk Guide to Seaweed Foraging
Nearby we also recommend:
Climb Croagh Patrick
Wild Atlantic Sauna
Old Head SUP
Old Head Books at One, Louisburg
Seven Wanders Cafe, Louisburgh
TIA cafe, Louisburgh
3. Mulranny - The Varied One
Location: Mulranny on Google Maps
Mulranny is a naturalist's paradise. Here you will find a wide variety of different types of coastal habitats situated along the edge of a small sheltered lagoon off Clew Bay. Depending on the weather, the tide, and your interests you can walk from the exposed blue flag storm beach to the salt marshes and onto the sheltered pier or along the estuary and onto the machair grasslands. There is also a unique pedestrian causeway, built in 1889, that links the village of Mulranny to the salt marshes, beach, and pier.
The Storm Beach: The blue flag beach at Mulranny is a storm beach. Similar to Cross Beach (above) you will notice the cobbles, pebbles, and huge boulders that have been thrown inland by strong waves. These stones are beautifully rounded and smooth from wave action. Though can cause accessibility issues when accessing this Blue Flag beach. There is a concrete path leading across the stones - though this can become covered over with loose stones just after a storm. As this suggests this is an exposed blustery beach on a windy day.
The Salt Marsh: Located behind or inland from the storm beach lies the salt marsh. The marsh has a complex and beautiful drainage pattern visible from the height of the main road above and is home to a variety of plants, including Thrift, Sea Plantain, Saltmarsh Grass, Rushes, Sedges, Sea Pimpernel, Glasswort, and Annual Seablite. In May, the marsh is carpeted with Sea Pink Flowers. Birds such as Curlew, Widgeon, Grey Plover, Godwits, Oystercatchers, Dunlins, Sandpipers, Terns, and Gulls are commonly seen here.
Rosmurrevagh Beach and Sand Dunes: This beach is a little hidden and accessed by a very bumpy sandy road that traverses the golf club. Unlike the blue flag storm beach - there are no public toilets or lifeguards at this beach. The beach is best visited at low to medium tide. Then you will find a long stretch of sandy beach overlooking Clew Bay with glistening water and tiny wildflower machair grass areas inland.
Nature lovers go here to see: Machair Grasses, Birdwatching, Salt Flats, Storm Beaches
Beach Amenities: The Blue Flag (storm beach) at Mulranny has public toilets, car parking, a pier and lifeguards during peak hours/season. There is sometimes a coffee truck parked here.
Further Reading: Superfolk Guide to the Machair Grasses
4. Keem Beach - The Magnificent One
Keem Bay is a sheltered beach nestled in a small cove with dramatic sea cliffs. The drive to the beach is a memorable experience. It's an excellent spot for snorkeling and swimming, and you can hike the steep paths to the sea cliffs. If you're lucky, you might spot basking sharks. Keem Bay is a bit “Instagram-famous” and features heavily in the film The Banshees of Inisherin. That said, the beach, and Achill Island in general, are even more beautiful in real life and is worth the visit. The is one of our favourite spots in Mayo for snorkelling - we snorkel out along the northern edge of the bay at high tide. There is also a popular (steep) walk up to the magnificent cliffs known as the Keem Bay Loop. Or you could simply plonk yourself on the soft sand and watch the clouds roll by - as Achill is great place for everhanging cloud drama (the upside of our ever changing weather) . Despite its remote location on the farthest western edge of Achill Island, it can get busy during peak times. For a quieter experience we recommend a visit in the morning, evening, or off-season.
Beach Amenities:
Parking, Public Toilets (on the road, halfway downhill on the way to the beach), a small coffee truck/tuck shop, lifeguard on duty during peak hours/season
Nature lovers go here to see: Basking Sharks, Sea Cliffs, Snorkelling
5. Rinroe Strand, Ceathru Thaidhg - the peaceful pristine one
Rinroe Strand is a a sheltered Cove in North Mayo’s Gaeltacht region. A Green Coast Award winner, the beach has pristine, clear waters and soft sand. This beach in a sheltered cove is perfect for snorkeling and swimming.The nearby scenic pier adds to its charm. At low tide explore the rocks, caves, and caverns along the north shore for an adventure. This is a beautiful, peaceful and unspoiled area - if you are lucky enough to visit - please leave no trace.
Beach Amenities: Bring your own supplies - this beach is remote and secluded. On our most recent visit there were no cafes, shops, or food trucks in the area. Temporary toilets are available during the summer months. There are no lifeguards
Nature Lovers go here to: See pristine water, soft sand, caves and cliffs
Nearby Attractions:
Portacloy Loop Walk,
Sea cliffs at Benwee Head
Ceide Fields Visitor Centre
Belmullet Tidal Pool
Other great beaches for nature lovers in Mayo:
Elly Bay and the Mullet PeninsulaClaggan Island
Dugort, Achill