Love Loop Head
Welcome to Loop Head, a slender finger of land pointing out to sea from the most westerly point of County Clare, right in the middle of the Wild Atlantic Way.
The Loop Head Peninsula epitomises what the Wild Atlantic Way is about: panoramic cliff views, abundant local seafood, your choice of activities on water and land and plenty of quiet beauty spots where you can pause and wonder at this unforgettable part of the world. It has the ocean on one side and the largest estuary in Ireland on the other.
Our fresh air, quietness and vibrant nature will give you an experience of the real Ireland. Heritage and culture seep from each bog road or bóithrín (boreen). And our people’s spirits are full of music, dance and laughter.
This is the heart of the Wild Atlantic Way. Stay with us and you’ll take home with you a piece of the real Ireland.
PICTURE
THIS
Connect and
have family fun
You’re sitting with a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean, accompanied by a cuppa and a freshly baked scone. Your kids are swimming in clear and safe seapools, enjoying some watersports or simply running around freely on the fresh sand.
You’re riding the waves in a state-of-the-art dolphinwatch boat and greeting the largest resident group of bottlenose dolphins in Europe – so close you can almost touch them, while seeing amazing views of Loop Head’s dramatic coastline nearby and above you. A pony ride awaits you though its countryside later.
You’re enjoying a lovely meal at sunset with plenty of tasty choices for you and the kids, fresh out of our land or sea.
At the end of your day, tired and happy, you’re welcomed warmly at your accomodation, to relax and recharge for your next day of fun family activities on the Loop.
Masses, baptisms, weddings and funerals took place at the Little Ark before permission to build a church was granted in 1857. The unique Little Ark has been preserved and can be seen in an annex to the existing church at Moneen
The transformation of a dilapidated Community Centre into a warm, welcoming place is testament of the community spirit that resides in West Clare
Did you know you could take an alpaca for a walk? Take a baking class? Or how about an E-Bike tour around Carrigaholt and the beautiful country lanes out to Loop Head
The Georges Head loop walk is a 1 hour (1.6km) coastal loop walk around the scenic Georges Head
The castle at Carrigaholt has always been a beautiful landmark, from out in the estuary, to when you drive into Carrigaholt from Kilkee and the view of the estuary opens up before you.
Enjoy spectacular coastal scenery while learning about various historical and geological features along the way. Or take a boat trip from Carrigaholt to see a large number of resident bottlenose dolphins. the choices are endless.
Kilkee has many wonderful places to stay. From family friendly hotels, boutique guest houses or staying with a local family in one of the many B&B’s, you won’t be disappointed with all the seaside town of Kilkee has to offer.
The village of Carrigaholt has an attractive centre, with distinctive streetscapes and quaint local character, and several pubs and restaurants.
The Pollock Holes are lovely, clear sea pools uncovered when the tide is out. So you need to time your visit and check the tide times. While the Atlantic waves may beat on the rocks a hundred yards beyond you, the pools themselves are usually calm and protected. They do take a bit of effort […]
EXPERIENCE
IRELAND
Enjoy your
perfect holiday
You arrive at Shannon Airport, our taxi brings you straight to your quaint hotel on the shores of the Atlantic, with that genuine old world charm.
You awake ready to meet the day, when we will gladly guide you around our breathtaking scenes, our intriguing history and our welcoming community.
You may visit our galleries, home of some of Ireland’s best contemporary art, and dine in one of our award-winning restaurants, where fresh local produce are turned for you into culinary delights.
And at the end of it all, you’ll feel your worries melt away with a calming yoga session or refreshing, regenerative seaweed bath.
The people of Loop Head have been blessed when it comes to providing food for their families. With the aim of offering the best possible experience of the food of Loop Head to both visitors and locals alike.
The Georges Head loop walk is a 1 hour (1.6km) coastal loop walk around the scenic Georges Head
The castle at Carrigaholt has always been a beautiful landmark, from out in the estuary, to when you drive into Carrigaholt from Kilkee and the view of the estuary opens up before you.
County Clare in Ireland, with its wildlife, history, geology, heritage, and scenery, fits The Global Ecotourism Network description of a travel destination.
Cycling Loop Head is one of the most popular activities for friends and families. Cyclists keen to experience Loop Head on two wheels will be relieved to learn that the peninsula has a very gently undulating topography, with almost no daunting hills. The Loop Head Cycleway is a 65km circuit along the coast roads starting […]
Sea angling with an experienced skipper on a custom-built fishing boat is the safest and most rewarding way to fishing around Loop Head.
Kilkee has many wonderful places to stay. From family friendly hotels, boutique guest houses or staying with a local family in one of the many B&B’s, you won’t be disappointed with all the seaside town of Kilkee has to offer.
The village of Carrigaholt has an attractive centre, with distinctive streetscapes and quaint local character, and several pubs and restaurants.
Masses, baptisms, weddings and funerals took place at the Little Ark before permission to build a church was granted in 1857. The unique Little Ark has been preserved and can be seen in an annex to the existing church at Moneen
CAN YOU
FEEL IT?
Be wild
and free
The spray under your feet, the salt in your hair, crisp clean air, and the wild Atlantic waves north, south and west!
You’re at the very edge of it all, here. You explore the cliffs, beaches, caves and crannies, by kayak, by boat, by board, by e-bike, horseback or by foot.
Your muscles are aching, but you’re not done discovering yet! You’ve got a night full of truly fresh, local seafood. Then there’s live music, new friends, and a tranquil sleep in a cosy bell tent in among native woodland, an authentic farmhouse b&b or a comfortable charming boutique hotel on the seaside.
This circular walk begins at the Diamond Rocks Café at the West End of the town of Kilkee and follows a cliff path along the outstanding coastline.
If the forecast is for rain or showers and you’re not sure whether to go out or stay at home, then go. Nature herself may reward you!
Kilkee has many wonderful places to stay. From family friendly hotels, boutique guest houses or staying with a local family in one of the many B&B’s, you won’t be disappointed with all the seaside town of Kilkee has to offer.
Visit the Bridges of Ross and enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Wild Atlantic Way
Kilbaha, the very last village on the Loop Head peninsula, is tucked into a small, sheltered bay at the western edge of the Shannon Estuary.
You can look forward to a drive along the Kilkee Cliffs and a lunch or dinner stop for a delicious fish chowder and homemade bread in Carrigaholt or Kilbaha.
Take a guided tour up the tower and go out onto the balcony, from where, weather permitting, you can see south as far as the Blasket Islands and north to the Twelve Pins in Connemara, along the Wild Atlantic Way.
NOURISH
YOUR SENSES
Experience
Nature and Wellness
You are ready to leave the ‘noise’ behind in cities and dive deep within nature and yourself – on your own or with friends.
Walk our trails and get sidetracked, make a discovery, watch a dramatic storm-powered coastline, jump in for a swim in a natural rock pool, walk warmly in the rain, have a rest on a lush bed of grass, have a seaweed bath, star gaze, do yoga, and breathe in the clean, salty sea air. Be.
You might chat with a local, learn a new skill, eat some home made cake, have an old style cuppa, kiss an alpaca 😊, indulge in a little retail therapy at an artisan food store or an art gallery, have some of the best and freshest local produce and a locally made ice cream, and drop in for a pub session.
The waves, the wind, the birds, the rain, the laughter of the locals and sometimes plain-old silence, they all play to your heart’s rhythm. Visit us to experience true and complete wellness.
If the forecast is for rain or showers and you’re not sure whether to go out or stay at home, then go. Nature herself may reward you!
A ramble around Loop Head takes in wildlife, history, geology, heritage, scenery and of course the obligatory stops to chat with the locals and enjoy a meal or a coffee. You can please yourself: either wander wherever the road and the mood take you, or try a guided walk led by a knowledgeable local chaperone. […]
With its many health benefits and curative properties, fresh coastal air refreshes your respiratory organs, revitalises your senses, and invigorates your mind & body.
The Loop Head Peninsula in southwest County Clare is where the River Shannon flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Dramatic cliff-scapes, stony coves, sand beaches and estuarine mudflats, provide an irresistible invitation to the independent traveller who is keen to enjoy naturally formed architecture, oceanic skies and places less travelled.
Join us in Loop Head this weekend for our annual wellness weekend. A time to relax, exercise, nourish your body with amazing healthy foods and a simply to get back to nature.
A seashell is a hard, protective outer layer usually created by an animal that lives in the sea. How many different ones can you find?
Sightings of the Shannon Dolphins from the cliff tops of Loop Head are a wonder of nature.
Bishop’s Island is an example of a sea stack, which is a geological landform consisting of a steep, often vertical column of rock in the sea near the coast.
The Atlantic Ocean has long been associated with providing benefits to our health and wellbeing People have been visiting Loop Head for therapeutic purposes which date back at least as far as the early 19th century. Apart from the restorative effects of just being on the peninsula – breathing the ozone-rich air, soaking in the […]
Nature watching can bring a real sense of ease and can create much needed clarity. There are many ways for you to discover this sense of Suaimhneas on the Loop.
