20 Attractions to Explore Near Westport House

The Great Western Greenway walking and cycling trail is Irelands fastest growing and most sought-after tourism attraction. Running 44km around the Eastern and Northern stretches of Clew Bay in Co Mayo. The Great Western Greenway follows the line of the old Midlands Great Western Railway, which closed in 1937. It can be completed in either direction, although the best approach is from west to east, with the prevailing wind at your back.

The National Famine Memorial commemorates the people of Ireland who died in the Great Irish Famine and is situated in Murrisk, County Mayo. The monument was designed by Dublin artist John Behan and shows a “Coffin ship”.

Collanmore is a private and unique island in Clew Bay, only 12 minutes from Westport. It is overlooked by the majestic Croagh Patrick and is located in an area of outstanding beauty. From Collanmore there are views of Croagh Patrick and the bay. It is accessed by boat from Rosmoney pier, a few kilometres from Westport, County Mayo.

Croagh Patrick is a mountain peak steeped in history, religion and mythology. At 764m high and offering breathtaking views across Clew Bay, climbing it is also a rite of passage for hiking enthusiasts. The mountain overlooks Clew Bay and the entire western coastline and is particularly associated with Ireland's patron saint, St Patrick.

Rockfleet Castle, also known as Carrickahowley Castle, stands at the mouth of a small inlet on the northern shores of Clew Bay in County Mayo. The Castle is renowned for its links with Grace O`Malley, a pirate sea Queen who inhabited the castle in the latter part of the 16th Century. It has four floors and is over eighteen metres in height looking out towards the drumlins of Clew Bay. Though entry to the castle was once available to the public, it is now strictly prohibited for safety reasons.

A beautiful lake located in the heart of Mayo. The lake itself is home to various species of fish including Brown Trout, while Swans and Ducks are resident on the lakeshore. The Lough Lannagh grounds are also home to an array of wildlife.

This excellent, rural beach is located in Louisburgh, in County Mayo. It is sheltered by cliffs and woodland. This beach has a number of rock pools that are exposed when the tide is out. The beach is sheltered from the south and west. Its sheltered location makes it perfect for swimming.

Ballintubber Abbey is an important sacred Irish historical site which celebrated its 800th year anniversary. It is the only church in Ireland still in daily use that was founded by an Irish king. The abbey has several modern outdoor attractions, including a very modern abstract Way of the Cross, an underground permanent Crib, and a Rosary Way. It was one of the iconic attraction in this area and also attracts many tourists.

Wild Nephin National Park is located in the Owenduff/Nephin Mountains area of the Barony of Erris in northwest County Mayo, Ireland. It is one of the largest expanses of peatland in Europe, consisting of 117.79 square kilometres of Atlantic blanket bog. It is a unique habitat with a diverse flora and fauna. It was established as a national park on 1 November 1998. The area of the park is a candidate Special Area of Conservation as part of a site known as the Owenduff/Nephin Complex.

Doo Lough is a freshwater lake in the west of Ireland. It is located in southwest County Mayo on the Murrisk peninsula. The lake runs in a narrow northwest to southeast direction, and is overlooked by the long ridge of Ben Lugmore 803-metre, on its southwest shores. The northern end of Doo Lough is the site of a stone Celtic cross which was erected as a memorial to the 1849 Doolough Tragedy.

Moore Hall House was built by George Moore in 1792 and completed in 1796. It is situated to the south of the village Carnacon in the barony of Carra, County Mayo in a karst limestone landscape. The house was burned down in 1923 by anti-Treaty irregular forces during the Irish Civil War as Maurice Moore was viewed as pro-Treaty.

Ben Gorm is the most southerly peak in the compact range of hills that form the Ben Gorm group. It is a 700 m high mountain in southwest County Mayo, Ireland, on the northern shore of Killary Harbour. A good trekking destination and also there are so many things to do and it also offers nice views too.

Devilsmother is a 645-metre-high mountain in Connemara, Ireland. It was located at the head of Killary Harbour, overlooking the Western Way long-distance path. It sits on the border between County Galway and County Mayo. A good trekking destination and also there are so many other options too.

The National Museum of Ireland is Ireland’s premier cultural institution and home to the greatest collections of Irish material heritage, culture and natural history in the world. The museum exhibits the way of life of rural Irish people between 1850 and 1950, and is in the grounds of Turlough Park House. There are displays about the home, the natural environment, trades and crafts, communities, and working on the land and water.

Lough Carra is the largest marl lake, covering 1,560 hectares in Ireland and is part of the Great Western Lakes complex. It was part of the estate of the well-known Moore family of Moore Hall. It is a well-known brown trout lough, and is situated northeast of Lough Mask.

This is a rectangular glacial lake and is approximately 2.5 miles long and 0.5 miles wide. A sandy beach is nestled at the edge of the lake and it is ideal for a swim or a picnic lunch on a sunny day. The waters hold a range of fish including wild brown trout and pike. The locality has a number of walks, both for experienced hill walkers and others.

The Corraun Peninsula is a peninsula in County Mayo, on the west coast of Ireland. It extends out from the mainland towards Achill Island. It is popular for its stunning panoramas of Clew Bay, Clare Island and Achill Island. It is a place of extreme beauty, dominated by Corraun Hill. There are great views of Clew Bay and the Mullet Peninsula to the north.

Nephin Mór is a spectacular quartzite mountain standing alone overlooking Lough Conn, one of Connaught's most majestic mountains. A good hiking destinatination and also it offers spectacular views of this area.

Nephin Beg is a mountain in the Nephin Beg Range in north County Mayo, Ireland. The mountain takes its name from Nephin, although that mountain is some distance away and there are intervening mountains between them. Its highest point is 627 metres.

Mweelrea is the finest mountain in the West of Ireland and offers a great day’s hiking. It is situated near the apex of a "horseshoe-shaped" massif that includes the peaks of Ben Lugmore and Ben Bury, and which is located between Killary Harbour and Doo Lough, in Mayo, Ireland.