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KEEL AND DOOAGH |
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At KEEL , there's a wonderful two-mile sandy beach , which ends at
the twin village of Dooagh. At the Keel end of the strand are the
fantastic Cathedral Rocks, eroded into a series of caves and pillars by
the wind and water. They are backed by Minaun , at 1532ft another
mountain worth climbing for the view. A turning off the road into Keel
will take you close up to the summit.
West along the strand at DOOAGH , one road leads on over the side of the
Croghaun to the golden sands and, on a good day, sparkling turquoise
waters of Keem Strand . Often deserted, it's a rewarding place to make
for, with its impressive views over Clew Bay, but if you're on a bike,
be warned: it's tough going (and the sheer drop on the seaward side is
vertigo inducing). A turning off the Keem Road will take you up to
Acorrymore Lough - surrounded by scree slopes, and now dammed to supply
water locally. It's a bleak, rather than poetic, spot and is the best
ascent of Croghaun , the island's second highest mountain and just a
whisker lower than Slievemore at 2195ft - its seaward side boasts
spectacularly high cliffs, the island's highest. This is decidedly tough
hill-walking country, so you need to be reasonably experienced even to
think of attempting it. Once at the top, however, you're rewarded with a
magnificent view of the Belmullet Peninsula and the scattered islands,
while the Croagh Patrick and the Partry Mountains rise spectacularly in
the southeast.
At Keel there's the Wayfarer hostel , which is right on the strand (IHH;
closed mid-Oct to mid-March; tel 098/43266, sorchadaly@esatclear.ie ),
though it does lack good communal facilities. The campsite (closed
Oct-May; tel 098/43211) is also on the strand. Dooagh's Achill Head
hotel (tel 098/43108; £55-70/¬69.84-88.88) has adequate rooms and a
nightclub and could make a more lively base. There is also a fine B&B in
Dooagh, the West Coast House (tel 098/43317, achwch@anu.ie ;
£33-40/¬41.90-50.79) which is signposted from the Keel Road and offers
amazing views of the bay below. The best places for eating and drinking
in this area are: the Beehive in Keel, a relaxed crafts and coffee shop,
and the culinary star of the area, and indeed the island, The Boley
House , signposted from the eastern end of the village (6-9pm; tel
098/43147), which offers modest home-cooking using super-fresh
ingredients. For traditional- music sessions try the The Mihaun Pub .
You can rent bikes at O'Malley's Island Sports in Dooagh (tel
098/43125).
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