Westport

Westport offers different perspectives on County Mayo: explore the historic planned town, travel along the Greenway, discover art and local history, or experience Clew Bay from the water.

Explore Westport on foot and by bike

The Westport Greenway is a 2.5 km linear, traffic-free route between the historic centre of Westport and the Quay Quarter. It runs entirely away from road traffic and is designed as a walking and cycling route. The journey is estimated to take about 30 minutes. The Greenway also follows the former railway line from Westport to Achill; along the way, it offers views of Croagh Patrick and Clew Bay. This route therefore combines connections to the town with scenic views.

The Clew Bay Bike Trail offers a longer cycling trip: this combined cycling and ferry route circles Clew Bay and includes Clare Island and Achill Island. It is 105 km long in total, including 14 km by ferry and an optional 10 km loop on Clare Island. The trail passes through Westport and other coastal towns in Mayo. Its length and ferry sections make it a different kind of cycling experience from the short Greenway route. If you are planning your trip around cycling, you can consider these two options as different possibilities for your itinerary.

Planned town, history and art

During the summer season, the Clew Bay Heritage Centre offers guided tours of the historic planned town of Westport once a week. At other times, tours can be arranged by appointment. A guide also uses a scale model of Westport to introduce visitors to the town and the Clew Bay area. This approach offers a different focus from a tour of the planned town: the model serves as a starting point for discovering Westport and its wider surroundings.

Custom House Studios & Gallery is also one of Westport’s cultural attractions. The historic customs house contains seven visual art studios, a print room and two gallery spaces. The building has been carefully restored, preserving its historic architectural features. The former customs house architecture and spaces for visual art thus come together under one roof.

If you are interested in the region’s history, you can consider including the Clew Bay Archaeological Trail in your travel plans. It starts at the Clew Bay Heritage Centre, runs from Westport to near Louisburgh and continues to Clare Island, and includes 21 archaeological and historical sites. The number of stops and the route described give the trail a much wider geographical scope than a tour of the planned town.

Clew Bay from the water

Westport Cruises offers daily, 90-minute sightseeing trips to explore Clew Bay. The trips visit a lively seal colony. Westport Cruises also incorporates the story of the pirate queen Grace O’Malley into the experience of the bay. Each trip therefore focuses both on the scenery of Clew Bay and on a historical figure from the region.

Outdoor activities at Westport Estate

For an active stay, Westport Adventure is an outdoor adventure park on the grounds of Westport Estate in County Mayo. Activities include zip lines, high ropes courses, giant slides and Ireland’s largest Net Park. Westport Estate covers 430 acres. If you are looking for a holiday rental in Westport, considering whether these outdoor activities should be part of your itinerary can help you choose what to focus on alongside the town’s history, cycling trips and Clew Bay.

Discover more places

For more travel ideas, you can also find Ballycastle, Cross, Ballinrobe, Knock, The Quay, Belmullet, Aasleagh and Ross Port here.

For the broader travel overview: County Mayo.