Connemara National Park is located behind Letterfrack village and is just a few kilometers from Kylemore Abbey. There is an interpretive centre with the history of the area, tea rooms and some nice gentle walks with adequate parking. In addition there is a marked walk up Diamond Hill, with boardwalk laid over difficult boggy ground. The climb takes about 2 hours up and down and there are stunning views from the top of South West Connemara and Kylemore lake. A days venture here would usually bring you through the stunning Inagh Valley and Kylemore Abbey is well worth a visit as well as beaches at Renvyle which are nearby.
If you’re keen on walking there are plenty of excellent short and long walks in the vicinity of the village, ranging from one to eight hours. A series of illustrative maps is available locally. In addition the village is the starting point for the Western Way, which will take you along the shores of Lough Corrib to Maam, through the Maamturk Mountains and the Inagh Valley to Killary Harbour, and on to Leenane. The path is one of the long distance walking routes in Ireland, and continues on to Westport through the Erriff valley. It’s a splendid trek and you can spend many days enjoying it. Below is a photo of the walk across Omey strand near Clifden.
For the hill walker, the Connemara mountains, or the Twelve Bens as they are known, are just half an hours drive away. Here amidst some of the most breathtaking scenery in Ireland you can walk or climb to your hearts content, taking in as many peaks as you like. Mountain guidebooks suggesting the best routes and walking are readily available at Camillaun.
Recently we climbed another few Maam Turk mountains in the depth of winter – nothing better!
The famous Glencoaghan horseshoe is a very challenging climb covering 7 of the peaks in just one day.
Connemara National Park and Diamond Hill
Máméan Pilgrimage Walk
This Walk/Hike is a pilgrimage route to what may be the smallest chapel in Ireland. Its an A to B hike/walk as the accent is little more than 400m with most of that covered if you drive to the starting point shown on the map. It’s a 4.5 hour walk from the start point on the Inagh Valley side to the Village of Maam with a chapel to St. Patrick and stations of the cross located somewhere in the middle. For logistical reasons most people start at the Lough Inagh side, acend to the chapel and return back the same way as to keep going to Maam village would require transport arranged the far side. The Mamean walk features on the Pilgrimage Heritage Trails of Ireland and makes up a 17km section of the Western Way. The starting point is pretty well sign posted as “Máméan”