scenic viewpoint
Croagh Patrick
Ireland's holiest mountain at 764 metres, where St Patrick is said to have fasted for 40 days, with sweeping views over Clew Bay.
26 km · about 30 min drive
EuropeIrelandConnacht
Castlebar
Connacht, Ireland · Europe
About Castlebar
Castlebar is worth a stop: 30 minutes from Westport, 41km from Killary Harbour.
Castlebar is in Connacht, Ireland, with about 13,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Westport, about 15 km away.
Castlebar (Irish: Caisleán an Bharraigh, meaning 'Barry's Castle') is the county town of County Mayo, Ireland. Developing around a 13th-century castle of the de Barry family, from which the town got its name, Castlebar is now a social and economic focal point for the surrounding hinterland. With a population of 13,054Read more
in the 2022 census (up from 7,648 in the 1991 census), Castlebar was one of Ireland's fastest-growing towns in the early 21st century.
A campus of Atlantic Technological University and the Country Life section of the National Museum are two important facilities in the area. The town is linked by railway to Dublin, Westport and Ballina. The main route by road is the N5.
Where to Stay in Castlebar
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Castlebar?
Within an hour or so of Castlebar: Croagh Patrick (26 km), Aasleagh Falls (35 km), Doolough Valley (38 km), Killary Harbour (41 km).
Are there any good drives near Castlebar?
The nearest famous roads are Achill Atlantic Drive, Sky Road and Wild Atlantic Way.
Where is Castlebar?
Castlebar is in Connacht, Ireland, about 15 km from Westport.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 12,874
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Ireland
- Region
- Connacht
- Timezone
- Europe/Dublin
- Coordinates
- 53.8500, -9.3000
Tags
Worth the detour from Castlebar
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
waterfall
Aasleagh Falls
A broad low waterfall on the Erriff River near the head of Killary Harbour, a short walk from a roadside car park.
35 km · about 40 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Doolough Valley
Brooding mountain pass on the R335 between Louisburgh and Delphi where dark Doo Lough fills the valley floor between Mweelrea and the Sheeffry Hills. A stone cross remembers the 1849 Famine death march along this road.
38 km · about 45 min drive
natural wonder
Killary Harbour
Ireland's only true fjord, a 16km glacial inlet flanked by mountains on the Galway-Mayo border.
41 km · about 45 min drive
coastal drive
Achill Atlantic Drive
A cliff-hugging loop road on the south of Achill Island past Ashleam Bay, with steep gradients and sudden sea views.
42 km · about 50 min drive
beach
Silver Strand, Mayo
A steep-sided sandy cove west of Louisburgh reached by a long flight of steps, facing straight into the Atlantic.
44 km · about 50 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Ashleam Bay Viewpoint
A pull-in above a deep hairpin on the Achill Atlantic Drive, looking down into a curved bay far below.
46 km · about 55 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Lough Inagh Valley
A glacial valley on the R344 in Connemara with a long lake wedged between the Twelve Bens and the Maumturks.
47 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Castlebar
- 26 kmCroagh PatrickIreland's holiest mountain at 764 metres, where St Patrick is said to have fasted for 40 days, with sweeping views over Clew Bay.
- 38 kmDoolough ValleyBrooding mountain pass on the R335 between Louisburgh and Delphi where dark Doo Lough fills the valley floor between Mweelrea and the Sheeffry Hills. A stone cross remembers the 1849 Famine death march along this road.
- 42 kmAchill Atlantic DriveA cliff-hugging loop road on the south of Achill Island past Ashleam Bay, with steep gradients and sudden sea views.
- 46 kmAshleam Bay ViewpointA pull-in above a deep hairpin on the Achill Atlantic Drive, looking down into a curved bay far below.
- 47 kmLough Inagh ValleyA glacial valley on the R344 in Connemara with a long lake wedged between the Twelve Bens and the Maumturks.
- 48 kmMinaun CliffsA high viewpoint above Keel on Achill, reached by a rough road, looking down over Keel Strand and the Atlantic.
Driving in Ireland
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.78/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€2.10/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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