Page 196 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Ireland

194 BACK ROADS IRELAND

1 Westport
Co Mayo
Set on the shores of Clew Bay, Westport is one of the prettiest and
most congenial towns in Ireland, with an understated Georgian
elegance. The English satirist William Thackeray, visiting in 1842,
wrote in his book Irish Sketch Book: “Nature has done much for the
pretty little town of Westport; and after Nature, the traveller ought to
be thankful to Lord Sligo, who has done a great deal too.” This is a fair
appraisal. Sligo commissioned planners and the English architect
James Wyatt to design his mansion, its grounds and the town
bordering his estate in the 1770s.
A two-hour walking tour the church onto New Road to the
Westport is one of a handful of Linen Mill 3, which sells homeware
planned towns in Ireland, its carefully made in the adjoining 1960s
arranged streets forming a neat weaving factory. Trace your steps
square. From the Mall, walk down back to the turn for the North Mall
James Street to the Octagon 1 for and head down it, taking in the
the start of the walk. The town’s Anglican church. Cross back over the
Above Westport House, the home of Lord oldest buildings are arranged around bridge and walk up Bridge Street, the
Sligo, who planned the town of Westport this striking octagonal main square. town’s other main thoroughfare, with
In the middle, perched several good restaurants.
on a lofty plinth, is a Halfway up the street is
statue of St Patrick, Matt Molloy’s 4, owned
under whose benign by the Chieftains’ flautist,
gaze the town sits. Matt Molloy, and the
From the Octagon, best place for a
walk back down James traditional Irish music
VISITING WESTPORT Street towards the Mall. session. Westport’s
Look out on the right music scene really
Parking for the Sea Sky Shore comes alive every year
All parking in Westport is metered. You Gallery 2, featuring during its 10-day Arts
can park in most streets for free for up
to 1 hour. The best place to park is on local artists’ work. Beer barrels stacked Festival (late Sep/early
the Mall at the end of James Street. The Mall, a popular up outside a pub Oct; www.westportarts
Tourist Information promenade, flanks the festival.com). Walk back
Bridge St, Westport. Co Mayo; 098 Carrowbeg River, its two sides, South down Bridge Street, to South Mall
25711; www.discoverireland.ie/west Mall and North Mall, linked by a and the car park.
series of bridges – Wyatt changed To get to the town’s main attraction,
KAYAKING the course of the river in order to Georgian Westport House and
accommodate his grand designs for Gardens, drive down James Street to
Ireland West Sea Kayaking the town. Cross the river at James the Octagon, forking right up Quay
Explore the islands of Clew Bay by Street and take the second left by Hill, off Peter Street, for 2 km (1 mile).
kayak. Small excursions set out from
Westport regularly in summer.
086 173 3610; 0 metres 150 Linen Mill
www.irelandwestseakayaking.com
0 yards 150
WHERE TO STAY IN WESTPORT Carrowbeg CASTLEBAR ST
Clew Bay Hotel inexpensive J A M E S S T R E E T S O U T H M A L L River
N O R T H M A L L
Family-run hotel on James Street. Sea Sky Shore
Well-appointed rooms and helpful Gallery
staff. Guests have free access to the
leisure centre next door. Matt Molloy’s
James St; 098 28088; B R I D G E S T R E E T
www.clewbayhotel.com Octagon
Wyatt Hotel inexpensive
Small, stylish hotel with an unbeatable PE TER ST
location on the Octagon. Q U AY S T R E E T S H O P S T R E E T
Octagon; 098 25027; Westport House M I L L S T R E E T
www.wyatthotel.com and Gardens
Where to Stay: inexpensive, under €100; moderate, €100–€200; expensive, over €200

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