Sky Road Clifden: The Loop Drive, Viewing Points & What to Know

Essential Sky Road Clifden directions

Where does the Sky Road start?

The Sky Road starts and ends in Clifden, Connemara’s capital. It splits into Lower and Upper Sky Road routes, with the Upper route leading to a viewpoint car park at its summit.

To initiate your journey along the Sky Road, begin in the heart of Clifden town. Simply follow the signs for the Sky Road or head west from the central Market Square.

As you leave the town behind, you’ll soon encounter a junction where you can choose between the Lower and Upper Sky Road.

Opting for the Upper Sky Road will take you up a gradual incline to the highest point, where you’ll find a car park designed for taking in the expansive views.

Detailed Sky Road directions

1. Start at Clifden: Head upwards through the town towards Sky Road.
2. John D’Arcy Monument: 1km up the hill from Clifden, pull in when you see the sign and follow the trail on foot for about 15 minutes to reach the monument.
3. Clifden Castle: Further along Sky Road, look for a wide opening on your left and a small car park. Park and follow the narrow farm road on foot.
4. Route Divergence: As you drive upwards, you’ll reach a fork in the road. Choose the Upper Sky Road for panoramic views.
5. The Old Coast Guard Station: A few hundred metres along the Upper Sky Road, look to your left to find this historic building.
6. Sky Road Viewpoint: Stop here for iconic views and photographs. A car park and picnic benches are available.
7. (Optional) Eyrephort Beach: Take a diversion if you wish to extend your route and visit this secluded beach.
8. Heading Back to Clifden: Continue following the road alongside Streamstown Bay. Cross an old stone bridge and proceed until you link up with the N59, which leads back to Clifden.

Sky Road Clifden map

Included below is a Sky Road map. This includes the route to follow, as well as the main points along the way (you’ll note that the majority of these are on the first half of the drive). 

Driving the Sky Road Clifden – where to stop and what to take in 

There are a couple of stops along the Clifden Sky Road loop to take in along the way. Here is a short summary, before I go into each stop in detail further below.

Stops along the Sky Road:

• John D’Arcy Monument: Overlooks Connemara and Clifden.
• Clifden Castle: Derelict castle with a haunting story offering scenic views.
• Upper vs Lower Route: Point where the road splits; upper route recommended.
• Old Coast Guard Station: Historic site now used for vacation rentals.
• Sky Road Viewpoint: Best spot for panoramic views. A signature spot along the Wild Atlantic Way.
• (Optional) Eyrephort Beach: Secluded beach off the main route.

1 John D’Arcy Monument

The town of Clifden is a relatively new one in Irish history terms, founded in the 19th century by a man named John D’Arcy. Following D’Arcy’s death in 1839, the monument was erected in his memory in the 1840’s at the  peak of the hill that overlooks the western end of town. It is reached from the Sky Road. 

While the monument itself isn’t going to bowl you over, there are expansive views of the Connemara landscape, including mountains, bogs, coastal views and views of Clifden town itself.

More-so than the monument itself, what brings most people up Monument Hill are those spectacular views and it’s one of the best spots to snap photographs of the town of Clifden from. 

A little over 1km up the hill from the town, you’ll see a sign that points you in direction of Monument Hill. Pull in your car and follow the route on foot, following the trail for about 15 minutes in order to reach the monument. 

2 Clifden Castle

Clifden Castle is located a little further along the Sky Road, just as the road begins to gain some real height above the coastline below. This castle in Clifden is well worth a visit, having played its own role in the history of Clifden as the former home of John D’Arcy, Clifden’s founder. 

This castle near Clifden, built as the D’Arcy family home, looks older that it actually is having been built in a gothic revival style that was popular around the time of its construction in 1818.

You could probably call it a castellated mansion as opposed to an actual castle, but its derelict state lends perfectly to its image as the latter. 

Who owns Clifden Castle?

The lands that the castle are built on were amongst the first to be drained and reclaimed by D’Arcy and following D’Arcy’s death, they have passed through a number of hands, not without a fair share of drama.

The D’Arcy estate was bankrupted by the Great Famine in the 1840’s and was sold in 1850 to a pair of brothers, Thomas and Charles Eyre, who were from Bath in England and were very much absentee landlords.

They used the property only as a holiday home and at the turn of the 20th century. A local butcher subsequently purchased the land to great consternation from locals, including the clergy, who essentially started a smear campaign against him. 

The butcher was eventually convinced to sell on the lands (having had his cattle driven off the lands on numerous occasions) and they were purchased in trust by a locally formed ‘Clifden Cooperative’.

They divided the land amongst the tenants, who finally, in 1935, had the land transferred to them officially by the Land Commission.

At this point, the roof, windows, timber and lead were stripped away to be used or sold elsewhere and the roofless Clifden Castle fell into dereliction. 

How do you get to Clifden Castle?

A little further on from the Monument Hill sign, you’ll see a wide opening on your left that includes a left turn down another road and a small car park. You’ll then notice the grand, arched gateway that leads down to the castle.

Park your car and take to the narrow farm road on foot, which leads you through sheep-filled fields until Clifden Bay opens out expansively in front of you and you’re left with breath-taking views of the coastline and its rugged beauty, along with Errislannan Lighthouse.

It’s at that point, too, that you’ll spot Clifden Castle. The walk takes around 10-15 minutes and the visit to Clifden Castle is well worth the diversion. 

3 The Sky Road diverges – choosing between the upper route and lower route

Once you’ve finished at Clifden Castle, you’ll hit the road again, upwards towards the summit of the hill. The road view will start to open up, offering generous views of the coastline and that distinct, aquamarine, Connemara blue of the sea below. 

You’ll reach a point where the route diverges and you’ll have a chance to take the Upper Sky Road, or the Lower Sky Road.

Don’t think twice about it – the upper road is the one you want to take as this is what leads to the panoramic views that the Sky Road is famous for. You can always come back and explore the lower road at a later point, or there will be a chance to link on to it further along the the upper road. 

At the fork in the road, if you look back to your left you will see an alternative view of Clifden Castle, so you may want to pull in here if it’s safe to do so and get some snaps of the castle from this different vantage point.

4 The Old Coast Guard Station

A few hundred metres along the Upper Sky Road (and you’ll drive right by it if you take the lower route), if you look to your left you’ll see what is the Old Coast Guard Station.

When I first saw this from Clifden Castle when I visited, I mistook this large, stone building as a former workhouse, or something along those lines. It did, however, serve as a coastguard station, having started its life under the British “HM Coastguard” umbrella, and was in use from 1875 until 1921.

After the War of Independence concluded in 1921, the station, now vacant and in Irish hands, was taken over by the troops of the new Free State. It was attacked and burned by the Republican side on the night of October 29th, 1922, when Clifden was attacked and the building subsequently fell into dereliction.

In the mid 1990’s, the building found a new lease of life and purpose, and was redeveloped into vacation rentals which are still in operation today.

5 The Sky Road viewpoint

The next stop along the Sky Road loop is the one that brings most visitors to travel along the route – the Sky Road Viewpoint. Complete with one of the signature Wild Atlantic Way signs, here is the best spot to get some fantastic photos from.

You’ll have a far-reaching view of the nearby offshore islands of Inishturk and Turbot Island, some of the beaches near Clifden, as well as the Connemara countryside and the blue-y depths of the ocean itself.

There is a carpark here with ample space, along with some picnic benches, making it a perfect spot to linger for a while and pause for a bite to eat, if you’ve the presence of mind to bring some along with you!

6 (Optional) Eyrephort beach

After you continue from the Sky Road viewpoint, you’ll have an option to take a diversion, extending your route to include the lovely Eyrephort beach.

This quiet beach is a little off the beaten track, providing a welcome seaside reprieve with white sands and rounded stones, along with the turquoise waters of the Atlantic sea that engulfs the Connemara coast. 

7 Heading back towards Clifden

After that point really, you’ll have seen the majority of things to see along the Sky Road drive. The road continues to track a route along Streamstown Bay.

While picturesque, as you lose elevation you’ll also the extra wow-factor given by the perspective you’ll have gotten from the road being so high above the sea below. 

For the section of the road that you’re right along the water’s edge of Streamstown Bay, you’ll cross over a lovely old stone bridge, before the road eventually links up with the N59, which is the main road to Clifden.

Alternative route: Sky Road cycle loop & diversion to Eyrephort Beach

If you’re going to cycle the Sky Road (or fancy an alternative driving route that bypasses the part of road with tracks Streamstown Bay), then there is a 25km version of the route that you can take. 

You’ll start and end in Clifden town, taking first the Upper Sky Road, before continuing on to Eyrephort Beach. You’ll then retrace the route back the way you came, until you reach the turn off for the Lower Sky Road (which will be a right turn). When the roads merge again, keep going until you reach Clifden Castle.

At that point, take the road to your right instead of continuing straight onwards towards Clifden. This road will take you towards Clifden Boat Club and you’ll join the Beach Road, which offers a lovely quayside aspect for the return leg to Clifden.

It’s a lovely route to take if you’re keep to explore the Connemara region by bike.

8 Return to Clifden

Whichever route you decide to take, you will finish again in Market Square in Clifden. You’ll likely have worked up quite an appetite at this point and I can highly recommend a tasty seafood meal at Mitchell’s, one of the best restaurants in Clifden – it’s a local institution that is famed for its seafood.

If it’s later in the evening, I would recommend grabbing a table at Lamplight Wine Bar.

This is a wine shop with rooms that has a wonderfully tucked away fine food restaurant out the back. The wines here are fantastic, its sommelier, Anke Hartmann, is award-winning and the food is extremely tasty too and a departure from the typical seafood fare that you’ll find throughout most of Connemara. 

READ NEXT | The Best Connemara Restaurants, From Fine Dining To Food Trucks

Places to see near the Sky Road Clifden

As it doesn’t take a huge amount of time to drive the Sky Road, it can make sense to combine it with some other Connemara sightseeing or activities on the same day.

The Sky Road’s proximity to Clifden and Clifden’s proximity to a whole host of things to do in Connemara, means that you’re spoilt for choice. Here’s an idea of some of the things to do nearby:

• Derrigimlagh Discovery Point – I love this interactive, informative route through the the bog at Derrigimlagh, to Marconi’s former wireless station and the Alcock & Brown memorial. I wouldn’t spend time in the area without visitingit.
• Omey Island – a beautiful, largely abandoned island that can be reached during low tide via a road across the sands. 
• Connemara National Park – the breath-taking Connemara National Park beside nearby Letterfrack is easily reached from the Sky Road. If you start earlier in the day, you’ll easily be able to combine the Sky Road loop with a climb up Diamond Hill.
• Kylemore Abbey – the magnificent Kylemore Abbey and Victorian gardens are nearby and are thoroughly worth a visit. Again, can be combined with the Sky Road  if you start with one in the morning.

Common questions before driving the Sky Road, Connemara

Is the Sky Road worth doing?

The Sky Road in Connemara is totally worth doing. This circular route offers some spectacular views of the rugged coastline and the natural beauty of the sprawling Connemara landscape.

It’s relatively quick to complete and is so easily reached from the town of Clifden and its vicinity that it would be a shame not to complete it while in the area.

In terms of the reward you get for the relatively minimal effort and low time commitment required to complete this scenic loop route, then yes – you should most definitely add the route to your Connemara itinerary.

How long is the Sky Road loop?

When people talk about driving the Sky Road, the most commonly taken driving route is a circular one, that starts and ends in the town of Clifden and which takes the upper route via the Upper Sky Road (you’ll get the most scenic views by taking this route).

To complete the loop in this format, you’ll cover approximately 16km of roadway. 

There is also another cycling route that you can take by bike, which incorporates both the upper and lower route and does a little bit of doubling back on itself. This is approximately 25km long. 

READ NEXT | The Best Accommodation In Connemara, From Castles To Coastal Cottages

How long does it take to drive the Sky Road, Ireland?

If Google Maps is anything to go by, then the Sky Road drive could be done in as little as 30 minutes. This is unrealistic though, as you’ll need to factor in some stops along the way.

Realistically, I’d set aside around 2.5 hours for the route, which allows for ample time to stop at places like Clifden Castle and the Sky Road view point along the way. 

The relatively low time commitment required to complete the Sky Road drive means that it’s a nice thing to do on a fine afternoon, or to combine with a couple of other stop off points during a little Connemara road trip. 

Can you cycle the Sky Road?

Yes, you can absolutely cycle the Sky Road and if you’re driving the Sky Road, you’ll likely encounter some cyclists along the way. Be warned that there is a fairly steep incline for the first few kilometres of the route, so you may need to hop off and walk your bike up parts of the hill, depending on your fitness levels. 

You can also, however, hire electric bikes in Clifden if you feel like the uphill cycle could be a problem, or something you’re not particularly enamoured with undertaking. 

Driving the Sky Road – final thoughts

A wonderful opportunity to get up close to the rocky coastline of Connemara and the sparking blue waters of the wild Atlantic, it’s highly worth driving the Sky Road in Clifden – it’s definitely one of the most beautiful places to visit in Galway.

Make sure to give yourself plenty of time and be prepared to drive slowly on this narrow but spectacular route, which showcases some of the best coastal views in Ireland. 

If you’re visiting Connemara, make sure to read our detailed travel guides about the region, including the best things to do, our Connemara foodie’s guide, as well as our roundup of where to stay in Connemara.