The Bunowen Walk
COMMENT: This is almost as far West as you can get in mainland Connemara. Bunowen is a small port with a pier and a beach, and this is a simple anq easy walk on level grass and country roads. There is a very peaceful ambience out here.
START AND FINISH:
At Bunowen pier (Map Ref: 592415), some 19km (12Mls) from Roundstone:
DRIVE TO START:
From Roundstone drive towards Ballyconneely on the R341. A Ballyconneely, turn sharp left just before the pub/shop there, for Bunowen. Doon Hill appears ahead on the left. Ignore the branch right for the Golf Club; carry on straight to Bunowen. Park with care near the pier, noting the warning signs about the open quay.
WALK: From the pier (A) walk back towards the beach, and just as you reach behind it, turn left onto a side road. Walk along here, passing a small beach and pier (B) on your left. The road then swings around to the right, and abruptly changes to a lesser track outside a row of bungalows. Walk past these houses, and now the track almost disappears as it bears sharply right across an open grassy area. Follow on the faint track, passing just to the left of the nearest house over there, and then reaching the unfenced road going out to the golf course (C).
Across the road, the outermost house is called Connemara House B&B. Just to the left of it a sandy track heads NW out across more open grassland. Bear left with this track, keeping left of a football pitch (of a sort), and also left of the low hill ahead. As the track bears further left, the attractive little Sand Lake comes into view, at a corner of the golf course (D). Here you come onto a little road; walk along this with the lake on your right, and now you follow this zany road until further notice. You'll soon see why I call it zany -the road builder must been paid by the furlong!
It is a most attractive wee road, weaving along firstly beside the golf course, but then it swings sharply inland (E). Any few short ascents are gentle, and will be no trouble. Soon you are past the last house for now, walking on a green-striped road between low stone walls; Aillebrack Lough is on the right on a really quiet and enjoyable part of the route. Gradually signs of human habitation re-appear, and the road winds on down to a T -junction (F) with a stone sign on the left "Emlagharan". Turn right here.
The next quiet stretch of road is well surfaced, but just watch for traffic. It undulates along past homesteads to a junction with a yield sign (G). Turn right here. This is the road from Ballyconneely, on which you drove in. For the next twenty minutes, pay particular attention to traffic, as it is can to be busy with golfers, or other visitors. Walk in single file on the right, to face oncoming traffic. That said, it is a scenic session along here, with Doon Hill and that stark ruin of Bunowen Castle up to the left. On the right are the sombre remains of a seaweed enterprise, then you pass between Lough Derreen and Lough Doon, and then St. Caillin's National School is on the right.
Once again, ignore the branch right (8) to the Golf Club, and walk on straight.
