Beaches and shorelines, Galway

Grattan beach is a smallish horse-shoe shaped beach that is situated on the Western side of Salthill, making it almost in Galway.

The beach is of couse the place to soak up those rays, strip off and chill out - this is attainable about once every nineteen years in Galway. At all other times the small park by the side of the beach provides great viewpoint to get the full effect of the moody Galway bay. grey swirling skies and distant mountains. Your almost moved to poetry. This however would prove impossible due to the freezing wind.

The small park on the low headland I mentioned features a few sub-tropical plants desperately clinging to life and a rock on a small mound - presumbly a monument to all the holidaymakers who have frozen to death there.

If you're doing the Bus Eireann tour from Galway to the Cliffs of Moher, check the weather beforehand, ie schedule a couple days to go and see them. We had one day in Galway, and it turned out to be the foggiest day of the season. So, no cliff watching for us.

Spent a day driving from Galway, through Oranmore and Kilcolgan and the Burren to the Cliffs of Moher and back. Fantastic scenery thoughout the drive with lots of pull overs to ohh and ahh. The Cliffs of Moher take your breath away - plunging down 600 feet to the ocean and about 6 miles long. I think they are the most magnificent stretch of cliffs I've even seen.

From the parking lot, you can stroll up a long and gradual set of stairs up to O'Brien's Tower. On a clear day you can see clear out to the Aran Islands. But it is the view down to the mists frmed by the breaking seas that I love.

Locals tell me you never know when the clouds will roll in and block the view. We were there in November and had an unobstructed view.

Galway is on the West Coast of Ireland, and has a nice rocky shoreline for you to explore. If you like things like tidal pools and rocks covered in barnacles, then you'll have a great time running around here. It's not exactly a great beach for tanning, but it's a good coastline if you like coastlines.

A walk along Connemara Bay was windy but beautiful. We stopped for a drink at a beautiful hotel along the Bay. I'm sorry I can't remember the name but it was a great way to warm up and it was a cosy,luxury resort.

Personally, I could've walked around this park and sat by the shore of the bay all afternoon. It's very windy here, but refreshingly quiet after a few hours on the crowded streets of the city center. The second time I visited here, a woman had built a small fire nearby, lending a smoky wintery aura to the whole area.

The Salthill Beach Promenade is a great place to enjoy the open views across Galway Bay and to get some fresh air and a clear head after too much beer in the pubs. People also come here for nordic walking and of course for seeing and being seen. Don't expect too much nature, it's very built up. Swimming possible, but there are better places a bit further out of town.

Swimming Pool, Aquarium, some fun fair thingies and plenty of cafes and pubs are also to be found here.

A bit of a pity that the oceanside buildings of Salthill are so unsightly. Good thing that they were built quick and dirty so they probably won't last very long.Future generations of city planners will get the chance to do a better job.

The Cliffs of Moher are just a couple hours away. Don't miss them. You can't see the people in this picture because next to the cliffs they look like fuzz - the cliffs are that big. I can't even describe it - just something you have to see.

It was a windy, dull day and we decided to visit Doolin. The alantic ocean in her full glory made the trip spectacular. Watching the waves crashing upon the rocks some of the waves higher than 10 feet. Be careful when walking on the pier however, I got soaking wet walking when a huge wave crashed over the pier and nearly swept me off the pier. However, on the return walk, I played beat the wave and managed not to get soaked this time. Didnt do my camera a lot of good tho, digital cameras and seawater do not mix.

We visited Salthill and it has a lot of beach, but unfortunatly most places were still closed for the season. I'm sure during th summer their is plently to do.