Looped Walk Descriptions

Inishbofin has 3 Looped Walks, all with stunning views of the Islands beautiful scenery. The Looped Walks feature on the 'Discover Ireland' website.

Inishbofin Westquarter Loop

The Westquarter loop takes in some of the most stunning Atlantic Coast scenery in Connemara offering views of the Island’s blow holes and sea arch, sea stags where the Island seal colony can be seen, the Dún More Cliffs and Iron Age promontory fort ruins, picturesque Trá Gheal beach and famine road. The track winds over grass paths, turf banks and shingle beach pebbles. The walk also affords views of Inishark Island.

A-B. The loop starts from the pier in Bofin Harbour. Leaving the pier turn left and after 200m turn right at the first road junction. Ascend to reach a 4-way junction. Turn left here and join what is locally referred to as the ‘High Road’.

B-C. Follow the road for 600m to reach a 3-way junction – you veer right here, joining a gravel track which takes you to a gateway. Cross the metal stile.

C-D. Follow the stony roadway for 1km, passing through another gateway and crossing a stony embankment which separates Loch Bofin (on your left) from the Atlantic (on your right). At the end of the stone beach (North Beach) embankment you rejoin a surfaced roadway. Turn right here.

D-E. Continue along the roadway for 500m to reach a gateway – cross the stile here and follow the laneway and bog road along the rugged coastline around Westquarter. On your way you pass close to spectacular Sea Blowhole Caves - a short detour to view it is well worthwhile, but do take care. Later you pass a monument overlooking ‘The Stags’, erected to the memory of American students who were tragically drowned off the coast in the 1970s. The loop then sweeps southward across open ground before joining a wonderful ‘green road’ below the ruins of a Promontory Fort Dún Mór - highest cliffs on the Island.

E-A. The trip along the green road (South Road) provides spectacular views south to Inishark and the Galway mainland and eventually joins the ‘Low’ road along Bofin Harbour and back to the trailhead.

You can download the pdf here.

Inishbofin Cloonamore Loop

The Cloonamore Loop which runs over green roads, bog roads and laneways runs along the beautiful East End Beach and St Colman’s 14th Century Chapel and Church Lough, a fertile valley which supports reed beds and other vegetation, which in turn provide cover, food and nest sites for a wide variety of birds.

A-B. Starting from the mapboard at the top of the pier, turn left and follow the red (and purple and blue) arrows. The purple and blue arrows are for other loops. After approx 200m you reach a junction at the Pound Road - turn right here and ascend to reach a crossroads. Note that the blue and purple loops turn left her - but you turn right.

B-C. Continue to follow the red arrows along the road for nearly 2km (passing a number of road junctions) to reach a gateway with stile on your left. Cross the stile and join a bog road.

C-D. Enjoy your trek along the bog road into Cloonamore for more than 500m until it peters into a track. Then watch for the red arrow which turns you sharp right into open ground - a short section leads you to another bog road at which you turn right. Almost 1km later you reach another gateway with stile - cross it to rejoin a tarred road and turn left. Approx 200m later you join the sandy beach and turn right onto a path on the top shore.

D-A. Continue to follow the path as it becomes a green road - to join a surfaced roadway again in a cluster of houses. Turn left and follow the surfaced road for 300m to a junction where you veer right and, after another 300m take a sharp right bend. The next section road takes you past the ruins of St Colman’s Church (on your left), (remove incorrect reference to Dolphin please) 300m later you rejoin the blue loop coming in from your right. Now follow the red and blue arrows for just 150m before turning left and descending to the quay area where you turn right. Follow the road for 500m past the Church and back to the pier.

Inishbofin Middlequarter Loop Official Failte Description:

This walk runs over Inishbofin’s second highest point, which on a clear day offers panoramic views of Achill Island’s mountains, Inishturk and Clare Island, the Twelve Bens, Maumturks and Croagh Patrick, the track takes in Inishbofin’s historic and varied Iron and Bronze Age landscapes with mill stones, partitions and evidence of round stone houses.

A-B. Starting from the mapboard at the top of the pier, turn left and follow the blue (and purple and red) arrows. The red and purple arrows are for other loops. After approx 200m you reach a junction with Pound Road - turn right here and ascend to reach a crossroads. Note that the red loop turns right at the crossroads - you turn left following the blue and purple arrows.

B-C. Follow this road past the school and after nearly 1km you reach a 3-way junction where you turn right. After 100m cross a stile and join a gravel roadway. After approx 200m you reach a bog roadway on your right - note that the purple (Westquarter) loop proceeds straight on here - but you turn right. Enjoy the trek to Middlequarter for 1km before the roadway begins to peter out. Near the end, the loop leaves the roadway and turns sharp right and uphill. The next section takes you onto a ridge marked with stone cairns and eventually a communications mast. From here you have superb views of large sections of the island - including a recently built airstrip!

C-D. Continuing to follow the blue arrows as the loop descends from the communications mast to two water reservoirs and then takes you around the end of the airstrip. After a mix of roadways and open ground you rejoin an old roadway at a gate and stile. Now back on terra firma, the loop reaches a T- junction where you rejoin the red loop briefly, turn left, and almost immediately turn right to descend to a T-junction where you turn right.

D-A. Now follow the blue red arrows for 150m before turning left and descending to the quay area where you turn right. Follow the road for 500m past the church and back to the pier.

T:+353 95 45895

Inishbofin is a breeding area for many species of birds. The rarest or most threatened species breeding on the island at present are the Corncrake. The Corncrake have been nesting and breeding on Inishbofin for many years.

The island was farm machinery free up until the beginning of the eighties, which suited the nesting habits of the Corncrake. Implements used at that time would include hand driven hay machines and many farmers would have used the Scythe, which was a slow process and gave the Corncrake ample time to move into the next meadow. Nowadays farmers when cutting their crop tend to mow from the outer borders of the fields to the inner. As the Corncrake is a very shy bird it stays in centre of the meadow and sometimes farm machinery can destroy the bird and its siblings. A change in farming practise on the island during the 1990s and a greater understanding of the nesting habits of the Corncrake has seen the reinvigoration of the bird on Inishbofin.

Other species of bird found breeding of Inishbofin include Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Fulmers, Shags, Guillemots, Common Gulls, greater and lesser Black Backed Gulls, Manx Shearwaters, Herring Gulls and Choughs.

There are some very scenic breeding areas on the island, which can be viewed from a distance without causing distress to the breeding population.

With some of the clearest waters in Ireland, Inishbofin is an excellent place to dive. Inishbofin has it's own dive centre. John Mc Cabe, the owner and operator is from the islands and is a PADI Master scuba diver trainer and emergency first response instructor and has been a qualified PADI professional for over ten years.

Check out the Islands West website:

T: +353 87 2227098
E: info@islandswest.ie
W: www.islandswest.ie

For such a small Island Inishbofin has numerous beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters. An excellent place to spend the day to unwind. Several beaches on Inishbofin have been awarded the 'green coast award'. Swimming lessons are available for both adults and children during the summer months.

Many species of wild flowers can be seen on Inishbofin Island throughout the year. Possibly one of the best ways and times to see these flowers is to join Leo Hallisey's Summer School which is run every year for two weeks in July. The Summer School is generally aimed at teachers wishing to catch up on extra-curricular activities.

For information please contact the Inishbofin Tourism Association at:

T: +353 95 45861

• All day, half day or hourly ventures
• Dive charter
• Dolphin Spotting
• Bird watching
• Whale and Seal watching
• Inter-Island tours
• Fully licensed and insured
• Cruising speed of 15knots

T:+353 95 45974 or +353 86-8324123
E: bofinfish72@yahoo.co.uk

Why not totally unwind and opt for a relaxing treatment. Treatments available include Reflexology, Massage and Facials.

Olive Brennan
Beauty / Massage Therapist
Registered Reflexologist

T: +353 95-45953 / 086-8381148
E: olivebrennan@eircom.net

Seal colonies can be found in two areas on and around Inishbofin Island. The first one is based on the island near the Stags Rock. This colony, while still viewable, is in serious decline over the past ten to fifteen years. It has not been well researched or documented why this is the case. The decline in fish stocks could be one reason for the decrease of the seal population in this area.

A second colony can be seen near the island of Inishgort that is situated approximately one mile West of Inishbofin Harbour. This colony can be accessed only by boat and this may be the reason that seals congregate in this area. The only visitors they receive are the fishermen setting and hauling their lobster pots.

Inishbofin is one of the few places in Ireland where a Blowhole can be seen. In geology, a blowhole is formed as sea caves grow landwards and upwards into vertical shafts and expose themselves towards the surface

Sea stacks can be viewed at the Stags of Inishbofin. A stack is a geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast, isolated by erosion

Inishbofin Community Market is held in the Community Centre each Monday from 2pm to 4pm.

The market is a great place to get locally produced products including breads, pastries, cakes, buns and crafts.

Fish and organic vegetables from the island are also available.

(@ the Shepherds Hut)

• A selection of pottery/ceramics/fused glass & artwork (using the medium of seaweed)
• All influenced by the island and its surroundings and all tastefully handcrafted on Inishbofin
• Pottery courses & Glass Fusing courses scheduled for spring/summer 2012
  (Hen Parties & groups can be catered for on dates to mutually suit)
• Online shop coming Autumn 2011
• Open all year round

T: +353 87 7454777 / +353 95 45893
E: InishbofinCrafts@gmail.com
W: www.inishbofincrafts.wordpress.com
Twitter: @InishbofinCraft