7 Epic things to do in Sligo for first time visitors – A Wild Atlantic Way guide

The Wild Atlantic Way needs no introduction – it is without doubt Ireland’s most popular route for tourists and locals alike and packs in so much of what is great about Ireland.

That being said, there is one county along the Wild Atlantic Way that we think doesn’t always get the attention deserves, and that is Sligo.

It might have received some fame for being home to 90’s boyband Westlife, but it’s the stunning scenery in Sligo that we want to talk about.

If you are a fan of the outdoors then Sligo is the county for you. Sligo is home to one of Ireland’s most unique mountains, it’s largest waterfall, possibly it’s best surfing locations and so much more.

Sligo is raw, rugged and very green, everything we love about Ireland rolled up into one pocket sized county.

It is also much less expensive than some of the other popular tourist destinations in Ireland so it os great if you are trying to visit Ireland on a budget.

We can’t guarantee you the weather but we absolutely can guarantee you that you will leave Sligo feeling inspired to go back.

How to get around Sligo

If you want to enjoy the best things to do in Sligo, then your only real option is to drive.

Granted, not everyone feels comfortable with the thought of driving in Ireland but taking public transport between each of these locations would be a much bigger inconvenience.

If you are travelling from Dublin you can reach Sligo by train but once you are there we would recommend renting a car and trying to avoid reliance on public transport.

Where to stay in Sligo

Sligo doesn’t have a huge number of hotels to choose from but there are some great options to choose from if you plan to stay.

Sligo is a comparatively small county but there are great options for luxury stays, family friendly and budget friendly hotels around the area. Here are some of our favourites:

• Markree Castle – If you are planning to experience the best castle hotel stays in Ireland, then Markree Castle will be high up on your list. Set on a beautiful estate with a traditional fairytale feel, this hotel stay will be a memory you will definitely cherish.
• Sligo Plaza Hotel – Sligo Plaza Hotel is a great option for a modern hotel with an indoor swimming pool available, as well as a fitness centre.
• Castle Dargan Estate – Castle Dargan Estate is perfect for anyone who enjoys spa and gold facilities, with a championship golf course on site and luxury spa.
• The Glasshouse – The Glasshouse is right in the heart of Sligo Town so it is perfect for someone without a car, providing easy access to public transport options and local bars & restaurants

1 – Gleniff Horseshoe

If there is one place we are absolutely guaranteed to go back to every time we are in Sligo, it is the Gleniff Horseshoe.

For us, this area has everything we love about Ireland, it is raw, it has beautiful views along the way and it is very, very green.

To get to Gleniff Horseshoe, you really would need to use a car, it is a relatively remote driving/hiking trail that would require the flexibility of a car to allow you to get around it at your own pace.

You can easily drive the entire loop, which is around 10km in total and stop for photos along the way or park up and do a mini hike around the trail as well depending on your preference.

If it is your first time visiting Ireland or you aren’t familiar with the ‘rules of the road’ here, take your time driving around and use the lay-by’s as much as possible to make room for oncoming traffic.

2 – Mullaghmore Head

This is one of those places that will pop up all of your social media feed as you search for Sligo online. Mullaghmore Head has all of the quintessential elements of Ireland wrapped up into one rugged view.

Set just outside Donegal, the main thing you will come to Mullaghmore Head for is the view, where you are first struck by the crashing waves of the Atlantic, with Classiebawn Castle in the background and even greater still, Benbulben looms large in the background of the castle.

You don’t need to do anything here, just sit and admire, this is Ireland in a nutshell. Raw, cold ocean waves, backed by a historic old castle and set against the backdrop of a sea of green mountain…and it wouldn’t be Ireland if it wasn’t exceptionally windy here, so be prepared.

If you want to get a photo that sums up your trip to Ireland, this would be one of the best places to do it.

The castle itself has a unique history and was the site where Lord Mountbatten was assassinated in 1979. The grounds themselves are private property that cannot be accessed but you are mainly visiting this area for the view alone.

3 – Benbulben Forest Trail

This is one of the highlights of any trip to Sligo. From almost every point you visit in Sligo, the shadow of Benbulben looms large in the background.

The mountain stands out for its unique flat top, similar to table top mountain Cape Town.

Again, carrying on the theme, and something we love about Sligo more broadly, the forest trail and surrounding area is exactly what we think of when we picture Ireland (aside from grey skies unfortunately).

Beautiful green fields, wild animals, stunning countryside views and no polluting noises, just the sound of nature to occupy your thoughts.

The trail itself is around 6km in total and takes 1-2 hours to complete. You best option is to walk counter clockwise if you want to enjoy the views while you walk.

4 – Queen Maeve’s Trail

As you have probably gathered by now, pretty much everything we suggest doing in Sligo revolves around being out in nature.

The next thing we would recommend doing is Queen Maeve’s Trail, a boardwalk led hiking trail that leads to beautiful views of the county.

This hike is a little bit more strenuous than some of the other options on the list so we would only suggest doing it if you are comfortable with uphill trails.

The trail is around 2.5km-3km but ascends over 300 metres so it does take a bit of effort as we mentioned.

If you do decide to complete this hike then we would recommend combining it with spending some time in Strandhill on either side of the journey.

This is one of the most beautiful parts of Sligo, if not Ireland so it’s definitely worth including on your list of things to do.

We would recommend going there for breakfast at Shells Café, before taking the trail and then when you return, spend some time along Strandhill Beach before getting dinner at Stoked.

5 – Keshcorran Caves

If you happen to visit Sligo on a day with nice weather, particularly during the Summer months where the evenings stretch much later, we would recommend taking a hike up to the Keshcorran Caves.

This is one of the most beautiful places in the area to watch the sunset, overlooking countless lush green fields and views extending to Lough Feenagh.

It is a relatively short hike and if we definitely wouldn’t suggest wearing a nice pair of shoes going up as it can be quite muddy but the reason we love it there is that the caves provide a perfect natural frame to capture the raw landscape of Ireland.

Stand at the edge of the cave at sunset, looking out at the land below and you will have a beautiful, cinematic frame for a sunset photo.

6 – The Devil’s Chimney & Glencar Waterfall

Sligo is also home to Ireland’s longest waterfall and possibly its most unique, the Devil’s Chimney.

This waterfall gets its name from the fact that on a windy day, it can often appear as though the water is blowing backwards

One thing to note is that you are best visiting this waterfall the day after there has been rainfall so you can see the waterfall in all its glory.

The total hike to the waterfall takes around 45 minutes each way and then you will obviously want to spend a bit of time there when you arrive.

If you don’t fancy a hike or you are visiting with young kids etc. but still want to see a beautiful waterfall, then go to Glencar Waterfall instead.

It’s only a couple of minutes away from where you would park your car for getting to the Devil’s Chimney and it’s one of our favourite waterfalls in the country.

The thing we love about Glencar is that there are stunning views of the surroundings from the car park; the walk from the car to the waterfall is flat and literally takes 5 minutes or less and the waterfall itself is a beautiful photo spot.

While it is technically in Leitrim, rather than Sligo, it sits right on the border between the two so we didn’t want to leave it off the list.

7 – Go surfing

One final suggestion and something we actually haven’t managed to do ourselves in Sligo yet, is to go surfing.

Sligo has become one of Ireland’s most renowned surfing destinations in recent years, with the powerful waves of the Atlantic attracting surfers from all over the World.

I would likely spend most of time clinging on to the surf board from the water but if you want to try something new then this is the place to do it.

Strandhill Beach is probably your best option to try out some surfing and they have a surfing school here, so it is a great option for beginners and intermediate level surfers.

Alternatively, Enniscrone beach is another great option, especially for beginners as the waves here are generally very calm.

We mentioned Mullaghmore Head earlier as well but due to the force of the waves that hit the area, that would only be recommended for professionals and would not be safe otherwise.