Activities

Carne Golf Links. Overlooking Blacksod Bay, with breathtaking views of Inis Géidhe and Inis Glóire, the final island home to the legendary "Children of Lir," Carne is in the sandy heartland of the peninsula and features in the top 50 courses in both Britain and Ireland. Currently in the process of expanding an extra 9 holes to bring the course to 27, it was the last course designed by Eddie Hackett, and many critics believe that it was his finest design. Carne, Belmullet, Co. Mayo. 97/82292; www.carnegolflinks.com. Nov.--Mar., €55; Apr.--Oct. €125.

Cross Loop Walk. With a dramatic trailhead at Cross Abbey and its hilltop Termoncarragh graveyard that has defied the force of the Atlantic for centuries, this trail weaves it way past sand dunes and the crystal-blue setting of the Iniskea Islands, where the Atlantic air swirls through the eerily deserted houses of an abandoned village. Start your hike at low tide to take advantage of the trail's 2½ km (1½ miles) of strand. Note that the beach has strong undercurrents and is not safe for swimming. A black post leads hikers across sandy dunes, then turns to curve around a lakeshore filled with wild swans. Cast an eye back to the Atlantic coast to see Inis Glóire, the tiny island where the fabled Children of Lir spent the last three centuries of their lives as swans. Stop by Ionad Deirbhile, a nearby visitor center and café in Blacksod, to get your bearings. Belmullet, Co. Mayo. 97/85727; www.ionaddeirbhile.ie.