The drive into the village of Roundstone on the Wild Atlantic Way in itself is spectacular with the road curving around the rugged coastline of the bay, houses lining one side, the sea wall and piers on the other and the magnificent Twelve Bens providing the backdrop to this picturesque view.
The two piers in Roundstone provide a hub of activity in the summer. Fishing boats returning with their catch, pleasure boats coming and going, sea angling trips and sea kayaking tours of the bay. Check out Roundstone Outdoors to see the watersports on offer.
The unique beaches of Gurteen and Dogs Bay are two miles along the Ballyconneely road. Here the golden sands, turquoise sea and the island views are where you will leave your heart and fall in love with Roundstone. The sheltered bay provides a safe location for swimming and other water sports. On the windier days it is common to see windsurfers and kite surfers enjoying the perfect flat water conditions the bay has to offer.
Roundstone also boasts a variety of walking routes, whether you are an ‘out for a stroll’ kind of walker or a ’12 bens in a day’ kind of walker there is something to suit everyone.
The ‘Tour de Bog’ is a popular route for cyclists, a 20-mile cycle starting in the village and taking the bog road out and the Ballyconneely road back. It offers spectacular views of the mountains, bays and beaches and not ‘too’ many hills! Take your togs with you and go for a dip in Gurteen on your way home. There are also numerous shorter local routes for those seeking a more sedate experience.
Roundstone, Connemara and its surrounds are beautiful, but as they say around here you can’t eat the scenery, so luckily there are some fantastic places to eat in the village ranging from a made to order picnic from the Bogbean Café to a local lobster dinner in one of the restaurants.
