Dún Aonghasa — Attraction in County Galway

Aran Islands on a beautiful sunny day is an unforgettable experience. Dun Aonghasa is an approximately 3000 year old hill fort built on a cliff edge. The gravel walking path to the fort from the visitor centre starts out ok, but becomes a bit steeper as you reach the fort, with larger rocks for steps that can be slippery when wet. Nonetheless, the 80 year olds in my tour group were able to navigate the path.

A few people chose to dangle their legs off the cliff edge, while others lay on their bellies to look over the edge. I value my life and chose not to get too close 😅 Be mindful where you walk as the native grass is technically protected. I followed well-trodden paths to prevent further damage. Also be careful with the stones of the fort - it's easy to forget they are 3000 years old ...

Gorgeous views walking to and at the fort. Highly recommend must-visit if you find yourself in Ireland.

EDIT 20/11/2023: There are no toilets or water fountain at the fort itself, and none along the walking path. Toilets are only available at the ticket entrance which has a little visitor centre with some...

Great place to visit. Not just for the history behind it, but also for the magnificent view of those cliffs! Just be careful, don't try to take silly selfies, as the winds are quite strong up there, and you definitely don't want to fall. Saying that though, the views are just stunning, scary maybe, but stunning. The fort itself is a nice place to look at too. Just make sure you read the history behind it before you walk up (if you are into reading and history) The walk itself is not difficult, but is definitely not disable friendly. Part of it is decent, but the closer you get to the top, the more uneven and rocky it gets. Also worth to mention that there are toilets and 3 small shops, one being a coffee shop, just in case you need energy before going up. If you are cycling around the island, you can leave it there too. We left it without a chain (as the bike rent guy didn't give us one) but we didn't worry, they were there when we came back. I would say this place is a must, if you...

Make the trip to get the sweater. At the base there is a small hamlet of shops, rest rooms and a tea room with a fireplace and fabulous soup. Sarah Flaherty has a TINY little shop there. Everything is hand knit, by her or her sisters. Hats start at 18 euros and prices climb from there. However, they are worth every cent because they are completely hand made and one of a kind pieces. I purchased a charcoal gray hat and she said to be sure and look for the sheep that the wool was from. She said he was just up the road a bit. The hat wasn’t dyed at all; it did in fact match the sheep. The Aran Sweater Market is near the ferries and it is similar to the ones all over Ireland. They have lovely things there as well, but if hand knitted is what you are after, like the memoir by Synge, Sarah is...