Travel bible puts Sligo on crest of a wave

A headland on the west coast of Ireland has been named by a

Mullaghmore Head in Co Sligo has been listed by Lonely Planet

in a new book of top 10s for adventurers. Walking across the

country is also said to be one of the best coast-to-coast

missions.

The two holiday ideas are among four locations named by the

guidebook, which said climbing Croagh Patrick is an ultimate

pilgrimage and the Castle Leslie estate in Monaghanis in the

top 10 for horse-riding enthusiasts.

Mullaghmore last year saw groups of surfers from around the

world ride waves up to 15m high.

Lonely Planet listed it as one of the best spots to catch a

big wave. It is described as a roaring reef break where

storm patterns in late winter and early spring kick up

Atlantic swells which surfers are “lucky to ride and

grateful to survive”.

“High winds, choppy surfaces, and blinding rain can present

obstacles, but the heavy, long tubes make up for conditions,”

the book said.

The Lonely Planet’s 1,000 Ultimate Adventures presents 100

top-10 lists ofadventure activities and destinations which

it says are perfect for thrill seekers.

The coast-to-coast section is introduced with a picture of

the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge in Antrim, while the trip by

foot across the country covers 623km and should take 24 days.

Travel writers said the 10,000 pubs in Ireland will be a

welcome shelter while walkers can expect to endure “exposure

to wild weather and even wilder hospitality”.

“Ireland is a country that refuses to be rushed and this

meander has done it justice,” it says.

Croagh Patrick is listed alongside the likes of the Hajj in

Saudi Arabia andthe Camino de Santiago in northern Spain.

Castle Leslie is listed among the equine escapades and is

picked for its good horses, historic house, and “a touch of

eccentricity”.