scenic viewpoint
Downpatrick Head
A wave-battered headland near Ballycastle with the iconic Dún Briste sea stack standing isolated offshore.
26 km · about 30 min drive
EuropeIrelandConnacht
Ballina
Connacht, Ireland · Europe
About Ballina
Ballina is worth a stop: 20 minutes from Crossmolina, 53km from Benbulben.
Ballina is in Connacht, Ireland, with about 10,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Crossmolina, about 10 km away.
Ballina ( bal-ə-NA; Irish: Béal an Átha, meaning 'mouth of the ford') is a town in north County Mayo, Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and civil parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountains to the east and the Nephin Mountains to the west. The town occupies twoRead more
baronies; Tirawley on the west bank of the River Moy, and Tireragh, a barony within County Sligo, on its east banks. At the 2022 census, the population of Ballina was 10,556.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Ballina?
Within an hour or so of Ballina: Downpatrick Head (26 km), Céide Fields (28 km), Croagh Patrick (51 km), Benbulben (53 km).
Are there any good drives near Ballina?
The nearest famous roads are Achill Atlantic Drive, Gleniff Horseshoe and Glengesh Pass.
Where is Ballina?
Ballina is in Connacht, Ireland, about 10 km from Crossmolina.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 10,087
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Ireland
- Region
- Connacht
- Timezone
- Europe/Dublin
- Coordinates
- 54.1167, -9.1667
Tags
Worth the detour from Ballina
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
ancient ruins
Céide Fields
The oldest known field system in the world, a Stone Age farmed landscape preserved under blanket bog on the north Mayo cliffs.
28 km · about 35 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Croagh Patrick
Ireland's holiest mountain at 764 metres, where St Patrick is said to have fasted for 40 days, with sweeping views over Clew Bay.
51 km · about 60 min drive
natural wonder
Benbulben
A distinctive flat-topped table mountain rising over the Sligo countryside, immortalised by poet W.B. Yeats.
53 km · about 60 min drive
coastal drive
Achill Atlantic Drive
A cliff-hugging loop road on the south of Achill Island past Ashleam Bay, with steep gradients and sudden sea views.
55 km · about 65 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Minaun Cliffs
A high viewpoint above Keel on Achill, reached by a rough road, looking down over Keel Strand and the Atlantic.
58 km · about 65 min drive
famous road
Gleniff Horseshoe
Six-mile single-track loop under the sheer Dartry cliffs of Benwiskin and Truskmore in Sligo's Yeats country, passing Diarmuid and Gráinne's cave: the highest cave mouth in Ireland. Barely a car on it most days.
59 km · about 70 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Ashleam Bay Viewpoint
A pull-in above a deep hairpin on the Achill Atlantic Drive, looking down into a curved bay far below.
59 km · about 70 min drive
Driving roads near Ballina
- 26 kmDownpatrick HeadA wave-battered headland near Ballycastle with the iconic Dún Briste sea stack standing isolated offshore.
- 51 kmCroagh PatrickIreland's holiest mountain at 764 metres, where St Patrick is said to have fasted for 40 days, with sweeping views over Clew Bay.
- 55 kmAchill Atlantic DriveA cliff-hugging loop road on the south of Achill Island past Ashleam Bay, with steep gradients and sudden sea views.
- 58 kmMinaun CliffsA high viewpoint above Keel on Achill, reached by a rough road, looking down over Keel Strand and the Atlantic.
- 59 kmGleniff HorseshoeSix-mile single-track loop under the sheer Dartry cliffs of Benwiskin and Truskmore in Sligo's Yeats country, passing Diarmuid and Gráinne's cave: the highest cave mouth in Ireland. Barely a car on it most days.
- 59 kmAshleam Bay ViewpointA pull-in above a deep hairpin on the Achill Atlantic Drive, looking down into a curved bay far below.
Driving in Ireland
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.78/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€2.10/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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