Skellig Michael: The Wild Atlantic Way’s Defining Expedition Moment
Why the Wild Atlantic Way
The name alone hooked me: the Wild Atlantic Way. It runs 1,600 miles along Ireland’s west coast and is one of the longest defined coastal routes in the world. A bold, poetic, and promising journey, less like a drive and more like an expedition.
It delivered.
Like most travelers, I began at the Cliffs of Moher. Rising over 700 feet above the Atlantic, they are Ireland’s most visited natural site. The view is dramatic, but what defined the journey was not the cliffs. It was a stone monastery on a remote Atlantic island, built in the 6th century, where only a few travelers can visit each day.
That island, Skellig Michael, is why I will always say the Wild Atlantic Way is not just a road. It is an expedition.
The Icons
The postcards are real: the Cliffs of Moher, the Ring of Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula. They draw millions of visitors each year, and for good reason.
The Cliffs of Moher rise over 700 feet and attract more than 1.5 million visitors annually.
The Ring of Kerry is a 111-mile loop that can feel crowded or wide open depending on how you travel it.
The Dingle Peninsula offers some of Ireland’s most dramatic coastal drives, with archaeological sites dating back to the Bronze Age.
They are spectacular, but if you stop at the icons, you have only skimmed the surface.
Cliffs of Moher, County Clare
The Expedition Moment: Skellig Michael
Twenty minutes into the boat ride, the mainland slips away. The Atlantic takes over, swells lifting and dropping the boat, sea spray catching you by surprise. Excitement mixes with nerves. This is not a guaranteed landing.
Then the island emerges: Skellig Michael, a jagged rock nearly eight miles offshore, crowned with a 6th-century monastery that somehow still clings to its cliffs. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, home to both an extraordinary monastic settlement and one of Europe’s most important seabird habitats.
Docking is just the beginning. At the base, guides issue a briefing: no walking sticks, keep your hands free, step aside if you need to rest, and pack out everything you bring since there are no trash bins on the island. Then the climb begins: 618 uneven stone steps, carved more than a thousand years ago by monks who chose to live and pray on the edge of the world.
Halfway up, puffins dart across the cliffs, the Atlantic roars below, and your boots scrape against stone worn by centuries. At the summit, beehive huts and prayer stations reveal how monks once survived here, fishing the seas and harvesting rainwater. A guide is there to share their history. You can pause among the stones, unwrap a simple lunch, and feel the immensity of the ocean around you.
Skellig Michael is a steep stone island seven miles off Kerry’s coast, once home to early Christian monks and more recently a backdrop for the Star Wars films.
Only 180 travelers are allowed to land each day, and half of those landings are canceled due to weather. Permits sell out months in advance. Few travelers make it this far, but with the right planning, you can.
When I planned my visit, I secured a licensed boat operator who holds a permit to visit Skellig Michael and mapped backup routes for when the seas turned. It’s the same preparation I bring to my clients’ trips, so rare moments like this aren’t left to chance.
Supporting Twists Along the Way
The Wild Atlantic Way isn’t only about Skellig Michael. Along the route, cultural and natural layers add texture to the journey:
Lahinch → I knew the town of Lahinch was not just a surf destination or home to a world-famous golf course. It was also where I found P. Frawley’s Bar, a 19th-century pub where evenings are less about sightseeing and more about joining the local life.
Cork – Rebel City Distillery → Home of Maharani Gin, distilled with botanicals from Kerala, India. A husband-and-wife team created it to reflect their cross-cultural heritage. A cross-cultural blend rarely found on standard tours.
Achill Island – Keem Bay → A sheltered horseshoe cove with white sand and turquoise water, named by Lonely Planet as one of the world’s top 100 beaches. It lies between Benmore and Croaghaun, Europe’s third-highest sea cliffs, where peregrine falcons soar overhead.
Ring of Kerry → Ireland’s most famous scenic drive. Travel it one way and you are among tour buses. Take it differently, and the road feels like yours alone.
Why the Wild Atlantic Way is Worth the Expedition
The Wild Atlantic Way is more than a coastline. It is Skellig Michael’s ancient monastery rising from the sea, the soaring cliffs of Achill, the music scene in Dingle, and the seafood traditions of Kinsale. It is also a place where responsible travel matters, where small villages, fragile habitats, and local communities thrive when journeys are planned with care.
Designing an expedition here doesn’t mean extreme or out of reach. It means layering Ireland’s icons with the moments of culture, nature, and community that give the Wild Atlantic Way its depth.
Ready to Explore?
If Ireland is on your list, do not leave its rarest moments to chance. The Wild Atlantic Way is more than a drive. Let’s map yours — start by filling out my client intake form.
