Achill island, a 45 minute drive from Westport has great 5 Blue Flag beaches, adding to Achill’s attraction as a day trip from Westport.
Dooega Blue Flag beach
This Blue Flag beach, just 8 kilometres from Achill Sound, is Camport Bay, on a small coastal inlet, at Dooega village. The beach is on the Atlantic Drive, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean along the southern edge of Achill island. The landscape around the beach is a low lying flat coastal grassland of machair. Parking is available, and there is an access ramp, as well as life-saving equipment on the beach, but no lifeguard.
Keel Blue Flag beach
Also known as Trawmore Strand, this Blue Flag beach is approximately 4 kilometres long. It is well signposted in the village of Keel, on Achill island. The sandy beach is backed by a storm beach formed from boulders and shingle thrown onshore during storms. Views to the east of the Minaun Cliffs are spectacular. There is a lifeguard in the summer; swimming areas are clearly marked, to avoid strong undersea currents in places. The beach is very popular for watersports, and surfing instruction is readily available.
Though the approach from the ample carpark is relatively flat, making wheelchair access to the beach reasonably easy, there are no wheelchair-accessible toilets at the beach. There is one at the adjacent campground.
