What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Westport, Ireland.
Photo: Adrien Olichon / Pexels
Westport is a small coastal town in Ireland, with a population of 6872. It sits on Clew Bay and mixes town life with outdoor trips. In town you can walk The Mall, eat by the sea at Westport Quay, visit Westport House or spend an evening at Matt Molloy's. Croagh Patrick, the National Famine Memorial and Murrisk Abbey are all in nearby Murrisk. Clare Island is a trip across the bay. The best months to go are July and August.
Allow at least 1 day for the town and Murrisk. Add more for the big trips. Croagh Patrick takes 3–5 hours, and Clare Island takes a full day. With Westport House (2–3 hours) as well, a longer stay avoids rushing.
Murrisk
Ireland's holy mountain, a steep pilgrim climb with wide views over Clew Bay from the top. The upper section is loose scree, so wear proper boots. Skip it in strong wind, rain or low cloud, when the path is slippery and the summit views disappear.
Westport
A historic country house linked to the family of the pirate queen Grace O'Malley, set in large grounds at the edge of town. You can tour the house and walk the parkland down to the sea.
Murrisk
A bronze sculpture of a coffin ship with skeletons in its rigging, at the foot of Croagh Patrick. It is a short, moving stop that remembers the people who died fleeing the Great Famine. Easy to combine with the climb.
Murrisk
The ruins of a medieval friary on the shore of Clew Bay, a short walk from the Famine Memorial. It is free to wander and quiet, with good views of the bay.
The Quay
The old harbour area west of the centre, with restored stone warehouses, pubs and restaurants by the water. It makes a pleasant walk or cycle from town and a good place to eat.
Town centre
A planned Georgian town with a tree-lined Mall along the Carrowbeg River and the Octagon square at its heart. Walk the streets for independent shops, cafés and old shopfronts.
Bridge Street
A traditional pub owned by a member of The Chieftains, known for Irish music sessions in the back room. It gets very crowded on summer evenings, so arrive early if you want a seat.
Clew Bay
A hilly island at the mouth of Clew Bay, reached by ferry from Roonagh pier west of Westport. Go for coastal walks, an abbey with medieval wall paintings and a castle tied to Grace O'Malley. Ferries depend on the weather, so check before you drive out.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Sea temp | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8°C / 4°C | 20 days (140 mm) | 3.4 h/day | 7°C | 0.9/10 |
| February | 9°C / 4°C | 19 days (137 mm) | 4.8 h/day | 8°C | 1.5/10 |
| March | 10°C / 4°C | 18 days (124 mm) | 6.4 h/day | 8°C | 2.4/10 |
| April | 12°C / 6°C | 15 days (78 mm) | 8.5 h/day | 11°C | 4.0/10 |
| May | 15°C / 8°C | 16 days (92 mm) | 10.0 h/day | 14°C | 5.3/10 |
| June | 16°C / 11°C | 18 days (102 mm) | 9.6 h/day | 16°C | 6.2/10 |
| Best month: July | 17°C / 12°C | 20 days (116 mm) | 8.7 h/day | 17°C | 6.6/10 |
| Best month: August | 17°C / 13°C | 22 days (150 mm) | 8.6 h/day | 18°C | 6.6/10 |
| September | 16°C / 11°C | 17 days (119 mm) | 6.8 h/day | 16°C | 5.6/10 |
| October | 13°C / 9°C | 19 days (144 mm) | 5.4 h/day | 13°C | 3.9/10 |
| November | 10°C / 7°C | 18 days (144 mm) | 3.8 h/day | 10°C | 2.1/10 |
| December | 9°C / 5°C | 21 days (172 mm) | 2.9 h/day | 8°C | 1.2/10 |
Avoid. Highs of 8.1°C, rain on 19.5 days and only 3.4 hours of sun a day. Cold, wet and dark, with the lowest score of the year.
Avoid. Highs of 8.6°C and rain on 18.8 days. It is still cold and wet, with 4.8 hours of sun a day. Wait for spring.
Avoid. Highs reach 9.5°C, but rain falls on 18.1 days and brings 124 mm. Days get brighter, yet it is still a poor time to visit.
OK. Highs of 11.8°C and rain on 14.5 days, the fewest of the year. Just 78 mm of rain makes it the driest month. Pack layers.
OK. Highs of 14.5°C, rain on 15.7 days and 10 hours of sun a day, the sunniest month. A fair choice before summer.
Good. Highs of 16.3°C and rain on 17.7 days. Long, bright days with 9.6 hours of sun, and the sea warms to 16.4°C.
Good, with the joint top score alongside August. Highs of 17.1°C, but rain falls on 19.9 days. Bring a waterproof.
Good, joint best with July. Highs of 17.1°C and the warmest sea at 17.5°C, but also the most rain days: 21.8, with 150 mm.
OK. Highs of 15.8°C and rain on 17 days. The sea is still 15.8°C. A reasonable month as summer fades, with 6.8 hours of sun.
Avoid. Highs drop to 13.1°C, and rain falls on 19 days, totalling 144 mm. Wet and getting darker. Come earlier in the year instead.
Avoid. Highs of 10.3°C, rain on 17.9 days and 144 mm of rain. Only 3.8 hours of sun a day. Not worth the trip.
Avoid. Highs of 8.9°C, rain on 20.5 days and 172 mm, the wettest month. Just 2.9 hours of sun a day, the darkest of the year.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Ireland →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for couples, walkers, a calmer central base
A tree-lined street along the Carrowbeg River, next to the town centre but more peaceful than the pub streets. It is a pleasant base if you want to walk everywhere and still sleep well. It is a small area, so rooms here can be harder to find in peak season.
Good for food lovers, sea views
The old harbour area on Clew Bay, with restaurants, a few pubs and views across the water. It feels more relaxed than the town and is on the side of town facing Croagh Patrick. The downside is that the walk into the centre is longer than it looks, and there are few shops for everyday needs.
Good for families, green space
The area around the Westport House estate sits between the town and the Quay, with parkland and family activities on the doorstep. It gives children space to run around and is quieter at night. You will walk further for food and pubs, and many visitors end up using a car.
Good for rail travellers, quiet evenings
A residential side of town near the train station, handy if you are arriving without a car. It is quieter than the centre but still within walking distance of it. There are fewer places to eat nearby, and the walk back from the pubs involves some slope.
Good for drivers, hikers, peace and quiet
Rural areas around the edge of Clew Bay offer open views, dark skies and easy access to walks and cycling routes. They suit people who want Westport as a base for exploring Mayo rather than for nightlife. Public transport is limited, so you really need a car or a bike.
Typical journey times and fares from the airport and other cities.
| Route | By | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin → Westport Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) runs trains between Dublin Heuston and Westport. The fastest train listed takes 3h 14m (Rome2Rio), and there are only a few trains a day. The Irish Rail fares page lists fares on this line, but I couldn't see the full Dublin–Westport fare, so prices are left blank. Check irishrail.ie before you travel. | train | 3 h 14 min | – ↗ |
Westport sits on Clew Bay, where mussels are farmed. Many restaurants and pubs serve them steamed in a pot with bread, often as a lunch or evening starter.
Oysters are also grown in the bay. Locals and visitors eat them raw with lemon and a pint of stout, mostly in seafood restaurants and harbour-area pubs.
A creamy soup of local fish and shellfish, served with brown bread. It is a standard pub lunch in Westport, especially on cold or wet days.
Lamb from sheep raised on nearby Achill Island's hills and salt marshes. Look for it on restaurant menus in town, usually roasted or as a main course at dinner.
A dense bread made with baking soda and buttermilk instead of yeast. It comes with soup, chowder and seafood almost everywhere, and many cafés bake their own.
Eggs, bacon, sausages, black and white pudding, tomato and toast. Guesthouses and cafés serve it in the morning, and it is a common start before a walk or cycle.
July and August are the best months to visit Westport. Both get our top score of 6.6, with daytime highs of 17.1°C and the sea at about 17°C. Expect rain, though. August has 21.8 rain days. For drier weather, April has the fewest rain days (14.5) and the least rain (78 mm), but highs are only 11.8°C.
Yes, August is one of the best months for Westport. Highs average 17.1°C, lows 12.5°C, and the sea reaches 17.5°C, the warmest of the year. The downside is rain. August has 21.8 rain days and 150 mm of rain, the most rain days of any month. Bring a good waterproof and keep your plans flexible.
We advise against it. January, February, March, October, November and December are all rated "avoid". December is the wettest month, with 172 mm of rain over 20.5 rain days and only 2.9 hours of sun. January highs are just 8.1°C. Cold, wet and dark days make outdoor trips like Croagh Patrick or Clare Island much less enjoyable.
Plan for about a long weekend. Clare Island in Clew Bay takes a full day. Climbing Croagh Patrick takes 3–5 hours, and the National Famine Memorial and Murrisk Abbey nearby take about 30 minutes each. Another day covers Westport House (2–3 hours), Westport Quay, the town centre and The Mall, and Matt Molloy's (1–2 hours each).
The sea is cool even in summer. It is warmest in August at 17.5°C and July at 17.3°C. It drops to 7°C in January. If you want to swim, go between June and September, when the sea stays above 15°C. Even then, most people will find the water cold.
Enter to search · Esc to close