Off Ireland's Western Coast Is A Pretty Island With Scenic Camping, Charming Villages, And Vast Ocean Views

According to The Ireland Walking Guide, there are 29 accessible islands peppering the long coastline of the nation, each with its own promise of adventure. Among them is the rock of Valentia Island, a place perched out right on the far-flung cusp of the country, between the raw and jagged cliffs of the Skellig Coast and the vast Atlantic Ocean. It's an enthralling spot, where lighthouses stand tall against the wild waves, pre-historic relics abound, and the views are, simply, breathtaking.

Yep, Valentia is among the most jaw-dropping locations along the well-named Wild Atlantic Way, which stretches 1,600 miles up the Atlantic-bashed bit of Ireland. That means epic landscapes where the ocean meets the land are in the offing here, along shores cut up and carved by ancient rocks, and tufted with lush oceanic flora. There are also some more cozy spots huddled in its midst, in the form of ice-cream-colored fishing hamlets and campgrounds with sweeping views back over the Kerry highlands.

If all that's stoked the wanderlust, then here's a bit more good news: Valentia Island benefits from a direct road link to the mainland — a bridge goes right across from the town of Portmagee on the Kerry Coast, meaning you can drive straight in from the county's main gateway from the air, the Kerry Airport (KIR), in just 1.5 hours. You can also drive over from Cork, the second-largest city in Ireland (and a hub for international ferries and flights, to boot), in under three hours.

The folks over at The Irish Road Trip, a long-running blog and guide to driving the scenic routes of the Emerald Isle, hail Valentia for having perhaps the single most incredible views in all of Ireland. Big words. But the views might just be big enough to back them up. Indeed, there are views at all angles here — the edges of the Irish mainland one way, the sweeping ocean the other.

Things are said to get seriously dramatic at Geokaun Mountain and the adjoining Fogher Cliffs that crash off the north side of the island. Typical of the sort of views you get on the unforgettable Wild Atlantic Way up and down the Irish coast, it's a place where you can gaze out to see the mystical Skelligs, a series of arrowhead-shaped ocean rocks settled by hermit monks thousands of years back, across to cliff-ringed Dingle Bay to the north, or west towards the mountains that form the backdrop to the legendary serpentine coastal road that is the Ring of Kerry.

Meanwhile, the westernmost tip of Valentia Island is home to Bray Head. An out-and-back hiking trail whisks you up the whole length of it, taking about 1 to 1.5 hours in total. But you'll want to leave at least a little bit of time to appreciate the views that unfold at the end. They culminate with visions of the island's own craggy northern shoreline, as other, more distant, Irish rocks make themselves visible in the sea mists on the horizon.

Amid the raw and rugged coastal scenery that abounds across Valentia Island, there are also pockets of real Irish charm. Ferries arrive at the village of Knightstown on the eastern end of the rock. It's not as higgledy-piggledy as other fishing towns in the region, simply because it was purpose-planned in the mid-1800s. But it still has a whiff of old-world Celtic hospitality, in the form of the historic Royal Valentia Hotel, a place that once hosted the son of Queen Victoria, no less!

Not far from there, just on the outskirts of little Knightstown, Valentia Island Caravan & Camping is the most southwesterly place to pitch a tent or rock up with the RV in the whole country. And it's a pretty little pitch, to say the least. One past visitor, writing on Tripadvisor, sums up the campground with the following glowing words: "Gorgeous campsite in the heart of picturesque Valentia Island with some beautiful planting and native wild flowers. Ideally located within walking distance of the lovely village park."

Leaving Valentia by road, perhaps on route to the land of majestic mountain lakes and castles that is the Killarney National Park, which is located in the same region just over 1.5 hours' drive to the east, will likely mean passing through the harbor town of Portmagee. Just across from Valentia on the mainland, it's bustling throughout the warmer months with visitors launching outings to Ireland's famous Skellig Islands. It's got a swashbuckling history filled with tales of smugglers, plus some hearty pubs that serve Irish stews and sides of folk music sure to get your feet a-tapping.