Dogs Bay / Gurteen Bay

Set a few mile outside the picturesque village of Roundstone in Connemara, Co. Galway, Dogs Bay and Gurteen Bay comprise two of the finest beaches in the West of Ireland, fabulous destinations for walking and swimming.

Lying back to back, Dogs Bay and Gurteen Bay comprise one of the finest stretches of coastline in Connemara, offering uncompromising views of Errisbeg and the surrounding countryside.

Dogs Bay is a spectacular horseshoe shaped bay with more than a mile long stretch of white sandy beach. Similar to Gurteen Bay, the sand is not comprised of traditional limestone but rather made entirely of fragments of seashells.

The beaches at both Dogs Bay and Gurteen Bay are fairly sheltered from currents and considered quite safe for swimming. Dogs bay is also a popular destination for windsurfing.

Dogs Bay and Gurteen Bay are also fabulous places for walking. You'd be hard pressed to find a better place for decompressing and reconnecting with nature. Large colonies of sea birds and an array of aquatic life are not uncommon to Dogs and Gurteen bays.

Fierce storms in the 1990's uncovered significant archeological artifacts suggesting human habitation of Dogs Bay area could date back to at least 4,000 BC.

If You Go: Both Dogs Bay and Gurteen Bay are well signposted along the coast road from Roundstone to Clifden.