The stony beach near Mulranny with its unusual pink and red hued rocks and pebbles.

 

Our first full day on Achill Island, but our first real bit of exploration was around the village of Mulranny.  Achill lies just off the coast of Co Mayo, and is close enough to the mainland to be linked by a bridge.  The part of the mainland it is connected to, is the Corraun Peninsula, which is almost as large as Achill and is very close to being an island itself.  It has Clew Bay to the south, Blacksod Bay to the north, Achill Sound to the west, and Bellacragher Bay to the east.  It is joined to the rest of Co Mayo on the eastern side by a narrow isthmus, on which lies the village of Mulranny.  We left Achill via the bridge and drove east across Corraun to Mulranny, and spent most of the day strolling round the beach and salt marsh on the Corraun side of the isthmus.

 

Looking across to the mainland on the northeastern side of the Corraun Peninsula.

 

 

 

The salt marshes behind the rocky beach.

 

 

 

The strikingly coloured rocks and pebbles, stacked steeply by the Atlantic.

 

 

 

 

 

Raised ground above the beach, looking towards Mulranny village.

 

 

Next, we took a walk along the pier taking in the views of the boats, and Mulranny village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, we walked the short distance across the salt marsh to the little wooden bridge allowing access to the village.