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5th April 2009 - by Gerard Brady
  
Sightseeing in Mayo County
  
If sightseeing, fishing, golf, cycling, walking or great food is your thing Mayo has something to offer every visitor and tourist alike. There is a fantastic rugged and equally long coastline and some amazing sea cliffs in the north of the county. While Croagh Patrick, The Quite Man, and the famous Film The Field are most famously associated with the Heather county. Mayo has lots of visitor centers, tourist attractions, caravan parks and with a little planning (and fine weather), you can have a very memorable stay that will remain with you forever.

The Foxford Woollen Mills (Foxford) where rugs, blankets &  tweeds can be seen to be produced in the traditional way by craftspeople. The National Museum of Country Life (Castlebar) where audio and visual presentations, the visitor is swept back in time to the ways and life of people on the West Coast in the 1850s up to 1950s. From what kind of clothing they wore, what it was made out of and how they survived. Other centers include Michael Davitt Museum which tells the story of this man and his participation in Ireland's all important era of the Land League. Achill Folklife Centre showing what is important about local life on the Island. To this day on St Patricks Day the Achill Pipe Band keep the tradition of walking from one side of the Island to the other. Starting out early morning and eventually arriving into The Sound.

For Walkers Croagh Patrick is a tantalizing Prospect although not to be taken lightly as the last part is the toughest. But what a view when you get there! It is both spiritually uplifting and personally rewarding to reach the top of Ireland s famous mountain. It was made famous by Irelands Patron Saint, St Patrick. As a slave St Patrick came to Ireland and taught the people of Ireland Christianity. He is said to have lasted forty days and forty nights fasting on the mountain. Tochar Padraig is an ancient walk that follows that of St Patrick from Ballintubber Abbey to the Mountain.

The Tour de Humbert is a special sign posted cycling route. This route starts in north Mayo at Kilcummin in Killala Bay and follows the same route taken by the French army that landed in Mayo in 1798 to help with the Irish rebellion that year. It takes the cyclist on a very scenic route towards Ballina around Lough Conn and into Castlebar.

Killary Harbour is Ireland's only Fjord and is part of the Mayo Galway border. There are cruises arranged for the 16 km stretch. This is a very beautiful part of the county. Drive back towards Westport and pass the picturesque Aasleagh Falls &  Partry Mountains. There are plenty of Routes to take around Mayo to discover its uniqueness. Lough mask and Tourmakeady in the south of the county, Knock Shrine to the East to Ballina in the north and Achill Island on the furthermost west point of Ireland.

Please make your way to Mayo where you will be pleasantly surprised at the hospitality we offer to tourists!

Source: http://articlesabroad.com

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