The Aran Islands

"Three small limestone islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, held together by dry-stone walls, prehistoric forts, and a refusal to be hurried."

The Aran Islands — Inis Mór, Inis Meáin, and Inis Oírr — lie at the mouth of Galway Bay and geologically belong to the Burren. The biggest, Inis Mór, is home to Dún Aonghasa, a dramatic Iron-Age fort set on a 90-metre cliff above the Atlantic.

We walk all three islands over four days, moving between them by small ferry. There are no cars on Inis Meáin or Inis Oírr. The only sound most mornings is the wind in the dry-stone walls.

Our contact on Inis Mór, a knitting teacher and part-time fisherman, will happily show you how a proper Aran jumper is made.