Aasleagh Falls

Connemara Mountains, County Mayo, Ireland

About Aasleagh Falls


Hiking Distance: about 800m round-trip
Suggested Time: about 30 minutes

Date first visited: 2024-07-14
Date last visited: 2024-07-14

Waterfall Latitude: 53.61963
Waterfall Longitude: -9.67051

Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Aasleagh Falls (Eas Liath in Irish Gaelic, meaning “grey waterfall”) is a wide block-type waterfall where the Erriff River is said to drop some 3.5m over a span of about 20m.

Situated near Connemara National Park near Ireland’s central west coast in County Galway, this was surprisingly lightly visited as well as one of the easier ones to access.

Aasleagh_Falls_045_07142024 - Aasleagh Falls
Aasleagh Falls

In fact, the wide open valley that the falls was situated in was reminiscent of the Chute de la Madeleine in New Caledonia.

That said, the difference here was that Aasleagh Falls could be one of the spots where salmon could be spotted swimming up river and trying to jump the waterfall to continue further upstream.

Apparently, someone we met at the waterfall had said that they witnessed such a spectacle the evening before the day that we showed up (unfortunately, we didn’t get to witness this during our visit).

As for accessing the Aasleagh Waterfall, we only had to go on a 400m walk from the car park (see directions below) to the sanctioned lookout.

Aasleagh_Falls_038_07142024 - Following the service road leading to the lookout for the Aaslaeagh Falls, but we noticed this fencing blocking a path leading to the banks of the Erriff River and possibly the base of the waterfall
Following the service road leading to the lookout for the Aaslaeagh Falls, but we noticed this fencing blocking a path leading to the banks of the Erriff River and possibly the base of the waterfall

This walk involved a combination of following the R335 Road to what appeared to be a former service road (there’s a disabled car park by the turnoff of this service road).

Along the way, we managed to get comprehensive views of the falls from the road bridge spanning the Erriff River, and we got profile views of the falls from the sanctioned lookout.

We noticed that there was a locked gate shortly before the sanctioned lookout, and I’d imagine it was put there to prevent people from scrambling to the banks of the river and possibly up to the base of the Aasleagh Falls.

Anyways, I noticed that the trail kept going past the sanctioned waterfall lookout so I did a little exploring just to see where it went.

Aasleagh_Falls_064_07142024 - Checking out a fenced off station or gauge facility upstream of the Aasleagh Falls as I was exploring to see what else was here besides the main waterfall
Checking out a fenced off station or gauge facility upstream of the Aasleagh Falls as I was exploring to see what else was here besides the main waterfall

From what I was able to tell, there was some kind of research facility or fishery or gauge just upstream of the brink of the Aasleagh Falls, and there was also some river access to some minor cascades further upstream.

The trail continued further upstream along the Erriff River, but I was content to turn around and return the way we came.

Overall, we had spent about 40 minutes away from the car though a lot of that time was spent chatting with the stranger who saw the salmon run here as well as my extra exploration further upstream (so the waterfall excursion could be shorter).

Authorities

Aasleagh Falls is near Connemara National Park near the Galway/Mayo border (a little over an hour’s drive from the city of Galway) in County Mayo, Ireland. It is administered by the Mayo County Council. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, you can try visiting the Mayo County Council website.

Aasleagh_Falls_008_07142024 - Distant look towards the Aasleagh Falls backed by rolling mountains seen on the brief walk to the lookout from its car park
Aasleagh_Falls_009_07142024 - More focused look at the Aasleagh Falls seen as we were walking along the R335 towards the service road leading to its lookout
Aasleagh_Falls_014_07142024 - Looking upstream up some rapids along the Erriff River towards the Aasleagh Falls as seen from the R335 road bridge
Aasleagh_Falls_021_07142024 - Looking downstream from the R335 road bridge along the River Erriff
Aasleagh_Falls_028_07142024 - Portrait look up some rapids along the Erriff River with the Aasleagh Falls in the distance as seen from the R335 road bridge
Aasleagh_Falls_033_07142024 - Differently angled look up the River Erriff towards the Aasleagh Falls from further along the R335 Road as we got closer to the service road/trail leading closer to the waterfall's lookout
Aasleagh_Falls_035_07142024 - Approaching the service road and handicapped car park leading to the lookout for the Aasleagh Falls
Aasleagh_Falls_036_07142024 - A gate blocking public vehicular access down this service road, which is now a foot trail leading to the lookout for the Aasleagh Falls
Aasleagh_Falls_037_07142024 - Following this paved service road up to the lookout for the Aasleagh Falls
Aasleagh_Falls_041_07142024 - Approaching the established lookout for the Aasleagh Falls
Aasleagh_Falls_048_07142024 - Contextual look at Aasleagh Falls with some local who managed to figure out how to get to its brink to fish from there
Aasleagh_Falls_056_07142024 - More focused look at Aasleagh Falls with the local doing some fishing from near its brink
Aasleagh_Falls_060_07142024 - Continuing to hike past the Aasleagh Falls lookout just to see what else was up beyond the waterfall
Aasleagh_Falls_065_07142024 - Looking upstream towards some rocks hiding some cascades or rapids further upstream from the station or gauge beyond the Aasleagh Falls
Aasleagh_Falls_069_07142024 - Looking downstream towards the fencing and tree in the direction of the Aasleagh Falls
Aasleagh_Falls_073_07142024 - Continuing further upstream along the trail well beyond the station or gauge beyond the Aasleagh Falls
Aasleagh_Falls_075_07142024 - When I realized that there was nothing more concerning waterfalls as I was exploring further upstream along the Erriff River, that was when I knew it was time to turn around and head back
Aasleagh_Falls_076_07142024 - Closeup look at some kind of berry seen along the trail upstream of the Aasleagh Falls
Aasleagh_Falls_080_07142024 - When I returned to the lookout for Aasleagh Falls, it was empty
Aasleagh_Falls_086_07142024 - On the way back we noticed this trail fork though we didn't take the trail leading uphill to the left.  The path downhill to the right led to the end of the service road and the R335 Road
Aasleagh_Falls_087_07142024 - Back on the R335 Road as we made our way back to the car park
Aasleagh_Falls_091_07142024 - Making it back to the car park for the Aasleagh Falls


Aasleagh Falls resides near the Connemara National Park a short drive to the east of the Kylemore Abbey and near the town of Clifden.

We drove here from the city of Galway so that’s how I’ll describe the driving directions.

Drive from Galway to Aasleagh Falls

Drive_to_Kylemore_037_MingSung_07142024 - Driving along the N59 Road on the way to the Connemara National Park and both the Kylemore Abbey as well as the Aasleagh Falls
Driving along the N59 Road on the way to the Connemara National Park and both the Kylemore Abbey as well as the Aasleagh Falls

From the city centre of Galway, we drove to the northwest along the N59 for about 43km before reaching the signed road junction with the R336 on the right.

We’d then turn right onto the R336 and follow this road for about 7.5km before crossing a bridge towards a three-way intersection.

Turning left at this junction to remain on the R336, we’d then continue another 13.6km before turning right at the next junction to head north on the N59 Road.

After about 3.3km on the N59, we then turned left onto the R335 (signs for Aasleagh Falls should be seen by now), and we then followed the R335 for 700m to the car park for the waterfall (there are spaces on both sides of the road).

Aasleagh_Falls_090_07142024 - Approaching the car park for the Aasleagh Falls, which is shortly after the road bridge over the River Erriff along the R335 Road
Approaching the car park for the Aasleagh Falls, which is shortly after the road bridge over the River Erriff along the R335 Road

Overall, this 68km drive should take a little over an hour.

Drive from Clifden to Aasleagh Falls

By the way, if you’re coming from Clifden, you’d be driving the N59 Road east for about 37km before turning left onto the R335 Road.

Then you’d go the final 700m to the Aasleagh Falls car park.

This roughly 38km drive should take about 45-60 minutes.

Drive_to_Aasleagh_Falls_033_MingSung_07142024 - Following the N59 Road between the Kylemore Abbey and the turnoff for the R335 Road to the Aasleagh Falls
Following the N59 Road between the Kylemore Abbey and the turnoff for the R335 Road to the Aasleagh Falls

Note that the Kylemore Abbey is about half-way along the stretch of the N59 between Clifden and the turnoff for the R335 Road.

For context, Clifden is about 78km (over an hour drive) northwest of Galway, about 66km (over an hour drive) southwest of Westport, 151km (under 2 hours drive) northwest of Ennis, 147km (about 2.5 hours drive) northwest of Liscannor, 176km (about 2.5 hours drive) northwest of Ennistymon, about 147km (about 2.5 hours drive) northwest of Doolin, 166km (about 2 hours drive) northwest of Shannon, 185km (about 2.5 hours drive) northwest of Limerick, about 163km (about 2.5 hours drive) southwest of Sligo, and 285km (over 3 hours drive) west of Dublin.

Find A Place To Stay

First look at the falls from before the bridge before walking to the start of the bridge for a downstream and upstream perspective


Brief 360 degree sweep from the middle of the bridge ending up with a focus on the falls and cascades downstream of it


Downstream to upstream semi-circular sweep from the nearest lookout of an angled view of the falls with someone fishing at the brink

Trip Planning Resources


Nearby Accommodations



Tagged with: erriff, river, connemara, galway, mayo, ireland, killary harbour, leenaun, delphi pass, wild atlantic way, connacht



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Johnny Cheng

About Johnny Cheng

Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
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