Overview
Cregganbaun (Irish: An Creagán Bán, ‘the white rocky ground’) is a scatter of houses on the R335, 26 km by road south of Westport, sitting at 57 m above sea level at the foot of the Mweelrea range. It is a launching point rather than a destination: this is where the tree-lined lanes of south-west Mayo run out and the open mountain begins. The old national school here is now disused, and local children travel to Killeen or Louisburgh, which tells you the size of the place.
If you have a couple of hours and don’t fancy a mountain, the Srahwee wedge tomb is the thing to see. If you have the legs and the weather, Mweelrea is why most people come.
Srahwee wedge tomb
A short walk north of the village, the Srahwee wedge tomb is one of Ireland’s finest examples of the type. It dates to around 2000 BC, runs about 15 feet long and 6 feet wide, and has a single chamber capped by a large flat slab. Locally it is called Altoir, the altar, because the capstone was reportedly used as one during the Penal era, and it carries a small, crudely incised cross. It was also venerated as a holy well.
Look across the road for the real surprise: the fossilised stumps of an ancient forest, dated to roughly 2500 BC. That makes the trees five centuries older than the tomb built to look at them. Both are free to visit straight from the roadside, with a small layby for a quick stop.
Climbing Mweelrea
Mweelrea rises to 814 m, the highest mountain in the province of Connacht. Be clear about what it is before you set out: there is no waymarked path to the summit, the upper slopes are trackless, exposed and often boggy even in summer, and mist can close in off the loughs without warning. This is a serious hill day for experienced walkers with proper boots, a waterproof shell and the ability to navigate by map and compass rather than a phone alone.
The usual starting points are off the R335 between Doo Lough and Glenullin Lough, where there is a small free car park, or from Silver Strand for certain routes. On a clear day the reward is a summit view stretching across the Atlantic, the Twelve Bens and down to Killary Harbour in neighbouring Galway. A longer outing can take in the adjoining peak of Ben Bury along a more demanding ridge.
The coast road
The R335 south of Cregganbaun threads the famous Doolough valley toward Delphi, the road hugging the loughs before the landscape opens to the coast near Louisburgh. It is one of the best short drives in Mayo, and the quiet lanes linking Cregganbaun to Louisburgh make easy, scenic cycling away from the heavier coast-road traffic.
Practical information
Cregganbaun is best reached by car; the R335 gives straightforward access from Westport, with parking at the Mweelrea car park, the Srahwee layby and along the village lanes. Bring what you need for the day: the nearest reliable shops, cafés and fuel are in Louisburgh, about 7 km north. Mobile coverage is patchy in the hills, so download offline maps before you climb.
The most comfortable walking window runs from late May to early September, when the days are longest and the rain (a little) less constant. A morning on Mweelrea followed by the drive down through Doolough makes a full day with nothing wasted.