Ireland never fails to deliver, join Steven Akkersdijk as he takes his camper on a near circumnavigation of the Emerald Isle discovering some of it’s best kite beaches along the way, and tackling a huge storm too!

Ireland can be grey, cold and rainy. The waves can get huge, and the storms that hit will blow you away, even if you’re not holding a kite. When going out for a session, the chances are high that you’ll be the only one out there, with possibly some sheep and cows watching over you. If I had to describe this place in one word, it would be “RAW”.

Ireland has always been on my 'must visit' list and this past autumn; everything lined up perfectly to finally make a trip over there happen. I bought a campervan that we packed to the roof with gear, and off Jose Denis-Robichaud and I went. From the Netherlands, we drove down south to catch the ferry in Cherbourg (France) and then drove straight to Ireland from there.

Arriving in the Southeast (Rosslare)

Upon our arrival in Ireland, within minutes we were at the beach. We ventured over to Ladies Island Lake, which is very close to the ferry in Rosslare. After a quick power nap, we had the perfect conditions for some freestyle, with perfect flat water. The Southeastern part is relatively flat and has some fantastic flat-water spots that work with any South wind. Some of the places like Tramore are tide dependent, as it’s a river mouth, but there is also a couple of lakes to choose from around the area. Besides that, there is also an entire coastline to explore!

Cliffs And Bays In The South West

Driving through Ireland sometimes feels like you’re driving through different countries, as the scenery is so diverse. When we arrived in the southwest, I saw Ireland as I expected it with all its high cliffs separating land and sea, and bays and river mouths between the mountains. Driving from one side of the inlet to the other could take you over an hour, even though you could see your destination from where you started!

Finding the right spot here is not easy, and it takes many hours of searching on Google maps to find the right bay for that specific wind direction. We figured it was best to ask the locals where to go, as there were way too many options!

It was here in the southwest that we got our first big storm front that hit the coast. On the news, a 'Code Orange' was mentioned, and as well as a caravan that had blown off the cliffs, with an elderly lady sadly still inside (may her soul rest in peace). The forecast was a good 40 knots at Inch Beach, but due to the shape of the bay, it increased to a staggering 50 knots! With waves breaking 300 meters into the coast, and then there is me, with an 8m GTS5 that I could hardly hold down in the gusts, it was survival mode ON! In these conditions, I was grateful to have a friend like Christian out there on the water with me, just in case something went wrong.

After 45 minutes of fighting the wind, Christian and I were done. We packed up and found this little waterfall from a drainage pipe. After having a quick check if it was clean, this was the closest thing to a shower we had, and we gladly washed our gear there.

The southwest of Ireland offers a broad diversity of bays you can explore depending on the wind and swell direction, but all the bays provide pretty much the same kiting conditions, which are onshore winds, and long flat sections between the waves. Due to the shape of the bays, it’s hard to find decent side-shore conditions, as it gets super gusty. The one place you might find good wind with side-shore conditions is Brandon bay. This is a big bay that provides a couple of point breaks, and additional beaches to accommodate various wind directions.

Vanlife In Ireland

Sleeping in your campervan in Ireland was a bit odd! Most parking areas had 2m high barriers, so we were unable to park. Often, we ended up parking our van on a little parking spot on the side of the road, which felt a bit sketchy. A couple of times, I had the feeling that the police would come by and ask us to move on, but luckily, that never happened.

The only hard part was finding a shower and toilets, but I like to believe this adds to the overall experience! Would I recommend going to Ireland in a van? For sure! I loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat; make sure you have a heater, some warm clothes and a portable toilet.

The Cliffs Of Moher

One of the most impressive sceneries I’ve ever seen! The Cliffs of Moher are stunning, especially when you go and visit them at sunset. I’m not a big fan of tourist attractions, but I was in awe. Luckily, the locals advised us to park at a different parking lot around the corner; no tourists and best of all no paved paths to follow. The local's trail led to a wave spot down by the cliffs, and we got to surf with an unforgettable backdrop!

Strong Winds In The Northwest

There was a big storm about to hit the Northwest of Ireland, and of course, I was keen to get some strong winds and nice kicker waves with side shore wind. After having a chat with Marcel (a local from Achill Island), we travelled up to Belmullet in search for the perfect spot to ride the storm.

Once we arrived, we not only found the brutal conditions we were seeking but also a lot of French riders. We were only a few days away from 'The Battle for the Lake' event, so where you would typically find yourself alone on the water, there was now an entire crowd on the beach and in the water!

Belmullet provides a lot of spots that work with different wind directions, but you won’t find high cliffs here, so the wind is reasonably clean even if there are side shore conditions. We stayed up here for a few days, but unfortunately, there was a lot of rain and not the right type of wind. So after a few days, we decided to drive over to Achill Island, where the event was taking place.

In Between The Sheep At Achill Island

The moment we started getting close to Achill Island, there was one thing that we noticed; there was sheep everywhere! We had to be mindful while driving because there could be a herd of sheep around the corner!

Once we reached Achill Island, the scenery amazed us. It’s a big bay with massive cliffs on the one side and a village on the other. The waves that roll into the bay slowly start breaking far out, and gently roll into the bay, providing perfect flat spots in between. The dominant wind direction here is Southwest, which is dead on-shore and making for some incredible freestyle conditions.

Not so keen to ride in the waves? No problem. There is a lake 600m away from the beach providing you with perfect flat water. When it comes to places to sleep in the van, we had no problems finding a spot. The first night we slept on the rocky beach, and the other nights rested just under the cliffs on the left-hand side.

If you visit around the same time we did, you’ll hear about 'The Battle For The Lake' annual event. This is a super fun event that brings people from all over Ireland to Achill. The days are filled with watersport activities and live bands in the evening. It is worth keeping an eye on the date and synchronizing it with your travel itinerary.

One of the days, we got a solid swell and a Northwest wind. I was a little hesitant that the wind would be way too gusty, but it turned out to be pretty good. I can't say it was steady, as it came over the mountains, but the side offshore conditions and solid swell made for a perfect playground. At one point we even had some sunshine, lighting up the background, which made for a fantastic view.

Surfing Up North

After a few days in Achill Island, it was time to head up north in search of some solid breaks. One of the reasons I wanted to go to Ireland in the first place was the number of point breaks vs. amount of surfers. There were so many things to do during the trip that I hadn’t been surfing as much as hoped to, but the North would for surely deliver.

We drove up to Easky, where there are a few breaks the area. The breaks ranged from slow lefts to faster rights, and a super hollow slab. It was perfect for surfing, but unfortunately, the conditions didn’t allow for a kitesurfing session. I honestly think that if the conditions lined up, you could score some seriously good sessions here!

Best Time To Go

We were in Ireland from mid-September to the beginning of October, and I think we should have gone a month earlier. Even though we got a lot of windy days, and decent swell, we also had a lot of rain from the storms passing through. If we went earlier, we probably would have had less wind but more sunshine. So, in the end, it comes down to your personal preference.

Summing It All Up

After spending almost a month in Ireland, I must say that I enjoyed the country. Although we didn’t score the perfect conditions and had a lot of rain, I firmly believe this country can deliver you some insane sessions!  All you need is a lot of patience, and a bit of inside knowledge on the spot.

What makes for better memories than searching for the perfect conditions with friends, especially in a country as breathtaking as Ireland!

Videos

Pure Magic Battle for the Lake 2018 - Achill Island by Cian Mckenna
By Steven Akkersdijk

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