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At KEEL , there's a wonderful two-mile sandy beach , which ends at the twin village of Dooagh. At the Keel end of the strand are the fantastic Cathedral Rocks, eroded into a series of caves and pillars by the wind and water. They are backed by Minaun , at 1532ft another mountain worth climbing for the view. A turning off the road into Keel will take you close up to the summit. West along the strand at DOOAGH , one road leads on over the side of the Croghaun to the golden sands and, on a good day, sparkling turquoise waters of Keem Strand . Often deserted, it's a rewarding place to make for, with its impressive views over Clew Bay, but if you're on a bike, be warned: it's tough going (and the sheer drop on the seaward side is vertigo inducing). A turning off the Keem Road will take you up to Acorrymore Lough - surrounded by scree slopes, and now dammed to supply water locally. It's a bleak, rather than poetic, spot and is the best ascent of Croghaun , the island's second highest mountain and just a whisker lower than Slievemore at 2195ft - its seaward side boasts spectacularly high cliffs, the island's highest. This is decidedly tough hill-walking country, so you need to be reasonably experienced even to think of attempting it. Once at the top, however, you're rewarded with a magnificent view of the Belmullet Peninsula and the scattered islands, while the Croagh Patrick and the Partry Mountains rise spectacularly in the southeast. At Keel there's the Wayfarer hostel , which is right on the strand (IHH; closed mid-Oct to mid-March; tel 098/43266, sorchadaly@esatclear.ie ), though it does lack good communal facilities. The campsite (closed Oct-May; tel 098/43211) is also on the strand. Dooagh's Achill Head hotel (tel 098/43108; GBP55-70/?69.84-88.88) has adequate rooms and a nightclub and could make a more lively base. There is also a fine B&B in Dooagh, the West Coast House (tel 098/43317, achwch@anu.ie ; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79) which is signposted from the Keel Road and offers amazing views of the bay below. The best places for eating and drinking in this area are: the Beehive in Keel, a relaxed crafts and coffee shop, and the culinary star of the area, and indeed the island, The Boley House , signposted from the eastern end of the village (6-9pm; tel 098/43147), which offers modest home-cooking using super-fresh ingredients. For traditional- music sessions try the The Mihaun Pub . You can rent bikes at O'Malley's Island Sports in Dooagh (tel 098/43125).
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