I am just back from a week’s staycation in the West of Ireland. Like most of us it had been a long time since I’ve been away and was so excited. We booked into The Quay House which is on the harbour in Clifden and otherwise didn’t plan anything but it ended up being a busy and action packed week. There was so much to do and some absolutely delicious food that I thought I would share here. Years ago eating out as a vegan was tricky but honestly this time round it was easy and everywhere had options.

A puncture on a bank holiday Sunday meant I ended up getting the train and bus to Clifden from Dublin but actually it was perfect. I was able to work on the way and all-in-all it took four hours so was the same time as driving would have been and I was able to work en route.

We stayed in The Quay House which was recommenced by my mum and dad. The rooms have themes which makes them all a little different. It’s perfectly located about a 10 minute walk from the centre of Clifden so ideal for restaurants but also peaceful. They did a gorgeous vegan breakfast for me every morning and were very accommodating.

Restaurants I Loved

Darcy Twelve came highly recommended and we ended up eating here twice because it was that lovely mix of incredible food in relaxed surroundings. It’s situated right in the middle of the town and a lovely place to watch the world go by while enjoying their super tasty menu. The Vegan options included a cauliflower satay and a raw chocolate and hazelnut tart with raspberry sorbet which was amazing. The truffle fries - minus the parmesan for me - are also delicious!

Baidin is at Clifden Boat Club. It’s the venture of three friends who dreamed of moving west and opening their own restaurant — head chef Sinead Moclair was three years at the Fumbally, Tom Mullan is former front of house in The Old Spot and Cirillo’s, and Eve Caulwell is a talented chef and veggie grower. The day we went there the rain was pouring down but the food is nourishing and delicious.

Sweet Nothings is a vegan cafe in Ballyconeely run by Justyna and Stephen. It’s amazing to see a place like this thrive and once I tried some of their hazelnut and chocolate cake I know exactly why. Vegan or not the food is absolutely delicious and they have savoury options for lunch but I think the really special options are their desserts and cakes so save some room or take some home with you to enjoy!

Other lovely places include Guys Bar, where I had a delicious Vegan Curry, and I didn’t go but heard amazing things about The Misunderstood Heron which is a Food Truck cafe located along the Wild Atlantic Way and the shores of the majestic Killary Fjord. Lastly after a trip to Kylemore Abbey we went to The Sea Hare in Cleggan. Also Steam Cafe did lovely take-away coffee.

Other things to do included Coasteering with Real Irish Adventures. This was such an amazing way to see the coast up close from a completely unique angle. Coasteering is a combination of adventure swimming, climbing, scrambling and cliff jumping exploring gullies, caves, cracks and different rock formations created by the sea. We also went for a gorgeous walk in Kylemore Abbey which is stunning. It can get very crowded though so get there early. Another lovely thing to do is go to Roundstone and enjoy the view in front of O’Dowds of the boats.