Clifden Castle in Galway: Visitor’s Guide
Thinking of visiting Clifden Castle in Ireland? Great choice.
Clifden Castle (Caislean an Clochán) in Irish is a beautiful abandoned castle, and in my opinion, one of the coolest-looking of all the ruined castles in Ireland.
Clifden Castle was built in 1818 (young for Irish standards) but fell into ruin by the end of the 1800s, and has remained abandoned since then.
It’s now a slightly off the beaten track castle to explore in the Galway area, just a couple kilometres from the nearby tourist village of Clifden.
I recently explored Clifden Castle in 2025, both the inside and out – and I’m going to share with you what you can expect. So, let’s dive in!
Is It Worth Going to Clifden Castle?
It’s definitely worth visiting Clifden Castle. I went there with my husband and two kids, and it was one of the highlights of our time in the Connemara region.
We had the Clifden Castle mostly to ourselves, and it is just as interesting inside as it was on the outside.
The walk to the castle from the parking lot was a pleasant experience in itself, we passed so many beautiful farm animals -horses, and cows, and gorgeous views of the lake and surrounding rolling green hills.
Even though the walk itself should only take 15 minutes (1 km or 0.6 miles), you’re likely to want to stop to take photos, so budget for a bit longer.
Pro Tip: I notice that some people don’t bother walking all the way to the castle (it’s about 1 km downhill, which means uphill on the way back) from the parking lot. It’s possible to simply walk part of the way and get photos from a distance from the path.
However, if you want to walk all the way, it can probably take 15-25 minutes from the parking lot, depending on how often you stop to take photos.
My 12-year-old at first wasn’t impressed that we were going to yet another castle – but once she saw Clifden Castle, even she was filled with awe.
The outside of the castle is pretty fascinating looking, but the inside is full of what was once rooms – ivy growing up most of them, and with the sun peaking it, it was absolutely beautiful.
Clifden Castle is truly a gem near the village of Clifden, which is one of Ireland’s cutest small towns. Here’s all you need to know to plan a visit to it:
How to Get to Clifden Castle
First, park in the parking lot, which is located right off Sky Road – see the exact location here.
If you don’t have a car, and you’re up for a super long bike ride or walk – you could technically walk the the 2.5 km (1.5 miles) from Clifden village all the way to the Clifden Castle parking lot, plus the extra 1 km from the lot. (3.5 km or 1.8 miles total.) It would be a physically demanding, mostly uphill walk, and a bit unsafe as it’s a single track road – but we did see some people walking on it.
Assuming you’ll be driving, keep in mind that the parking lot is very small; it’s free of charge, but there’s only space for about 6-7 cars.
On a very sunny weekend day in May, there were still a couple of free spaces when we showed up around noon.
From the parking lot, walk as close to the castle as you wish (as I mentioned earlier, not everyone decides to go the whole way.)
Again, its 1 km walk total, but less than that if you just want photos of the castle from a distance.
It’s a wide dirt path, but it’s very rocky with uneven terrain – I recommend wearing shoes.
Eventually, you’ll be right in front of the castle. From there, you can choose to just take photos from the outside or explore the inside.
We decided to explore inside, but there are some important things to keep in mind before doing this. Please read below before visiting!
IMPORTANT: Things to Keep in Mind for Visiting Clifden Castle
❌ Beware of stinging nettle
There are lots of stinging nettles (pictured below) growing around the castle. It’s a very common plant in Ireland and is found at many abandoned castles.
I recommend wearing long pants to visit the castle, to prevent coming into contact with the plant on your legs.
I got stung by stinging nettle when we were exploring the inside of Clifden Castle. It stung for about a day, and I took the precautions and felt fine. It was on my arm and wrist, as I was trying to take a photo and brushed against the plant!
Read info here about what to do in case you accidentally get stung too.
❌ Exercise caution
Clifden Castle is over 200 years old, and has been in ruin for most of that time. I’m not sure if anyone currently maintains the castle or assesses its ongoing safety to the public.
This means that if you decide to go right up to the castle and go inside, you’re doing so at your own risk.
It seemed safe enough to us, but these things change over time. Beware of unstable rocks, or falling rocks.
❌ Be respectful
When we were at Clifden Castle, there was another family with two kids visiting. The parents were letting the kids throw rocks at the insides of the walls.
Remember that abandoned castles in Ireland are extremely old and fragile. They also have a lot of history, but not a lot of upkeep. Treat them with the respect.
Tips for Places to Stay/Things to Do Near Clifden Castle
The Connemara region, where Clifden Castle is located, is a stunningly beautiful area.
I stayed in the area during my most recent trip to Ireland, and I’m so glad we did. There are many gems to explore, as well as a wealth of dramatic natural beauty:
- Hiking in Connemarra National Park
- Visit cute small towns: Clifden, Roundstone, Letterfrack
- Spend 1/2 a day exploring the Kylemore Abbey estate
- Visit Galway city, about 90 minutes from where Clifden Castle is
Fun fact: The Connemara was the subject of an 80s French song, Les lacs du connemara, so you will see many French tourists and expats in the area!
Where to Stay in the Clifden/Connemara area
- Lots of accommodation right in the heart of the village of Clifden. There are also lots of shops, restaurants and cafés. It’s a cozy little seaside town.
- Abbeyglen Castle Hotel is very close to Clifden and to the castle. Check availability here.
- There are many idyllic Irish cottages in the countryside to stay in (which is what we did.) This is the amazing Airbnb we stayed at – about 20 mintues from the Clifden Castle. But, you need to be a confident driver as the roads are very windy and many are single-track track
Clifden Castle FAQ
Aside from the info I provided above, here are additional commonly asked questions to help you prepare for a visit to the beautiful Clifden Castle
Is Clifden Castle free to visit?
Yes, it’s completely free to visit Clifden Castle. The parking is free, and there’s no admission to visit the castle as no one currently is operating it.
Who owns Clifden Castle?
After lots of internet searching, I was unable to determine who (if anyone) is the owner of Clifden Castle. The wikipedia article suggests that the estate was divided up amongst all nearby landowners back in the 1930s. If it has remained that way, then no one has taken direct responsibility for it, which may be partially why it remains in ruin.
Final Thoughts on Clifden Castle
Clifden Castle is a worthwhile small abandoned castle to check out if you don’t mind the 1 km (0.6 mile) walk, which takes around 15 minutes.
You may encounter 1-2 other parties at the castle, and likely more along the walking path – but it doesn’t get overly busy, based on our May weekend visit. I hope that this aticle helped you plan a fun little excursion to see the castle!