Streedagh Beach, co.Sligo

 Streedagh beach is located close to the village of Grange in co.Sligo. It is an impressive 3km long beach located on a sandbar reached by a small road.

The beach is steeped in history, it is here that 3 ships of the Spanish Armada tried to shelter from the Atlantic Storms but were wrecked on the 25th September 1588.
But the day we visited Streedagh, the Atlantic was calm,  not at all comparable to the heavy seas the Santa Maria de Vision, the Juliana and the Lavia   must have encountered on that faithful 25th September.
At low tide, it is possible to see the remains of another boat locally known as the "butter boat". The butter boat, which was wrecked during the 18th century, can be reached at very low tide. The only remaining part is it's upturned ribs.

After having parked the car on the car park (Take note that this car park can flood at very high tide), we decided to walk the lenght of the beach. The views are just stunning, from here you can see as far as Slieve League in Donegal and in the distance, you can also see Inishmurray.

Although there is some dune erosion, the beach is fabulous. The azure water is inviting and the great thing about this beach is the lack of seaweed and rocks. All you find is clear water and sand.
At the end of the beach ,you will find  a small island which is connected by an isthmus. Walking over to the island at low tide is fabulous, and you could be forgiven to believe you are on a far away island.

The thrift flowers and many other wild flowers which were in bloom during our visit resulted in us walking on an amazing floral carpet. At the back of the island are some small cliffs which rise out of the depths of a deep sea channel. While we were enjoying the views, a curious seal made an appearance just giving us a quick greeting before he disappeared again in the depths of the Atlantic.