I've explored many areas in Ireland over the years. However, one spot that I've done very little exploration in is County Mayo. This is a stunning part of the world, and I'm glad I took the opportunity to traverse it while I was recently on another trip with Bernard. Being from Cork, which is in the southern part of Ireland, means that I have to be hitting this area with a specific destination in mind. Given that I was here for a shoot with Bernard, we decided to take a loop trip around the area so I could see it for myself and experience all it has to offer.

Our first stop was a place that is quite popular with many Irish Catholics, who make the pilgrimage up to the top of Croagh Patrick to visit the church that sits on top. Many take this hike barefoot, which I can never see myself doing, but while we were passing, I wanted to take in the view of Clew Bay. A bay that sits at the base of the mountain and is full of small islands that I knew would make for a great shot. I wouldn’t have to make the climb to see them; instead, I would use my drone to get the elevation to be able to see them all in one image. I talked through my approach to getting this shot in the accompanying video and shared the controller's screen so you can also see it step by step. The resulting image was one I had wanted to get for a while, and I was glad when I had it in the bag.

Our next stop was for coffee, and we went to a quaint town called Westport, which was not only great to visit but also nice to sit back, relax, and take in the atmosphere while sipping on a tasty beverage. If you are ever in the area, I would recommend taking the time to park up and walk around to see what it has to offer. Several small businesses sell many local items, and you will no doubt have something to remember when you are back home again. You can also use this place as a base if you plan on hiking up the mountain in my first segment. We had no shots from here, as it was a stopping-off point along the way to a spot that was stunning.

This next spot was a lake at the end of a great driving road, with many twists and turns along the way. The Doolough Pass brings you through some amazing views, all of which lead to a lough full of history. The Doolough Tragedy is an event that took place during the Great Irish Famine close to Doo Lough in southwest County Mayo. At least seven (and perhaps 20 or significantly more) starving people died after being "forced to walk for miles to present themselves for inspection" by poor law union officials who would determine whether they would continue to receive outdoor relief. For us, it was an opportunity to take a few shots of this lake, with its hugging road surrounded by some fantastic mountains. We took the opportunity while here to give Bernard some practice at being on video and explaining his approach to photographing this area. With that in the bag, we headed further on the road to the bottom of the lake to set up for our next location.

Arriving, I immediately spotted what we were going to shoot. A small group of Scots pines sits at the edge of the water with some boats moored underneath them. The composition here would be obvious to me, but I set about setting it up and taking several different types of photos. I used my polariser to remove the glare on the water and took some relatively fast shutter speed shots. Next, it was time to put on my ND filter and go for a 30-second image to smooth out the water. Both images are below; let me know in the comments which one you prefer.

When I visited the previous month, one area that Bernard had wanted to see was the Delphi Valley. However, it was clouded in then. Today, however, would be more favourable, as we had fleeting light casting its glow all over the landscape as we drove through. We were missing one key component on this day: flowing water to fill up the streams. Rather than settle for second best, we opted to continue through towards our late lunch spot. Bernard managed to get some great drone footage of the van as it passed through, which also features in the accompanying video, which you can watch below.

Our lunch spot was a location I hadn’t visited in over 20 years. Killary Fjord was my base when I obtained my PADI Open Water diving licence back in 2003, and despite it being such a good thing to have, I must confess I’ve never gone back in the water since. As we drove the road towards the village, I was reminded of just how stunning the entire area was. We had a quick bite to eat with Conor (the local café owner), and we checked the weather for what was to come. It seemed the entire island of Ireland was being washed away; for us, it was relatively dry and clear. But as we sat and chatted, we felt the first drops of rainfall. Would we escape the downpours, or would our trip be cut short?

Thankfully, it was just a quick shower, and we were off again to discover more. Our final destination would be absolutely fantastic to not only experience but also photograph. We were back in Connemara now to visit a lone fisherman’s hut which sits hidden in a vast expanse of waterways. With views for days that take in the mountain ranges of the area, I was excited to see how it looked on the back of the camera. My expectations were high for here, and upon arrival, I got my first glimpse and, boy, was it nice. A quick skit on camera (you can see it in the video) and we were off, taking the short walk from the van to the shooting spot.

This would be a final opportunity for Bernard to fly my drone, and what he captured worked very well. The hut sits at the edge of a vast expanse of water, and seeing it from the air with the fast-moving clouds and light really showed off its overall beauty. For my shots, I would frame the scene using the hut as the star. I put it in the left, middle, and right of the composition so I had the choice available to me when it came to processing later. The clouds were also going to be a factor here; they were what Gavin Hardcastle would call painterly. So, taking a fast shot would preserve them, whereas a long exposure would smooth them out. I opted to take both, just like before, so I had the option available to me for processing later.

Our loop road trip was over. It was time to head back to Bernard’s base to watch the Euro quarter-final, plus enjoy a deserved beer and relax for the evening. Another great trip was done. I had an SD card with images and video and had experienced somewhere new.

You can see the images I got in the gallery below and can watch the video in the link below also.

Discovering Mayo: Stunning Landscapes and Hidden Gems