The remote and rugged north coast of Mayo is one of Ireland’s best kept secrets. Many of its majestic cliffs, rugged headlands, rocky coves and jagged stacks are apparent only to those who are willing to walk away from the main thoroughfares to discover them. The Dun Chaocháin area is one of great physical beauty and has retained many of its old traditions and culture - the Irish language is still in full vigour as the vernacular. The spectacular Dun Chaochain cliffs have featured in various walking guidebooks including Lonely Planet - Benwee Head at 255m is the crowning glory. The Stags of Broadhaven (a group of four precipitous rocky islets rising to almost 100m) are located about 2km north of Benwee Head and are a site of ornithological importance. This loop incorporates the Children of Lir sculpture - the well-known legend tells the tale of children who were turned into swans and condemned to wander the countryside for 900 years. The key feature of the loop is the black ditch – a dry ditch which runs parallel to the coastline and clifftops and probably marked the boundaries of lands in previous times.