Iron Donkey Bicyle Touring | Bike Tours in Ireland England Wales Italy Spain
Email: info@irondonkey.com | Lets Talk!
Self-guided itineraries offer a substantial degree of independence and lots of of flexibility with regard to *start 
date and duration.
The basic self-guided tour comprises your routes and accommodations (with breakfast), your pre-trip planner, regional handbook and a route pack with your routes (including all route options) in the form of highlighted maps, cue sheets and route notes. If you are renting bicycles from the Iron Donkey there is a meet, greet and equipment fitting by an Iron Donkey representative at the trailhead at the start of your tour. On call support is provided throughout your trip.
Options include bike and equipment rental and luggage transfers during the tour and airport transfers to and from the start and finish points.
While previous bike touring experience is not essential, you should be a capable cyclist. Ideally, you (or someone in your party) should be competent in basic bicycle mechanics (changing a flat, putting the chain back on the chainrings, checking and tightening nuts and bolts etc.).
Having decided upon your tour region you can choose from a range of standard itineraries of varying duration (7 nights, 10 nights, 14 nights etc). Alternatively, using the route network you can design your own itinerary, and we will build your tour to your specifications.
On selected self-guided tours we offer some scheduled departures which may be of interest to those looking for travelling companions. All participants on a particular scheduled self-guided tour will follow the same routes on the same days – and will stay in the same accommodations on some or all of the tour nights. The initial tour briefing provides the opportunity to meet the others on the tour – you can decide on a day-to-day basis whether to team up for the rides or whether to do your own thing.
Another advantage of the scheduled self-guided tours is that the luggage transfer option is less expensive for solos and couples than would be the case for the corresponding unscheduled itinerary.
You can view a list of scheduled self-guided tours here.
Self-guided tours are classified A, B or C according to the daily route options available. This enables you to choose an itinerary that is within your comfort zone with regard to daily distance and total ascent.
To understand the classification system you should refer to the section on Route Option Rating
| Trip Rating | Suitable for | Description |
A |
|
Every route has at least one route option rated yellow  . These itineraries are suitable for cyclists of all levels, including fit novices. Other route options (   ) offer additional mileage and challenge for more experienced and ambitious riders. |
A* |
|
All routes have at least one route option rated yellow . In addition this itinerary can be modified (if required) to suit families with young children – by dividing the linear routes into shorter legs and by shortening the loop rides. Other route options () offer additional mileage and challenge for more experienced and ambitious riders. |
B |
|
All routes have at least one route option rated yellow or orange . These itineraries are suitable for regular leisure cyclists (and fit novices who have done some training in preparation for the trip). Other route options () provide the additional mileage and challenge for more experienced and ambitious riders. |
C |
|
Some routes have only red or dark red route options. The itineraries are suitable for experienced, fit riders who relish a challenge and who enjoy extended periods in the saddle. |
We offer Self Guided Tours in the following regions;
Click here to view a list of all Self-guided tours, with costs. »
