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The Iron Donkey self-guided bike tours in Ireland,
England, Wales
and Italy are designed for independent
cyclists. While previous bicycle touring experience is not essential,
you should be a proficient, enthusiastic cyclist, comfortable riding
at least 35 miles to 40 miles a day. In addition, you (or someone
on your tour) should be competent in basic bicycle maintenance.
Most bike tours are arranged in one-week units, with 7 nights accommodation
and 6 full days of biking. Every one-week itinerary can be seamlessly
linked to at least one other itinerary to produce 10 day tours,
two-week tours etc.
You can start an unsupported tour on any date. If you are renting
bicycles, an Iron Donkey representative will meet with you at the
trailhead to equip you, take you through the routes and to answer
any questions that you may have.
Read the A to Z of Iron Donkey
Self-Guided tours.
The Iron Donkey self-guided itineraries are shown below.
All Iron Donkey self-guided tours are designed to the same well
tried and tested blueprint, with the biking routes linking the
trailhead town, staging towns and destination town, as shown in
the generalized outline below –
Trailhead Town
The trailhead town provides the first night’s
accommodation. Trailhead towns have good public transport links
to major cities, airports and ports, making them easy to get to
whatever your point of arrival in the country. Most are served
by rail, and all have direct bus links with the major cities.
Staging Town
The staging towns are your stop off points during
the rest of the tour. Ranging from bustling market towns to sleepy
villages, they provide your accommodation, your food, and if you
have the energy, your entertainment. Most will also have laundry
facilities – important for bike tourists!
Destination Town
The destination town provides the last night’s
accommodation – and, like the trailhead town, has good public
transport links to the major towns and cities.
Routes
The routes that link the trailhead and staging
towns show off the very best of the scenery and take you to all
of the attractions and sites of interest in the region. Each tour
is made up of a combination of linear routes
and loop routes.
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Linear routes (1, 3, 4 and 6 above) start at
one town and finish at another.
- Loop routes (2 and 5 above) start and finish
at the same town. There are several advantages to building circular
routes into a tour. Consecutive nights in the same accommodation
mean welcome breaks from the daily routine of packing and unpacking,
and a more relaxed feel to the tour. There is also the opportunity,
should you choose, to take a day or half a day off the bike –
perhaps to go hiking, fishing or horse riding.
Each route, whether loop or linear, has two alternatives – the
core route and the extended route.
- The Core Route
The core route provides a full day’s biking at a relatively
leisurely pace. Averaging around 35 miles, the core routes, which
take in all the main attractions, are designed to give the average
cyclist a comfortable day's ride, allowing for plenty of stops
along the way.
- The Extended Route
The extended routes are more demanding than the core routes both
in terms of distance and terrain. At an average of around 50 -
55 miles, often involving some strenuous climbing, the extended
routes offer a challenge to even the most ambitious rider.
 The
advantage of the dual route system is that it caters
for different levels of biking ambition. You can decide at the start
of each day whether you want to bike the core route or tackle the
extended route. For a couple or a group touring together, dual routes
allow each individual to choose how much biking he or she wants to
do. There is no need for anyone to feel coerced into riding further
than is comfortable – conversely, no one need feel frustrated
through not getting enough riding.
On many days the core route and the extended route will converge at
a suitable location for lunch. The maps and directions also detail
short cuts and suggest side trips that further increase the daily
cycling options.
The A to Z of the self-guided tours has detailed information about
all aspects of the tours, including accommodation, bicycle rental,
luggage transfers etc. Read the
A-to-Z of Iron Donkey Self-Guided Tours
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Accommodation
(including breakfast) for each night of your tour.
Your tour itinerary will include location, directions
and contact information for each night’s pre-booked
accommodation
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A comprehensive tour itinerary including:
- Detailed route descriptions (core routes, extended
routes, short cuts, and extensions) maps and cue sheets.
- Details and locations of en-route services
- Information about en-route attractions
- Information about the trailhead town, staging towns,
and the destination town, including suggestions for
eating out, pubs to visit, local entertainment options
etc.
- Emergency contact numbers including a telephone
helpline
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A trip preparation guide with information
and advice about:
- What to bring
- Advice about money, health, safety, weather, documents,
and customs.
- Getting to the trailhead for your tour.
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Bicycle rental, luggage transfers and airport
transfers are options on most self-guided tours. |
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Questions? Read
the A-to-Z of Iron Donkey Self-Guided Tours >
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