West Of Ireland Guided Group Bicycle Tours
| Tour Name |
Nights |
Start / Finish |
Cost |
2010 Start Dates |
Connemara
|
7 |
Oughterard / Westport |
€1,375 |
Sat 8th May
Sat 5th June
Sat 3rd July
Sat 14th August
Sat 11th September |
Clare & The Burren
|
7 |
Ennis / Bunratty |
€1,375 |
Sat 19th June
Sat 10th July |
Click here for general information about
our guided group tours
Connemara (7 nights)
This is the Iron Donkey tour which has stood the test of time and has
proved over many years to be a firm favourite among our clientele. We
have had several riders join us on the tour twice, so we must be doing
something right!
Connemara and the Aran Islands make for an excellent tour because, in
addition to the magnificent scenery.
- The region is typically 'Irish', and provides a great introduction
to the country for first time visitors.
- The terrain is, for the most part, gently undulating. Although there
are mountains at the heart of the region, the roads go around them rather
than over them. There are however, some good climbing opportunities
for those who want a challenge on the latter half of the tour.
- There are plenty of biking options available, allowing each rider
to bike just as much, or as little, as he or she wants on any given
day.
- There are plenty of great accommodation options.
- There is the opportunity to enjoy traditional music session on several
evenings.
- An overnight on the Aran Islands is a real highlight.
- The region is readily accessible from both Shannon International
and Dublin International Airports.
Connemara Dates and Rates
| 2010 Departures |
Sat 8th May
Sat 5th June
Sat 3rd July
Sat 14th August
Sat 11th September |
| Start |
Oughterard, Co Galway |
| Finish |
Westport, Co Mayo |
| Duration |
7 nights (Saturday – Saturday) |
| Cost |
€1,375 per person sharing
€195 single accommodation supplement (if applicable) |
| Included |
7 nights hotel accommodation
6 evening dinners (3 or 4 course a la carte)
Bike rental
Guide
Sag wagon
Trip preparation package
Ferry crossings
Taxes |
| Accommodations |
 (2) (3) (2) [ rating info ] |
- Day 1 (Saturday)
We meet at the Connemara
Gateway Hotel in Oughterard in the afternoon (flexible
timing). After checking in, bikes and equipment can be tried
out during a short trip by the shore of Lough Corrib. Over
dinner, you can get to know your fellow travellers, and
your guide will run through the itinerary for the week ahead.
Then you might just want to sample a Guinness before retiring!
- Day 2 (Sunday)
The biking proper starts with a beautiful 20-mile ride over
moorland to the port of Rossaveal, from where we take a
40-minute ferry ride to Inishmore, largest of the Aran Islands.
On arrival at Kilronan, you can lunch in the port before
checking into Ard
Einne guesthouse. The rest of the day is free for exploring
the island by bike and on foot, either on your own or with
your trusty guide. The cliff top stone-age fort of Dun Angeus
is a must on your agenda. The whole island offers a fascinating
insight into what life was like in a simpler, bygone age.
Dinner in the evening can be followed by a visit to one
of Kilronan’s lively pubs.
- Day 3 (Monday)
After an early breakfast, there is a chance to visit the
impressive Black Fort and perhaps do a little shopping (for
an Aran sweater?) before we catch the ferry back to Rossaveal.
After lunch we bike west through the magnificent Connemara
landscape to the town of Clifden, the 'capital' of the region.
The ride offers plenty of great vistas of the Twelve Bens
– the mountain range that sits at the heart of Connemara.
Along the way there are several locations where peat is
dug for fuel. The quaint town of Clifden is renowned for
its craft shops, its lively musical pubs and for its spectacular
location. Accommodation for the next two nights is in the
family-run Foyles
Hotel in the centre of the town.
- Day 4 (Tuesday)
Today’s biking route is a figure-of-eight loop. The first
loop takes us out on the legendary Sky Road, while the second
heads south around the coast through Ballyconneely to the
fishing village of Roundstone, where you can watch traditional
musical instruments being made in the craft centre. If we
get back to Clifden in time, you might want to spend a little
time shopping for a few presents or souvenirs. Alternatives
for those considering a day away from their bicycles include
horseback riding or a round of golf at the lovely links
near Ballyconneely.
- Day 5 (Wednesday)
Leaving Clifden, we ride east on the beautiful (if not so
beautifully named) Bog Road before turning north past Lough
Inagh to visit Kylemore Abbey, one of Connemara’s architectural
treasures. The setting is perhaps even more impressive than
the abbey itself. From the village of Letterfrack, where
we stop for lunch, there is a stunning coastal route from
Tully Cross that culminates in a glorious downhill run to
the village of Leenane, at the head of Killary Fjord, Ireland’s
one and only fjord. The village’s chief claim to fame is
that it was the setting for “The Field”, a disturbing film
(starring Richard Harris) that explores the relationship
that existed between the Irish and the land. The Leenane
Hotel provides tonight’s accommodation.
- Day 6 (Thursday)
From Leenane we head south before climbing steadily over
a saddle and then dropping down to follow the shores of
Lough Nafooey and Lough Mask to the village of Toormakeady.
This is a stunningly beautiful ride on roads that are to
all extents and purposes devoid of traffic. After lunch
at one of the local pubs, there is a choice of the low road
or the high road to our destination town of Westport on
the shores of Clew Bay. The mountain road is spectacular
– but challenging! The lower road is a gentler, pastoral
alternative. Westport has plenty of musical pubs and craft
shops. The impressive Atlantic
Coast Hotel on the Quays is where we stay for the next
two nights.
- Day 7 (Friday)
Today’s loop route takes us south from Westport to Aasleagh
Falls, and then north through Delphi and the very atmospheric
Doolough Valley to Louisburgh, one of the homes of Grace
O’Malley, the pirate queen of the West of Ireland. From
here we follow the Clew Bay coastline east towards Westport.
On the way we pass the striking sculpture which commemorates
the 'coffin ships' that carried countless thousands of Irish
emigrants to America. Close by is the foot of Croagh Patrick,
Ireland’s holiest mountain and a popular destination for
pilgrims. The steep path to the summit is rewarded by fantastic
views over Clew Bay. And yes - you can climb it if you have
the inclination (and the energy!). Our farewell dinner is
back at our Westport hotel. You might like to top off your
tour with a visit to one of the town’s many musical pubs
– Matt Molloy’s (Matt of Chieftains fame) is a favourite.
- Day 8 (Saturday)
Depart by train or bus to Dublin, or by bus to Shannon –
or to anywhere else in the country!
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Clare & The Burren (7 nights)
This tour takes you on a journey of discovery through the wonderful
West of Ireland region bounded by Galway Bay to the north
and the estuary of the River Shannon to the south. The highlight of the
tour is the unique and enigmatic Burren, a 500 square kilometre area of
limestone layered fields where underground rivers carve out honeycombs
of caves through the soft rock. Massive boulders sit atop the vast limestone
pavements, and ancient drovers’ roads traverse a landscape that is dotted
with prehistoric dolmens, tombs and stone forts.
The Burren is one of Europe’s richest botanical areas; clinging to the
soil that has collected in the fissures in the rocks is an amazing variety
of wild flowers, with Arctic, Alpine and Mediterranean species flourishing
side by side.
Just to the south of the Burren is another of Ireland’s great geological
wonders – the towering Cliffs of Moher which rise vertically from the
ocean to a height of 650 feet along a 5 mile stretch of the coast. The
cliffs are a bird watchers’ paradise – you can watch puffins, guillemeots,
razorbills and choughs as they wheel and dive below you.
The Loop Head peninsula jutting like a long protective arm shielding
the waters of the Shannon estuary from the open ocean is a quiet and peaceful
haven where wonderful vistas open up around every turn. Inland the countryside
is a pretty mosaic of lakes, stone-walled pastures, and market towns.
The village of Bunratty is home to Bunratty Castle and also the Bunratty
Folk Park.
For lovers of Irish traditional music, the towns of Doolin and Lisdoonvarna
are particularly renowned for the nightly sessions in the local pubs.
Overall the terrain on the cycling routes ranges from easy to moderate,
with the great majority of the cycling on country roads and lanes that
carry minimal volumes of traffic. The average daily mileage on the core
routes is 35 miles. Optional extensions of around 20 miles are available
on most days.
The tour is most conveniently accessed from Shannon Airport. Ennis,
start point for the tour, is 15 miles from Shannon Airport, while there
are good bus and train connections with Dublin.
Clare & The Burren Dates & Rates
- Day 1 (Saturday)
On arrival in ancient Ennis, 15 miles from Shannon Airport,
you can check into your hotel. Ennis, the county town of
Clare, is one of Ireland’s most attractive, being surrounded
by the River Fergus. The bow-ways (arched tunnel passageways
that link the narrow medieval streets) are a particular
feature. Dominating the town is the ruined 13th century
friary in which there are some wonderful medieval sculptures.
In the afternoon there is a bike and equipment fitting after
which you are free to explore the town or to relax. There
is a meet-and-greet and a short tour briefing before dinner
at the hotel. Our accommodation in Ennis is the Old
Ground Hotel.
- Day 2 (Sunday)
After breakfast we set off crossing the River Fergus and
pedalling west through the rolling Clare countryside. The
first few miles is a gentle climb to the villages of Kilmaley
and Connolly from where we turn off onto very minor country
lanes that meander through a lake studded landscape towards
the Atlantic coast in the distance. Lunch is taken in the
delightful village of Creegh. Our destination in the afternoon
is Kilkee, a beautifully sited resort town protected from
the force of the Atlantic by a reef known as Duggerna Rock.
Kilkee offers dramatic cliff walks and safe swimming in
the ocean for the hardy (or foolhardy!). Kilkee Bay was
rated the best diving location in Europe by the late Jacques
Cousteau. We spend the next two nights in the Stella
Maris Hotel, overlooking Kilkee Bay.
- Day 3 (Monday)
Today’s ride is a loop around the tranquil and exquisitely
beautiful Loop Head peninsula. The cliff scenery is especially
spectacular, and the coast is littered with sea stacks and
wave-sculpted rocks. The Bridges of Ross are wonderful natural
arches cut out of the rock by the power of the Atlantic
breakers.
From the picturesque whitewashed lighthouse at Loop Head
itself there are wonderful views of Dingle to the south
and the Aran Islands to the north.
In Kilbaha, a tiny coastal village that is also our lunch
stop, Moneen Church houses the Little Ark, a moveable church
devised in 1852 by a local priest to enable mass to be celebrated
on the foreshore between high and low water where harsh
property laws (preventing the celebration of the mass) could
not be enforced.
- Day 4 (Tuesday)
Riding north from Kilkee the route follows minor country
roads that basically hug the coastline. There are several
sites of interest along the way. Spanish Point was named
after the unfortunate Spaniards who died here in 1588 after
their Armada ships foundered on the rocks. Most of those
who managed to struggle ashore were captured and executed.
The resort of Lahinch has one of the finest links golf courses
in the world, while its sweeping sandy strands offer some
of Ireland’s very best surfing. You can hire a board and
a wetsuit for a couple of hours.
Continuing along the coast through Liscannor, there is a
steady climb to the Cliffs of Moher – one of Ireland’s most
awesome natural phenomena. From the cliffs it is a downhill
run all the way to Doolin, renowned as the best location
to listen to Irish traditional music sessions. From Doolin
there is a short final stretch to Lisdoonvarna and the Wild Honey Inn. Lisdoonvarna is a spa town and home of the famous
annual Matchmaking Festival. Like Doolin, the town has several
musical pubs for those looking for evening entertainment.
- Day 5 (Wednesday)
Today’s route is definitely a highlight of the trip. We
start by following the stunning Burren coastline north around
Black Head, and then turning east to the coastal village
of Ballyvaughan – a perfect lunch stop. Heading south from
the village there is the chance to visit the Ailwee Caves,
an underground maze with vast caverns connected by more
than two miles of passages, before starting on a testing
climb onto the top of the Burren Plateau. Here you can fully
experience and appreciate the strange, lunar-like Burren
landscape with its unique flora and its prehistoric dolmens
and tombs. Poulnabrone Dolmen, perched on top of the plateau,
is one of the most famous, dating from around 2500 BC. From
the top of the plateau there is an exhilarating downhill
run back to Lisdoonvarna.
- Day 6 (Thursday)
From Lisdoonvarna we head south to the village of Kilfenora
and the Burren Heritage Centre. The centre showcases the
flora and fauna, the archaeology, geology, legends and natural
history of the magnificent limestone region. The route then
turns east to the village of Carran. Close to the village
is the Burren Perfumery which produces a range of high quality
natural aromatherapy products and fragrances by traditional
methods.
Riding north from Carran we reach the shores of Galway Bay
at Bellharbour. Close by, the Cistercian abbey of Corcomroe
has some of the finest stone carvings in Ireland.
Following the coast east brings us to the pretty fishing
village of Kinvarra. The Galway hookers (traditional sailing
boats) bobbing in the harbour provide a beautiful backdrop.
Just outside the village is the impressive Dunguaire Castle.
We stay in the Merriman
Hotel in the centre of the village.
- Day 7 (Friday)
The route south from Kinvarra takes us inland through the
spectacular eastern Burren region. En route attractions
include Coole Park and the massive 12th century round tower
of Kilmacduagh. Close to Corofin, home to the Clare heritage
Centre is Dysert O’Dea. This towerhouse was built in 1480,
badly damaged by the Cromwellians in 1651 but repaired and
opened to the public as an archaeology centre in 1986. Around
the tower house there is a fascinating collection of ancient
prehistoric sites. After lunching in Ennis, we follow backroads
to Quin Abbey (15th Century) built by the ruling McNamara
lords for the Franciscan monks before arriving in Bunratty,
home to Bunratty Castle. The castle has been faithfully
restored and refurnished and the grounds are home to Bunratty
Folk Park - a fascinating recreation of 19th Century Irish
life. Our final accommodation is at the Bunratty Courtyard
Guesthouse.
- Saturday
Departure after breakfast to Shannon Airport (5
miles) or to Limerick or Galway, or Dublin.
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