Ireland: Connemara, Inishmore and the Sky Road
Eight days, cycling on gently rolling paved roads, with a half-day hike. Evenings include small inns, a charming castle, and pub options.
The cliffs, coves, beaches, moorlands, and beautiful, quiet lanes of Western Ireland are the setting for this fabulous ride. Dramatic skies, bracken and heather-clad hills, and remarkably emerald fields create scenery beyond your imagination. This is the landscape that inspired Yeats and Joyce to their litany of legendary prose. Populated by the musical folk of Celtic descent, the pub-peppered villages create wonderfully photogenic opportunities for exploration and indulgence in rich Irish culture. This is a place where you’ll wish you lived.
Starting at the Cliffs of Moher, you will descend to the coastal village of Doolin. From there, you will ride around the ancient Burren before ferrying out to Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands, to see such highlights as the cliff top fort of Dun Aengus. Another short ferry will take you to County Galway, where you will meander along the convoluted coast and many of the wee villages which make Connemara such a stimulating, rewarding place to ride. You will spend two nights in a lodge near the shore of Lough Inagh, surrounded by inviting mountains and breathtaking stillness. Finally, an exceptionally scenic ride will take you along the Sky Road.
The Plan:
Day 1: Early afternoon pickup in Galway for one hour transfer to the Cliffs of Moher. After gazing down to the sea from your lofty perch atop the cliffs, coast down to your seaside inn in Doolin – a breeding ground for traditional Irish music. D (Meal inclusions provided for guided trips. Self-guided trips include breakfast only)
Aran View House, Doolin, www.aranview.com
Day 2: 70km (45mi). Explore the castles, stones, barrows, megalithic tombs, expansive views, and fabulous coastline of the Burren, Co.Clare. Stop for an independent lunch at Monk’s Pub in Ballyvaughan, or in the village of Lisdoonvarna, where the annual Matchmaking Festival puts the town on the map for entertainers. The festival is at the end of September, but you’ll benefit at any time by the proliferation of places to stop for a bite. At day’s end, you can enjoy live music at your choice of pubs in Doolin. BL
Same lodging
Day 3: 10-30km (6-20mi). Board an early morning ferry to Inishmore. Cycle the length of the island on one of the extremely quiet and beautiful roads, and stop for a visit to Ireland’s smallest church, the stone fortress of Eoghanachta, and extraordinary clifftop Dun Aengus, the greatest barbaric fort in Western Europe. If self-guiding, you cover the ferry cost. BD
Ard Einne Guesthouse, Inis Mor, www.ardeinne.com; or
Kilmurvey House, Inis Mor, www.kilmurveyhouse.com
Day 4: 68km (44mi). Start the day with a short ferry hop to Rossaveal, to ride the coastal roads through Gaeltacht (Gaelic speaking) villages and along the beaches of Connemara. This is one of the most beautiful regions in Ireland, affected most by the potato famine in the 1840s. You’ll ride through peat bogs, lonely moorlands, and pretty fishing villages, through Screeb and Kilkieran to Cashel. BLD
Ballynahinch Castle Hotel, Recess, www.ballynahinch-castle.com
Day 5: 56km (38mi) or 112km (76mi). Ride the Connemara coast through villages of whitewashed cottages, and around deep bays filled with islands to Clifden. Stop there for lunch, and perhaps tweed shopping, before riding out along the Sky Road to little Kingstown. Return to Roundstone, where you can explore a few options for an independent dinner. B
Same lodging
Day 6: 55km (33mi). Perhaps one of the nicest rides in all of Ireland, your route today will take you to Westport, first through the stunning valley of Lough Inagh, then through Leenane, across the Mweelrea Mountains, and along Doo Lough. The final coastal stretch past Croagh Patrick, climbed annually on the solstice by over 25,000 pilgrims, is a spectacular ride into Westport. A short transfer takes you to your lodge nestled in the Maumturk Mountains. BLD
Lough Inagh Lodge, Recess, www.loughinaghlodgehotel.ie
Day 7: 30, 37, 60, or 67km cycling, or 3-6 hours independent hiking. Today’s ride takes you through Maum and around the spectacular Joyce Country Loop, with a side trip to visit Cong for lunch. On some days, you can choose to have lunch at Collins at the Cottage on the grounds of one of the world’s most luxurious hotels - Ashford Castle. If you prefer a day of independent hiking, we will provide a picnic lunch and a map for your exploration of the Twelve Pins or the Maumturk Mountains. BD
Same lodging
Day 8: Farewells. Morning transfer to Galway, or to Broughshane if you are continuing to the Antrim and Donegal adventure. B
The Details:
| Start: | Galway, 13:00, day one. We will collect your from your hotel or the Park House Hotel www.parkhousehotel.ie. Frequent trains connect Galway with Dublin (2½ hours) and Shannon (3½ hours). |
| Finish: | Galway 11:00, day eight. Complimentary transfer available to Broughshane if you are continuing to the Antrim and Donegal adventure. |
| Guided Cost: | $3495 (per person, includes 8 days, 7 nights, 7 breakfasts, 5 dinners, 3 lunches, ferries, van support, full-time guide, luggage handling, maps and route notes, taxes). |
| Self-Guided: | $2995 (per person, includes 8 days, 7 nights, 7 breakfasts, luggage transfers, maps and route notes, essential shuttles, emergency support, taxes). |
| Single Occupancy: | $775 |
| Bicycle Rental: | Hybrid: $195; Racing: $275 |
| 2010 Guided dates: | Sep 5-12. Call 800-672-0775 for guaranteed departure, updates or to add a new departure. |
| 2011 Guided dates: | Jun 5-12; Jul 10-17; Aug 21-28; Sep 4-11. Call 800-672-0775 for guaranteed departure, updates or to add a new departure. |
| Self-Guided dates: | You choose! Departures available any time. Best months are May, June, late August, and early September. |
All details and pricing are subject to change without notice.
