Cost: €975 per person sharing

Tour dates 2012 Sat 16th June - Sat 23rd June Sat 4th August - Sat 11th August

Tour Grade 2 Easy to Moderate Accommodation Guesthouse & Hotel

Tour Highlights Kylemore Abbey Killary Harbour The village of Spiddal Inishmore Island The Burren Landscape What's included in your tour All accommodation is Failte Ireland approved and all rooms will be en-suite/private bathroom. All meals to include: 7 Breakfasts, 5 Evening Meals and 6 Packed Lunches. All transport to include: Pickup at Shannon Airport and Return to Shannon Airport at the end of your tour. All transport to and from walks and evenings out. Entry fees to Kylemore Abbey and ferry trip to Inishmore Not Included: 2-Evening Meals

CONNEMARA, THE BURREN & ARAN ISLANDS

This is a double-based walking tour, starting in County Galway in the heart of the Connemara Mountains, on the West Coast of Ireland. Connemara is an area that is rich in natural beauty and an unspoiled environment with its many lakes, rivers, forests and peat bogs. The people are warm and friendly and extend the hand of friendship to everyone.
The Burren's exceptional limestone rock formations and its rich and warm climate is home to around 70% of Ireland's plant life, some of which can only be found in Alpine or Mediterranean regions. We also visit Inishmore, one of the Aran Islands, which lies right on the edge of Europe: An island with great peace and tranquillity where you will sense the spirits of Celts and early Christian settlers.

Day 1
Pickup at Shannon Airport at 1.00pm and transfer to your accommodation in Connemara. You can also be picked up in Dublin on the morning of the tour if it is more convenient for you, but it will have to be no later than 09.00am.
If you are being picked up in Dublin the drive to Shannon Airport is approximately 3hrs. We will have some refreshments before picking up the rest of our group and heading for Connemara.
It’s another 3.5hrs drive to our accommodation, but we will stop somewhere along the way for a short break.
We should arrive at the hotel around 4.30 or 5pm depending on traffic.

Day 2 Diamond Hill & Kylemore Abbey
Our first walk takes us to the Connemara National Park, near Letterfrack, the perfect place to start our adventure and its only 8km from our hotel.
The park covers almost 3,000 hectares of mountain, bog and woodland, has a splendid visitor centre, which is the ideal spot to start your 7km walk up the 400m high Diamond Hill, the undisputed highlight of the Park.
The afternoon we will be spent visiting Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Gardens, regarded as one of Ireland’s most romantic buildings.

Day 3 Killary Fjord & Lough Fee
Starting from just beside our hotel our walk follows an old bog road that takes us along the Western shores of Lough Fee. This is an area where traditional means of turf cutting are still practiced and you will see the fruits of their labour as we travel along.
We will also see the scattered remains of old settlements and clear evidence of where the hillside was tilled as far back as 150 years ago to our great famine of 1845/49.
In the afternoon we will walk a section of an old famine road that takes us along by Killary Fjord, Ireland’s only fjord.
The area contains some of Ireland's most awe-inspiring and dramatic scenery. 
Distance: 15Km, 9 miles, total Ascent: 80Mtrs, 240Ft

Day 4 St. Patrick’s Church & the Western Way
The walk starts in the valley of Maam, which was made famous by the making of the film 'The Quiet Man' staring Maureen O' Hara and John Wayne.
Our journey takes us into the mountains through the Maumeen Pass, one of Ireland's pilgrimage routes and on to St. Patrick's Church, which is situated in the heart of the Maumturk Mountains.
It is said that St. Patrick stopped off here to rest on his way to Croagh Patrick in Co. Mayo, where he spent a period of forty days and nights fasting on the summit of the mountain. There is also a Holy Well close by that is said to have healing powers.
Holy wells have being around long before St. Patrick and Christianity. It is said that the Druids and the ancient Celts used the water to promote strength and healing, the spiritual source of everything. It is this power that has people visiting Holy Wells to this very day.
Continuing on our way, the trail winds its way down into the Inagh Valley, where we will have superb views over Roundstone Bog and surrounding countryside.
Distance: 15Km, 9 Miles, total Ascent 340Mtrs, 1020Ft Approx.

Day 5 the Burren & the Cliffs of Moher
Today we leave Connemara for the Burren in Co. Clare; taking the coast road along by Galway Bay, stopping off for a short while in the seaside village of Spiddal or in Gaelic "An Spidéal" because here most of the people speak Gaelic/Irish.
Our next stop is at the famous Cliffs of Moher, the highest sea cliffs in Europe that rise to a height of just over 200m/600ft.
The Cliffs are one of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions and when you see them you will understand why.
From the Cliffs one can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, as well as The Twelve Bens and the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara where we have just left.
The Cliffs now also boast a magnificent New Visitor Experience, containing images and exhibits and a chance for you to buy some souvenirs.
From the cliffs it is on to our final accommodation “Slieve Elva” situated just outside the lively town of Lisdoonvarna.

Day 6 Inishmore “a stress-free experience”
We take the ferry from the village of Doolin to Kilronan on Inishmore; the journey takes approximately 1hr.
Inis Mór is the largest of the three Aran Islands (7,635 acres) and includes several ancient stone forts and churches. The most impressive of the stone forts is that of Dun Aengus. It is semicircular, resting on the edge of the cliff that rise 100m/300ft out of the ocean. The fort consists of an inner court 50 metres across, surrounded by a wall six metres high and five metres thick at the base, truly an impressive sight.
Apart from its monuments, the island is immersed in wild flowers and a haven for sea and land birds.
Our walk takes us along the coastline, along narrow country roads and laneways that date back thousands of years and are surrounded by meandering walls and patchwork fields.
Distance: 12Km, 7.5 miles, Ascent: 70Mtrs, 210Ft

Day 7 Black Head
Our final days walk is over the stark limestone landscape of Black Head in the Burren. The amazing unfolding layers of limestone form terraces on the slopes of Black Head and one can only describe it as a “lunar landscape” appearance.
Starting in the village of Fanore our walk follows an old Green Road that takes us around the shoulder of Black Head and gently up onto Gleninagh Mountain. From here the views of the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, the Atlantic and surrounding countryside are simply gorgeous. Our way back takes us to another old Green Road that links us to the Burren Way and back to Finore.
Whether you are interested in geology, flora, archaeology or wildlife this day won't disappoint you.
Distance: 12.5Km, 8 Miles, Ascent 310Mtrs, 930Ft

Day 8
Depart for Shannon Airport, arriving at 11am

Tour Cost Top Of Page

If you would like more information or a detailed itinerary, please e-mail us at: info@walkinghikingireland.com

Other guided tours:
• Aran Islands & Western Way • Connemara & The Burren • Connemara Special •
• Cork & Kerry • Donegal & Antrim • Glens of Antrim •
• Happy Wanderers • The Lake District • Wales & Wicklow •
• West Highland Way • Wicklow Mountains DeLuxe • Wicklow Way •