A wonderful Guided Hiking / Walking tour of the Northern part of Ireland including the Giant's Causeway, the mountains and lakes of Donegal and the coast and hills of Sligo and Mayo.
Itinerary-
Day 1:
Drive from Dublin up to Ballycastle in Co. Antrim. The Antrim Coast has been designated an "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty". After dinner, a short walk will take us down around the coast at Ballintoy and to Carrick-a-Rede: a tiny island with a salmon fishery, joined to the mainland by a rope bridge, and back up via the harbour of Ballintoy. There should be some excellent traditional music in the Carrick-a-Rede pub tonight.
Hiking / Walking Distance 3 Miles
Day 2:
On the agenda today is a spectacular walk starting from White Park Bay on the Antrim coast and finishing at the Giants Causeway. On a clear day you will be able to see right across to Scotland. The Causeway is made up of 37,000 black basalt columns, mostly hexagonal. It is the result of a massive underground explosion some sixty million years ago. In 1693 the Royal Geographical Society publicized it as one of the great wonders of the natural world. Your local expert guide, will take you on this walk and entertain you with history, culture and folklore.
Hiking / Walking Distance: 8 Miles
Day 3:
We now must move on into the west to County Donegal: our base for the next two nights is the Carrig Rua Hotel in the village of Dunfanaghy, in the Gaeltacht (Gaelic-speaking region). Hopefully we shall find some excellent traditional music here. We will stop en route at Glenveagh National Park for a walk, which begins in the lonely wilderness of the mountains and finishes alongside the beautiful Lough Beagh and Glenveagh Castle gardens. A visit to Donegal is like a trip back in time: hay is still stacked by hand, and most farms only yield enough produce for one family. For this reason farmers work in co-operatives and share their machinery. This has a positive effect on the survival in this region of the corncrake, one of Europe's rarest birds. Beautiful day-walks and spectacular sunsets are promised along the rugged Donegal coastline.
Hiking / Walking Distance: 6 Miles
Day 4:
Setting out on foot from the hotel, our walk today will be at the Horn Head Peninsula. The walk will bring us through woods, along a spectacular beach (bring your swimming costume), coastal tracks, with views of an arch in the sea. We will also have time to visit the Poor House museum in Dunfanaghy.
Hiking / Walking Distance: 7 Miles
Day 5:
This morning we will head south to County Sligo, but on our way we stop to walk near Dunlewy Lough and the Poisoned Glen, in Donegal. This is a magnificent walk through the hills and forests of Donegal in the shadows of mighty Mount Errigal. You will be guided by John McGroary, a local expert guide. Tonight we will stay at Drumcliff in County Sligo.
Hiking / Walking Distance: 8 Miles
Day 6
After visting Drumcliff Church and the grave of W.B. Yeats we will head south past Sligo Town to walk at Knocknarea Mountain overlooking a magnificent bay and the original Coney Island. Tonight we will stay at Kilmena on the shores of Clew Bay on the outskirts of Westport Town, County Mayo. Our guest house is located on the sea shore and after dinner we can venture out to one of the islands via a causeway accessible at low tide.
Hiking / Walking Distance: 6 Miles
Day 7:
We must say Goodbye to Ireland as this tour finishes in Galway City.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Tour Date 2008: June 28 - July 4, August 3 - 9, September 17 - 23, $2599 per person sharing.
Tour price includes: 6 nights 3 - 4 star accommodation en suite, 6 breakfasts, 6 packed lunches, 6 evening meals, all land transportation, transportation to evening entertainment, service of guide / guides throughout.
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Europe
Ireland
Hiking & Trekking
Walking Tours
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