CONNEMARA FOUR SEASONS

N S T E A D T

F I I O walking festival 2015

L

N C

E S winter – now booking H O U December 27 – 29 Inishbofin, and N S T r E A D T

F I I e O

L N t

CONNEMARA C n E

i S H O U

FOUR SEASONS w walking festival 2015

Welcome to our Winter 2015 Connemara Four Seasons Walking Festival. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for helping us make this event a success and we trust that all will have a wonderful weekend exploring our beautiful surroundings.

Explore Connemara with renowned local guide Michael Gibbons who will provide an insight into book now the unique cultural, archeological and historical 3 nights from €269 P.P.S. 3 B&B, 2 dinners, pre-walk lectures, heritage of the area. 2 packed lunches and 2 guided walks The walks are suitable for beginners 2 nights from €199 P.P.S. through to advanced... all you need 2 B&B, 1 dinner, pre-walk lectures, is a good pair of walking boots! 2 packed lunches and 2 guided walks To book, call +353 95 21699 or visit www.clifdenstationhouse.com Sunday December 27 The event kicks off with an introductory talk On the trip you will see the best-preserved hosted by Michael Gibbons , where the rich 17th century fort and ancient harbour on history and secrets of the Connemara Islands ’s west coast and our hike will take you and Highlands will be shared. through a bronze-age landscape complete

Location: Station House Hotel Time: 8.30pm with 4,000-year-old houses, cooking sites and ancient walls emerging from the bog. Monday December 28 Inishbofin Island – Island of the White Cow Its cliff bound coastline is home to spectacular Inishbofin, a 30-minute sea voyage from the iron-age forts and overlooking the church village of , is famed for its magnificent lough one encounters the island’s ruined scenery, relaxed lifestyle and traditional music. church, encircled by its 1,500-year-old burial ground. With a population of 200, it is a beautiful The skies of ’Bofin belong to Island, five miles long by two miles wide with a choughs, corncrakes and superb natural harbour . falcons, and its seas teem with fish life which feed the island’s large seal colony. Inishbofin has a turbulent history and strong N S T E A D T

F I association with Saxon England, 17th century I O

L Departure: The Pier, Cleggan N France and 18th century America. Its C Time: 11am E fragmented coastline boasts dramatic sea S Duration: 5hrs H O U cliffs and sea caves and is home to a rich Walk Grade: Easy to moderate To book, call walking along small roads, open marine life. +353 95 21699 bog and mountain.

Tuesday December 29 pokes its head above the ocean monastery and abandoned Errisbeg Hill & Inishnee Island swells. famine cottages. The walk will be Errisbeg is a beautiful, peat- on track and trail with panoramic covered mountain of igneous This moderately difficult hike is ocean and mountain views. rock wedged between the wild along a rough mountain track and lakelands of Roundstone Bog and on open bogland, and boots are Departure: The Pier, Roundstone the Atlantic Ocean. essential. Time: 10.30am Duration: 4hrs Walk Grade: Moderate The walking is on rough ground Edging Errisbeg are the beaches but you will be rewarded with of Dog’s Bay and Gurteen , where book now three peaks to climb and huge an ancient village was uncovered r e CONNEMARA t n views. To the northwest lies from the sands before being i High FOUR SEASONS w Island , with Slyne Head lighthouse covered over again in a mighty walking festival 2015 to the far west. storm. Dog’s Bay is a shorter hike, 3 nights from €269 P.P.S. about 2hrs 30mins along a 3 B&B, 2 dinners, pre-walk lectures, The dominate the spectacular coastal promontory. views to the north, and to the south 2 packed lunches and 2 guided walks lie an assortment of islands, Inishnee Island is a magical island 2 nights from €199 P.P.S. including the famous pilgrimage walk on the eastern side of 2 B&B, 1 dinner, pre-walk lectures, island of St. Macdara . Further Roundstone Bay. Our relaxed hike 2 packed lunches and 2 guided walks south still, on a clear day the great takes in a 5,000-year-old forest To book, call +353 95 21699 or visit holy mountain of Mount Brandon drowned by rising seas, a ruined www.clifdenstationhouse.com

N S T We would ask that you read the above information on the pre-walk talk and the two days’ walking carefully, taking note E A D T F I of start time and assembly points for walks. Please ensure that you place your lunch order with the hotel team each I O

L N

C evening before your walk, and your packed lunch will be ready for collection before you leave the hotel each morning.

E S Requirements for both days: Boots essential / Wet gear / Water / Energy Snacks / Camera (optional) H O U CONNEMARA FOUR SEASONS walking festival 2015 December 27 – 29 Inishbofin, Errisbeg and Inishnee