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KINGDOM OF KERRY IRELAND Walk Hike Bike Ltd. Contact in Ireland & 24 Hour Emergency Number: +353 (0) 87-250 2434 IRELAND WALK HIKE BIKE For 25 years Ireland Walk Hike Bike (IWHB) has been welcoming guests to Ireland. The realisation of a dream for company founder Linda Woods who sought to show people the “real Ireland” rather than the traditional tourism template! These ideals continue today, showing you Ireland the way we believe it should be seen: slowly, intimately and knowledgeably. Our terrific office personnel and great guides all share the same philosophy – “to take people into those hidden parts of Ireland that few know about and give people a real “taste and flavour” of Ireland the way we know and love it”. With today’s fast pace of life & the lack of “downtime”, we at IWHB take great pride in the trust our guests show in us to create great experiences for you. All of us in IWHB are committed to ensuring our fascination for Ireland, its’ history, culture, diversity & humour, is part of your holiday. Ireland enjoys a relaxing pace of life; beautiful and varied scenery, with the sea never far from sight & a great selection of music at night. While in Ireland, we ask you to PLEASE take your time as you discover small sections of Ireland, for if you rush, the charm of the country and the people will pass you by. The best made plans will always change in Ireland, and your adaptability to enjoy chance encounters with friendly locals, incredible characters and the odd charismatic sheep is what will make your holiday a truly memorable experience!! ITINERARY AT A GLANCE Day Activities 1 Arrive to Killarney 2 Killarney National Park 3 Derrynane House & Gardens 4 Mountain of the Wells 5 The Brandon Massif 6 Walk Slea Head 7 Sas Creek 8 Depart Dingle THE KINGDOM OF KERRY This holiday combines the best of the famous Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula – two spectacular regions in the South West of Ireland offered in one amazing holiday. Kerry Gold is a famous & delicious Irish butter & this hiking holiday will introduce you to this golden land that spreads out in front of you in all directions with it’s amazing beauty, panorama’s, culture & friendly people. County Kerry consists of a series of spectacular mountainous peninsula’s which are divided by deep-sea inlets. Weaving around the coast of these peninsulas are a network of ancient trading routes that are nearly as old as the land itself, many of which form part of the hikes that you will enjoy during your holiday. The name ‘Kerry’ comes from the Old Irish word Ciarraige meaning the people of Ciar, an early Celtic tribe that settled in the area around 300 BC. Kerry is an ancient land with a wealth of historical, archaeological & early Christian sites, some of which date back over 7,000 years. Combine this visible history with impossibly green pastures stretching as far as the eye can see, spectacular views of mist-covered mountains and wild stretches of uninhabitable coastline where deep fissures have been carved, over the eons, by the pounding waves of the Atlantic Ocean, and you have a holiday of a lifetime. DAY 1, ARRIVE TO KILLARNEY Arrive to Killarney for the start of your holiday and your Guide will meet you at your accommodation at 17.00 hours. Once you have settled into your bed and breakfast house, your Guide will meet for a “Briefing” with you to introduce you to your group & explain the details of your holiday. This is followed by your first dinner together in a nearby pub or restaurant. Later, you are free to enjoy the pubs & their lively music if you wish before returning to your accommodation for your overnight. With one of the country's finest national parks as its backyard, the lively tourism hub of Killarney is a super place to start your holiday in Kerry. Killarney’s exquisite beauty makes it one of Kerry’s most popular destinations. A perfect place to enjoy an extra day or two before your holiday begins. Meals: Dinner DAY 2, KILLARNEY NATIONAL PARK Enjoy a wonderful boat trip through the beautiful Three Lakes of Killarney. Reach an old “hunting” lodge & start your hike. You then follow a wonderful trail called “the Old Kenmare Road” which takes you through the National Park past the iconic Torc Waterall and up to Muckross house and gardens which are the centre piece of the National Park. From here you will walk back to your accommodation in Killarney visiting the ruins of the beautiful Muckross abbey en-route Meals: Breakfast & Lunch Terrain: Rocky & sometimes wet & muddy tracks & road walking. Boat ride on small open boat across lakes takes approx. 1.5 hours. DAY 3, DERRYNANE HOUSE & GARDENS After a scrumptious breakfast and armed with your picnic lunch, you will drive for approx. 1.5 hours to reach the beautiful Derrynane House. Your hike here takes you around the coast to enjoy a pristine beach walk before reaching Abbey Island. Along the way, you will hear stories about Ireland’s renowned “Liberator” Daniel O’Connell. Returning to Derrynane House you can enjoy some light refreshments before travelling to your next accommodation for your evening meal and overnight. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Terrain: Grass tracks with some rocky sections. Gravel tracks and beach. Boots optional. DAY 4, MOUNTAIN OF THE WELLS Cnoc na dtobar or “Mountain of the Wells,” overlooks the town of Caherciveen. As you hike up the mountain you will follow the ancient pilgrim route with its white crosses following the same path that has been used for thousands of years. The Summit of the mountain has been a site of ancient rituals and is still used today as a religious site of significance. Enjoy breath-taking views across the ocean to the North and across the sweeping farmland to the South. Meals: Breakfast & Lunch Terrain: Mountain tracks with rocky & uneven sections, can be wet & boggy underfoot. Boots Essential DAY 5, THE BRANDON MASSIF Today's route is the perfect opportunity to enjoy fabulous views of both the Northern and Southern coastline of the Dingle Peninsula. Your highest point today is part of The Brandon massif range offering wonderous views across Brandon Bay and the glistening lakes below. This route is steeped in history and legend which your guide will bring to life as you enjoy your hike. Meals: Breakfast & Lunch Terrain: Mountain tracks with rocky & uneven sections, can be wet & boggy underfoot. Boots Essential DAY 6, WALK SLEA HEAD Enjoy a wonderful hike around the spectacular Slea Head – one of the richest areas of archaeology in this region, with its numerous beehive huts and promontory forts. There are breathtaking views from Mount Eagle on the way. Return to Dingle for dinner and overnight. Meals: Breakfast & Lunch Terrain: Rocky and grass tracks, beach walking and some road walking. Boots essential. DAY 7, SAS CREEK Driving to the northern side of the Dingle Peninsula, todays routes take you to those parts that only walkers discover and you are well rewarded with beautiful and peaceful views all around you. A wonderful hike takes you across open hillside & bogland to enjoy a trail that typifies this region – where it seems that the hills just fall into the sea. With breath-taking scenery & wonderful inland hiking, you will be spoilt by the variety of this walk as you follow an old bog track to complete your hike. At the end of your walk, you return to the village of Cloghane to enjoy some refreshments before returning to Dingle for your final overnight. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Terrain: Rocky and grass tracks, beach walking and some road walking. Boots essential. DAY 8, DEPART DINGLE Your tour will finish this morning after another delicious breakfast. There are regular buses from Dingle to Tralee where you can connect by bus or train to all major cities & airports. Please contact us before you book your departing flights so we can ensure you have sufficient time to travel to the airport from Dingle Meals: Breakfast Please note: It is extremely important that you read & understand the details for each day & that you are able to achieve this. If you would like to discuss your hiking level with one of our experts – please arrange a telephone conversation & we will be delighted to assist you with your holiday choice. WHAT'S INCLUDED BOOKING DETAILS RESERVATIONS Reservations to be made through our booking page at www.irelandwalkhikebike.com CANCELLATIONS Should you need to cancel, cancellation charges will be imposed. These are calculated from the day written notification is received by the company or our agent as a percentage of the total tour price, including surcharges as follows: More than 56 days from start date: Deposit only 35 to 55 days from start date: 30% 15 to 34 days from start date: 50% 14 days to departure day: Nil Refund ALL CANCELLATIONS MUST BE IN WRITING BY POST OR E-MAIL. PAYMENT CONDITIONS A deposit of €150.00 per person is required at the time of booking. Balancing payments are then required no less that 8 weeks prior to the holiday start date. WHY BOOK WITH US TESTIMONIALS TERMS AND CONDITIONS Ireland Walk Hike Bike Ltd (“the Company”) formerly trading as South West Walks Ireland, accepts bookings subject to the following Terms & Conditions: 1. The contract is between the Company and the client, being any person travelling or intending to travel on a tour/ holiday operated by the company. The contract, including all matters arising from it, is subject to Irish law and the exclusive jurisdiction of the Irish courts.