Guided Ireland Hiking tour Tour description Day 1 Arrive Dublin airport- Leenane Connemara, Aran Islands & the Burren Day 2 10 km The essence and variety of the West of Ireland is captured on this two centre-walking Diamond Hill & Kylemore Ab- trip starting in County Galway in the heart of the Connemara Mountains and ending in The Burren in County Clare. Day 3 15 km Killary Fjord & Lough Lee The name Connemara is Irish for ‘Inlets of the Sea’ and is part of the world famous Wild Atlantic Way. The local scenery includes, not only, a stunning coastline but also lakes, Day 4 15 km mountains, white cottages, woolly Highland sheep, fast flowing streams and many many The Western Way stone walls! Day 5 8 km The second part of our tour takes us to The Burren in County Clare. The Burren, with its The Burren & Cliffs of Moher unique and magical landscape of exposed and cracked limestone crust. The rock for- mation is exceptional and allows for a unique internal climate resulting in a micro- Day 6 12 km ecosystem of rare plants, some of which can only be found in Alpine or Mediterranean Inishmore regions. Day 7 12.5 We also visit Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands, which lies right on the edge of Black Head km Europe and holds the highest density of archaeological and cultural artefacts in Ireland. You will certainly sense the spirits of Celts and early Christian settlers while enjoying life Day 8 at a slower pace, ideal for a walking vacation in Ireland. Depart Dublin airport Tour Details 2020 Deparures: June 6 July 25 Cost: $1995 per person Single Room Upgrade: Limited Fast Facts Length: 8 days / 7 nights Includes: Highlights: Grade: Moderate 7 nights hotels with breakfasts, Cliffs of Moher Starts: Leenane 6 picnic lunches & 5 dinners Ferry trip to Inishmore Guide services, transfers to/from walks Ends: Lisdoonvarna Connemara National Park each day Irish pubs, music & dance All transport from / to Dublin Airport Acve Journeys Contact: 1-800-597-5594 or 416-236-5011 Email: [email protected] Day 1 Dublin to Connemara You will be collected at Dublin Airport at 12 noon and transferred to Connemara, County Galway. Overnight in Leenane (4 nights). Day 2 Diamond Hill & Kylemore Abbey 10km ↑200M Our first guided walk is through Connemara National Park, a protected 3,000 hec- tares of mountains, bog, and woodland. After a visit to the visitors’ centre, we will walk Diamond Hill, the undisputed highlight of the Park. From the hill, we will have a unique view of Kylemore Abbey with the awe-inspiring landscape of Connemara as its backdrop. In the afternoon, we will visit the highly photographed Abbey, its Victorian Walled Gardens, and Neo-Gothic church. The estate has an incredibly engaging history which is always enchanting to discover while exploring the ro- mantic architecture. Day 3 Killary Fjord & Lough Lee 15km ↑80M Our walk today follows an old bog road along Lough Fee. Turf is still cut using traditional techniques along the bog and we will see the various stages of the process. We will also pass by stone remains of settlements abandoned during the Great Famine. In the afternoon we walk a section of the beautiful and haunting old famine road along Killary Harbour. The Harbour is Ireland’s only ord, stretch- ing 20 km inland between the Mweelrea Mountains and Twelve Bens mountain ranges. From our path, we see abandoned potato furrows and penny-walls stretch up the glaciated ord walls. The area contains some of Ireland’s most awe- inspiring and dramatic scenery. Day 4 St. Patrick’s Church & the Western Way 15km ↑340M Today's walk begins in Maam, a valley made famous by the making of “The Quiet Man” starring Maureen O’ Hara and John Wayne.Our journey takes us into the mountains on one of Ireland’s pilgrimage routes, through Maumeen Pass and to St. Patrick’s Church, situated in the heart of the Maumturk Mountains. Nearby we will visit a Holy Well, marked long before St. Patrick and Christianity, the well is believed to have healing powers and was visited by the Druids and Celts to pro- mote strength and healing. It is their belief in an intrinsic power in the water that keeps people visiting Holy Wells to this very day. Our trail then winds down the Inagh Valley with superb views over Roundstone Bog and its surrounding country- side. Day 5 The Burren & the Cliffs of Moher 8km ↑110M Today, we leave Connemara for the Burren in Co. Clare, taking the coast road along Galway Bay and stopping off in the Gaelic-speaking seaside village of Spiddal “An Spidéal”. Our next stop is the famous Cliffs of Moher, whose sheer rocky face rises directly from the sea to a height of 200 m / 600 ft. A walk along the cliffs give views of the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, The Twelve Bens and the Maumturk Moun- tains. (3 nights) Day 6 Inishmore 12km ↑70M We begin our morning with a 1-hour ferry ride from the beautiful village of Doolin to the village of Kilronan on Inishmore, the largest of the three Aran Islands.Inis Mór is a land steeped in myth, legend and ancient culture and is famous for its stone forts, which are thought to date from the late Bronze Age (1100 BC) through to the Iron Age (300 BC-500 AD). Our walk takes us to the Black Fort (Dun Duchathair), a solitude fort situated on the cliffs at Cill Éinne on the southern side of the island. Day 7 Black Head 12.5km ↑310M Our final day’s walk leads us over the stark limestone landscape of Black Head in the Burren. Starting from the village of Fanore, our walk follows an old green road around the shoulder of Black Head through this surreal “lunar landscape” and gently up Gleninagh Mountain for simply gorgeous views. Our walk back loops us around another old green road onto the Burren Way and back to Fanore.If you are interested in geology, flora, archaeology or wildlife, this day won’t disappoint as you are immersed into the unique, unfolding layers of limestone. Day 8 Departure After a hearty breakfast, we will depart Lisdoonvarna for Dublin Airport arriving between 2 and 3 pm. What to Expect Getting There What will the weather be like? The daytime temperature will be around 15 to mid-20 degrees C ( 60’s to 70’s F), From Dublin airport we have a with moderate rainfall. It often rains in Ireland, making the countryside lush and green. It is usually misty and not torrential downpours, but rain gear is still nec- standard transfer at 12:00 to Con- essary, both a jacket and a pair of pants. nemara How many hours of hiking a day? Transfer back to Dublin airport on Be prepared to hike between 4 to 6 hours daily. This is a supported tour, so Day 8 arriving between 14:00-15:00 there is back up service throughout the holiday. If you need to take a day off and rest, you can easily do so. How fit do I need to be? The fitter the better, so you will be able to enjoy this active holiday. There are some hills and some level terrain, rolling hills rather than any steep pitches. Good waterproof hiking boots are a MUST. What is the food like? We have included a full Irish breakfast each day. There will be packed lunches on some days, and organized dinners on some nights as well. Please advise in advance of any dietary requirements. What are the properties like? You will stay at high quality lodges, guesthouses and B&B’s. All the rooms have private facilities. They are chosen for their charm and hospitality. How to book your holiday Contact our office to make sure there is space available. One of our travel planners will walk you through the entire process. Download the reservation form from our site and send in the completed form by fax or email. Once this is done, your space is confirmed and pre-departure packet will be sent. A deposit is required immediately, and final payment is required 60 days prior to the trip departure. Terms & conditions are out- Extra Services lined in our Reservation Form. This tour can be combined with Donegal or Plan your air travel as soon as possible. Kerry for a wonderful two week break. We encourage you to purchase travel insurance, either through We have a selection of hotels available for us or a travel insurance provider directly. you, both before and after the tour. Ensure you are in proper health for the trip chosen. Contact us Hotels in Dublin and Shannon can be arranged for you, ranging from B&B’s to deluxe accom- for more information on vaccinations, inoculations, and fitness modation. requirements. Contact us for details. .