Cost: €975 per person sharing

Tour dates 2010 Sun 8th August - Sun 15th 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 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 Letterfrack National Park, ferry trip to Inishbofin. 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 Transfer to Connemara
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 the 9.30am. After settling in and having some light refreshments we will do a short walk the Connemara National Park. After dinner you will have a briefing on the week’s activities.

Day 2 Kylemore Abbey
Our first walk takes us to Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Gardens. Kylemore is a most wonderful place; it is here that nature speaks at its best. The Abbey is the only Irish home of the Benedictine Nuns. Built originally as a Castle (1868) it is one of the best examples of Irish neo-gothic architecture. After our visit to the abbey we will walk an old trail that takes us along the shores of Kylemore Lough.
Distance: 12 km/7.5 miles, Ascent: 60 m/120 ft

Day 3  Killary Fjord
Our walk takes us to Killary Harbour, which is a fjord between the Mweelrea Mountains and the Twelve Bens. The fjord reaches 20 kilometres inland and our walk takes us on an old famine road that stretches along part of the fjord.
Our return journey takes us on a small country road, past Lough Muck and Lough Fee.
Distance: 15 km/9 miles, Ascent: 80 m/240 ft

Day 4 Pilgrimage Trail
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 walk takes us into the heart of the Maam Turk Mountains along an old pilgrimage trail to Maumeen. Here there is a small church, some small crosses, a holy well and a large statue of St. Patrick. The second part of the walk takes us gently down into the Inagh Valley. Along the way we will have amazing views of the Twelve Bens Mountains and across to the Atlantic Ocean.    
Distance: 15 km/9 miles, Ascent 340 m/1020 ft

Day 5 The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher
Today we leave Connemara and drive south to the Burren in Co. Clare.  Stopping off at the famous Cliffs of Moher, some of the highest sea cliffs in Europe, rising to a height of 214m and stretching for 8 kilometers over the Atlantic Ocean.  From the cliffs it is on to our final accommodation just outside of Lisdoonvarna.

Day 6 Inishmore Island
Today we take a ferry to the island of Inishmore, the largest of the three Aran Islands (7,625 acres) and include many ancient stone forts and churches among its treasures. Most impressive being that of the ancient Bronze Age fort of Dun Aengus. Our walk on the island takes us on some narrow country tracks that date back thousands of years and are surrounded by meandering walls and patchwork fields.
Distance: 16 km/10 miles, Ascent: 70 m/210 ft

Day 7 Black Hill and Gleninagh Mountain
Whether you are interested in geology, flora, archaeology or wildlife this day won't disappoint you. Starting in the village of Fanore our walk follows an old green road gently up onto Gleninagh Mountain. From here the views of the bay and surrounding countryside are simply beautiful. Our trail then joins another old Green Road that links us to the Burren Way and back to Finore.
Distance: 12.5 km/8 miles, Ascent 310 m/930 ft

Day 8 Depart for home
Depart for Shannon Airport, arriving at 1pm

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 •