A Guided Walking Holiday on the Gorgeous West Coast of Ireland
Join Footfalls Walking Holidays in the beautiful West of Ireland for this unique walking vacation in iconic locations. We start in County Galway in the heart of the Connemara Mountains, journey over to the largest of the Aran Islands, and we end our walking holiday in The Burren in County Clare.
This walking tour showcases the Ireland of old: a place rich in culture and tradition that seems worlds away from the pace of city life.
Walking in Connemara
Connemara is a wild and beautiful place. We begin our 8-day guided walk here, which is also part of the world-famous Wild Atlantic Way.
The name Connemara is Irish for ‘Inlets of the Sea’ and the scenery you’ll enjoy during this walk includes not only a stunning coastline, but also lakes, mountains, white cottages, woolly Highland sheep, fast-flowing streams, and many many stone walls!
Walking the The Burren
The latter part of our tour takes us to The Burren in County Clare. The Burren, with its unique and magical landscape of exposed and cracked limestone crust, is thought to have inspired J.R.R. Tolkien (author of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings).
The rock formation is exceptional and allows for a unique internal climate resulting in a micro-ecosystem of rare plants, some of which can only be found in Alpine or Mediterranean regions.
A Walking Tour of the Aran Islands
We also visit Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands, which lies right on the edge of 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 at a slower pace on the island. It’s ideal for a walking vacation in Ireland!
Still browsing options? You might want to explore our other guided walking tours of Ireland for alternative routes and locations. Or take a look at our self-guided walking tours of Ireland to go on your own schedule instead.
We are always delighted to chat about the routes and destinations where we offer walking tours, so do feel free to get in touch with any questions at all.
Guided Walk in Connemara, The Burren, & Aran Islands
Prices / Dates
Price: €1,449 per person sharing
Saturday to Saturday
Single Supplement: +€500
Tour Dates 2025:
Saturday, 7th to Saturday, 14th June
Saturday, 19th to Saturday 26th July
Tour Grade: Easy to Moderate
Accommodation: Family Operated Hotels
Included / Excluded
- All accommodation is Failte Ireland approved and all rooms will be en-suite/private bathroom.
- All meals to include: 7 Breakfasts, 5 Evening Meals and 3 Packed Lunches.
- All transport from and back to Dublin Airport
- All transport to and from walks.
- Ferry trip to Inishmore.
- Entry fee to Kylemore Abbey & Walled Gardens
- 2 Evening Meals
- 3 Lunches in the Burren
Connemara, Aran Islands, & The Burren Walking Itinerary
You will be collected at Dublin Airport at 12 noon and transferred to Connemara, County Galway.
Our first guided walk is through Connemara National Park, a protected 3,000 hectares of mountains, bog, and woodland. The journey will begin from its splendid visitors’ centre.
After a visit to the 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.
Overnight in Leenane
Distance: 10 km/6 miles, Ascent: 430 m/1290 ft
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 fjord, stretching 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 fjord walls. The area contains some of Ireland’s most awe-inspiring and dramatic scenery.
Overnight in Leenane
Distance: 15 km/9.3 miles, Ascent: 230 m/690 ft
Today's walk begins in the valley of 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 promote strength and healing. It is their belief in an intrinsic power in the water that keeps people visiting Holy Wells to this very day.
In the afternoon, we will visit the highly photographed Kylemore 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 romantic architecture.
Overnight in Leenane
Distance: 10 km/6 miles, Ascent: 340 m/1020 ft.
Today, we leave Connemara for The Burren in County Clare.
Stopping along the way to explore one or two of the small villages, have a coffee and do a little shopping.
Our walk for today will be in the seaside village of Ballyvaughan. Here we will do a wonderful circular walking route through a mixture of lush hazel woodlands, country roads and laneways and, green pastures. The route passes close to Aillwee Cave, the best known of the Burren’s many ancient geological sites and boasts some wonderful views of Galway Bay.
After our walk, we will go to our final accommodation, situated in the town of Lahinch.
Overnight (June Tour) Balluvaghan
(July Tour) Lahinch.
Distance: 8 km/5 miles, Ascent: 110 m/330 ft
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. It 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 solitary fort situated on the cliffs at Cill Éinne on the southern side of the island.
Overnight (June Tour) Balluvaghan
(July Tour) Lahinch.
Distance: 12 km/7.5 miles, Ascent: 70 m/210 ft
Our final walk of the week takes us along by the famous Cliffs of Moher, whose sheer rocky face rises directly from the sea to a height of 200 m/600 ft. The Cliffs are one of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions, and when you see them yourself, you will understand why. The trail along the Cliffs provides views of the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, The Twelve Bens, and the Maumturk Mountains and the spectacular wild Atlantic.
Our full days walk is on part of the Burren Way, a long distance walking trail that guides us into the village of Doolin.
Overnight (June Tour) Balluvaghan
(July Tour) Lahinch.
Distance: 15 km/9 miles, Ascent: 310 m/930 ft
After a hearty breakfast, we will depart Co Clare for Dublin Airport arriving between 2 and 3 pm.
