Guided Biking
Tours in Ireland
Connemara, Galway and
Mayo cycling safari
( round trip to and from galway )
This Tour explores the beautiful region of Connemara famous for its rugged granite landscape as well as its beautiful lakes and rivers. The route offers an incredible variety of scenery each day. In the morning you can be cycling along beautiful coastline while in the afternoon you could be a quiet bog road with stunning views of the surrounding mountains. On our rest day we stay in a lovely family run hotel in the charming seaside village of Roundstone before heading towards the Irish speaking village of Carraroe. The tour finishes up with a visit to the Aran Islands.
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Rates include
7 nights Bed & Breakfast accommodation ( a mixture of Hotels and
guesthouse), 1 evening dinner, bicycle hire, tour guide who drives the luggage van and looks
after the tour, maps and all necessary equipment. The tour includes
coach transfers when required during the week, but does not include
the optional ferry journeys.
8 days / 7 nights $985
-- based on € 695
Single supplements are very limited but in the case where we
can provide one there is an additional cost of $335 (€ 235)
2008 Dates:
04/26-05/03 05/17-05/24 06/07-06/14
06/28-07/05 07/05-07/12 07/12-07/19
07/19-07/26 07/26-08/02 08/09-08/16
08/16-08/23 08/23-08/30 08/30-09/06
09/27-10/04
Self Guided Option: Available starting any day during the summer
(except Saturdays). The bike
and route details will be waiting for you in the first nights
accommodation. Same rates apply with a $115 supplement for transfers per
group.
Distances: The average cycling
distance is an easy 30m (45km ) with longer routes being available each
day.
Meals: The guide will recommend a lunch stop each day where a snack lunch will
cost between $7 and $10. A group evening meal is also organised
by the guide each night which costs between $15 and $20.
Note:
You have all day to cover the trip so you can take your time to stop at
places of interest. With the exception of roads in and out of
Galway the traffic on the route should be quite light.
However you should cycle carefully at all times , especially when going
downhill or during any rain showers.
Schedule
Saturday: Galway
City Meeting with the guide at 6.30pm in the bar of Jurys Galway Inn Hotel at
the bottom of Quay Street in the centre of Galway city . This is a
meeting point only and not where you are staying. If you get there early
you can leave your bags in the left luggage room at the Hotel Reception
and then go for a stroll around the town. Galway is a very historical
city with a great atmosphere so you can spend the afternoon pottering
around the many shops in the old town or calling into one of the many
pubs to listen to some traditional music. After meeting the guide
in Jury’s there is an introductory talk and an evening meal is organized
in the Hotel while your luggage is transferred to our nearby
guesthouses.
Sunday: Galway / Cong to Westport
In the morning we take a coach transfer to the village of Cong where the
tour proper starts. We head North along the quiet back roads
through rolling green fields full of grazing sheep, before descending
down to Lough Mask and a wonderful cycle along the shores of the lake.
After lunch we have our biggest climb of the week over the Partry
mountains and then cycle along a quiet back road with stunning views of
the surrounding landscape all the way to colourful village of Westport.
39 miles / 63 kms
Monday: Westport to Leenane
We cycle between Croagh Patrick and the beautiful Clew Bay with its many
small islands , to the village of Louisburgh where we stop for lunch. In
the afternoon we head south through one of the highlights of the week,
the stunning Delphi Valley with its beautiful lakes overlooked by Ben
Bury the highest mountain in Connemara. That night we stay in the small
village of Leenane which looks out over Killary Harbour, Irelands
only fjord. 30 miles / 48 kms
Tuesday: Leenane to Roundstone
We cycle into the heart of Connemara overlooked by the Twelve Bens
mountain range and visit Kylemore Abbey, a wedding gift from a
wealthy Liverpool businessman to his wife in 1868. We then cycle along
quiet backroads past small fields with grazing cattle to the seaside
village of Cleggan where we stop for lunch. In the afternoon we follow
the scenic coast road to Clifden where you can watch cars travel across
the beach to Omey Island only accessible when the tide is out!
After a stop off in Clifden the capital of Connemara , we cycle along a
quiet country bogroad surrounded by small lakes and freshly cut peat
with wonderful views of the Twelve Ben mountain range . That night we
stay in the picturesque fishing village of Roundstone where we will
spend the next two nights. 44 miles / 70kms
Wednesday: Rest Day in Roundstone
The day can be spent in rest and relaxation or you can take part in a
variety of activities including a day sailing cruise,
walking , a game of golf or horseriding. . You can also spend the day
just relaxing on one of the two beautiful white sandy beaches just
outside the village, overlooking a clear blue sea. In the evening
a ceili is typically organised in the Hotel where we are staying.
Thursday: Roundstone to Carraroe
We cycle along beautiful waterways and another picturesque bog road with
its freshly cut peat waiting to be harvested, both offering
wonderful views of the surrounding countryside before cycling the final
afternoon stretch to the Irish speaking village of Carraroe. 32
miles / 51 kms
Friday: Carraroe to the Aran Islands/ GA One option for the
day is to take a ferry to the Aran Islands, with their wealth of ancient
stone forts and monastic sights.In the late afternoon we return
to the mainland and take a bus back to Galway city. The total cost
of the boat and bus is €20. We have a final dinner and night on the town
together before going our separate ways the following mornings. 22 miles
/ 35kms
Saturday
Departure after breakfast.
Insurance: There is an additional charge of $25 for insurance cover for this trip, or
you can opt for the regular insurance package that we offer.
The bicycle: We supply 21 speed
Trek hybrid touring models for the tours. Repair equipment ,
helmets and pannier bags are available on request.
Starting times:
Tours starts with a
meeting of the group at 6.30pm on the Saturday evening in a central hotel
close to the local train and Bus station. This is only a meeting
point - you will then overnight in nearby guesthouses. The
guide is able to return to the meeting place at 9.30pm again that evening
and the following morning for those arriving late. After an
introductory talk the guide will organise an evening meal and direct
clients to their first nights accommodation in bed & breakfasts.
