DAY 1

Shortly after meeting your fellow travelers and guides, you transfer to County Clare, north of Shannon, and stop en route for your first of a series of spectacular walks along the Irish coast. You are immediately taken back in time as you stroll to Dysert O’Dea, a 14th-century Hiberno-Norman tower and a 7th-century Early Christian monastery founded by St. Tóla. There is time to peak at the Tower’s eclectic little museum.

After lunch at a pub in the market-town of Kilfenora, you visit one of Ireland’s most dramatic natural phenomena, the Cliffs of Moher. Stretched over almost 4.5 miles, these cliffs rise sheer from the Atlantic Ocean to a vertiginous 700 feet and on a clear day, you can enjoy views of the Aran Islands in Galway Bay, as well as the verdant hills and valleys of Connemara. The cliffs are not only home to an estimated 30,000 birds of 29 different species—Atlantic Puffins, hawks, gulls, guillemots, shags, ravens, and choughs—but also contain evidence of river channels cutting through the shale and sandstone beds dating 300 million years. Your afternoon takes you to a holy well dating from pre-Christian times and the main walk of the day to the town of Poulnacapple. Here, you walk from a Shale landscape to the older limestone of the Burren proper, an area offering spectacular views.

Following a few minutes aboard our minivan, you arrive at a Georgian country manor house nestled in the heart of the Burren in time to relax before indulging in the first night’s feast.
Gregans Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughan

DAY 2

Today you venture into the heart of the Burren. Here, the shapes and textures of the bare limestone that give this site its Gaelic name (meaning “a rocky place”) make for fascinating walking. The thin soil hosts unusual and diverse flora, whereby plants from the high arctic and alpine regions of Europe bloom alongside those from the Mediterranean region. Your guides engage the group with their knowledge of history, geology, and plant life—for the Burren proves rich in all these subjects.

You travel along the Burren Way on foot, a six-mile trail from Ballinalacken to the abandoned Formoyle Chapel. Lovely views of the sea appear along this ancient path that was once a cattle-driving trail. The walk circles back to Ballyvaughan, where you indulge in a midday lunch.

The afternoon is filled with short journeys into prehistory. Visits to an Iron Age stone ring fort, a Bronze Age burial site, and a Celtic high cross transport you through thousands of years in a few short hours. Your guides will offer an easy three-mile afternoon walk for guests looking for an additional opportunity to stretch their legs. Once again you retire to the luxurious Gregans Castle Hotel and reunite for a sumptuous dinner prepared by resident chef Mickael Viljanen using only organic ingredients produced and harvested locally.
Gregans Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughan

DAY 3

Today’s walk through the verdant Irish countryside takes you to the relatively unknown ruins of Kilmacduagh, an early Christian monastery established by Saint Colman in the 7th century. You take time to explore this mystical setting and stroll around the monastery, including its holy well, which is still honored today.

Lunch is in Galway, the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland and often nicknamed “Ireland’s cultural heart” due to its full calendar of festivals and events and numerous dance and musical organizations, theater companies, visual arts, writers, and film groups, as well as over 50 event venues. In recent years, Galway was named the second best destination in Ireland and was ranked ahead of most European capitals. Following this city break, you board the coach and transfer to a more rural setting in the westernmost part of the Connemara region. Gaining altitude, the road reaches 900 feet at the top of the Mám Éan pass in the Mamturk Mountains. From this vantage point, you enjoy panoramic views of the lake-studded peatlands that make up south Connemara.

Your hotel for the next two nights is a first-class 19th-century country house in Letterfrack, set amidst 30 acres of peaceful private woodland on the shores of the natural Ballinakill Harbor. Dinner this evening is in the hotel’s beautiful dining room, perhaps with the sound of a crackling open wood fire in the background.
Rosleague Manor Hotel, Letterfrack

DAY 4

Following a hearty breakfast and energized by a freshly brewed cup of coffee or tea, you set out for another day admiring the contrasting sceneries of the emerald green hills and deep blue waters. Today’s walk explores the country’s only fjord: Killary Harbor, which lies on the border between County Galway and County Mayo. The 10-mile long fjord reaches a 150-foot depth at its center. You walk six miles along a harborside trackway, passing the deserted village of Foher and its evocative famine graveyard. The deep bay affords views of inland mountains and magical islands. Lunch is at a pub in Letterfrack, founded by the Quakers in the mid-19th century. Later you can browse among the town’s displays of handwoven arts and crafts or perhaps pay a visit to the Connemara National Park visitors center.

The afternoon walk takes you to Kylemore Abbey and the Victorian Walled Garden. Kylemore Abbey, a neo-gothic house originally built in 1868 by Mitchell Henry in memory of his wife, Margaret, has been home to the Irish Benedictine Nuns since 1920.

There is time before dinner to relax in the hotel’s Victorian conservatory with a cup of tea or to take a stroll on the surrounding private grounds. Later this evening, you gather with your traveling companions and guides in the hotel’s dining room for another sumptuous dinner of local specialties such as Connemara lamb or Wild Renvyle salmon.
Rosleague Manor Hotel, Letterfrack

DAY 5

Following a satisfying (and award-winning) buffet breakfast in the hotel’s conservatory, you depart for a one-hour drive to the town land of Sheeauns (“fairy hills”). In recent times, Bronze Age hut sites, field systems, and trackways have been discovered by locals while cutting peat (used for fuel) and offer a perfect opportunity for your guides to share their historical knowledge.

After this scenic and educational walk, you leave the “fairy hills” for the picturesque little fishing town of Cleggan, with its pier and colorful fishing boats. You then catch the midday ferry to Inishbofin—the island of the white cow, according to its Irish name—a serene place with a breathtaking coastline. Occupied since the Bronze Age, the island is one of a handful of shipping ports on the west coast of Ireland which thrived in the 17th century. It is also the location chosen by Ireland’s legendary pirate queen, Grace O’Malley, to build her fort. Inishbofin has since become a popular destination for local writers and artists. You explore the island’s golden beaches and grassy paths before resting on the boat ride back to the mainland.

This evening you retire to your family-owned hotel, and Clifden’s oldest building dating from approximately 1820. Originally the harbourmaster’s house, the property was also a Franciscan monastery and at one time a convent, before becoming a hotel featuring 14 unique rooms and cozy common spaces skillfully decorated with period furnishing and family portraits. You are free to choose from one of the town’s many restaurants and pubs for dinner.
The Quay House, Clifden

DAY 6

As your Irish adventure draws to a close, you depart for one last inspiring day on the trail with your new-found friends. Today’s walk is only a short distance from your hotel and introduces you to a fascinating ecosystem. Roundstone Bog is one of the largest examples of a western-blanket bog in the world. Starting out following a little-used road, the route takes you on a wild trail and sheep paths, until you reach the bog proper, given that the weather has been dry for the previous few days. Here your guides point out the flora specially adapted to living in wet acid soils: heather-clad outcroppings of rock, insectivorous plants, and sedges. In summer, the eerie cries of breeding golden plover and merlin drift overhead.

This afternoon, an island visit is on the agenda. You reach Omey Island on foot along a causeway cut off by high tide. This low-lying island of pink granite is covered by sand dunes. Recent excavations have provided anthropologists with a wealth of new information on the customs of early Christian monasteries in Ireland.

You return to your hotel in the quaint town of Clifden, also known as “the capital of Connemara” due to its size. Tonight’s farewell dinner is at a favorite local restaurant owned by your hosts’ extended family. Now a connoisseur in the local delicacies, you may choose your favorite from the creative offerings listed on the menu while toasting the week’s accomplishments and discoveries.
The Quay House, Clifden

DAY 7

After a hearty Irish breakfast, you transfer by coach to Shannon, where you bid farewell and continue your exploration of Ireland on your own, or start your journey home.

Itinerary Changes

Please bear in mind that this is a typical itinerary, and the actual activities, sites, and accommodations may vary due to season, special events, weather, or transportation schedules. We reserve the right to alter the itinerary since tour arrangements are made up to a year in advance, and unforeseen circumstances that mandate change may arise. Itinerary changes are made to improve the tour and your experience.

Nights 1 & 2

Gregans Castle Hotel
Ballyvaughan, Ireland

Named a 2009 Grand Award Winner by Andrew Harper in the January 2009 issue of the “Hideaway Report.” This family-run house offers individually decorated rooms and breathtaking views of the Burren and Galway Bay.

Nights 3 & 4

Rosleague Manor Hotel
Letterfrack, Ireland

A meticulously renovated manor house built in the early 1800s, filled with antiques and boasting a superb dining room.

Nights 5 & 6

The Quay House
Clifden, Ireland

Built in 1820 as the harbourmaster’s house, this small family-run inn is the town’s oldest building, formerly also a Franciscan monastery and a convent before becoming a guest house. Stylish rooms are individually decorated with period furniture and original artwork, while elegant living rooms with fireplaces are perfect to relax in after a day of cycling. Breakfast is served in a light- and flower-filled conservatory. Overlooking the harbor, it is a few minutes' walk to the town center, where dining options abound.

Please note that this is a sample hotel itinerary for this tour. While these exact hotels are featured on most departures, we occasionally reserve other hotels of similar style and quality. If you are currently booked on a Country Walkers adventure, a hotel itinerary has been sent to you for your exact departure date. Please call Country Walkers at 800.464.9255 if you have any questions about the exact hotels selected for any of our tours.

Michael Miller

Michael, a native Irishman, has extensive guiding experience and a comprehensive knowledge of Ireland’s fascinating history. However, his true love is traditional Irish folk music. Michael is a delightful travel companion and insightful "walking encyclopedia".

Pól O'Colmain

Irishman Pól O’Colmain is an artist, musician, poet, story-teller, folklorist, and teacher. He has also restored historic gardens, is fluent in gaelic and likes scuba diving and swimming. He is often to be found walking in the hills around his home in rural Ireland.

Dubhaltach O'Colmain

Dubhaltach is a working artist and musician, often writing his own music and illustrating stories.  Fluent in English, Irish and Greek, he grew up on the Great Blasket Island.  Dubhaltach enjoys sharing his love of the sea and outdoors with travelers to Ireland.