Cost: €1299 per person sharing

7 Day Tour Tour Dates 2009 Sun 16th May - Sat 22nd May Sat 22nd May - Fri 28th May Tue 27th July - Mon 2nd August Sun 26th September - Sat 2nd Oct

Tour Grade 2 Moderate Accommodation Guesthouse & Hotel

Tour Highlights The Cliffs of Moher Fauna & Geology of the Burren Aran Islands Fort Dun Aenghus Kylemore Abbey Killary Fjord Omey Island The "Matchmakers Town" of Lisdoonvarna Clifden "The Jewel of Connemara" What's included in your tour All 3-4 star accommodation (en-suite) x 6 nights. All meals to include: 6 Breakfasts, 4 Evening Meals and 5 Packed Lunches All transport to include: Shannon Airport pick-up and drop-off. All land transports & evening transportations to pubs / music. Return Ferry to Aran Islands. 6 guided walkes, escort of full-time guide & local guides. Not included: 2-evening meals Entry fees to Kylemore Abbey (approx. €11)

Into The West

This tour is based in three of the most spectacular regions along the west of Ireland; Lisdoonvarna County Clare; Clifton County Galway and finally Westport County. Mayo.

Starting off in the Burren Co. Clare, our tour takes us on an area that is rich in botany, geological and of great archaeological interest. The landscape is made up of a strange lunar-like carboniferous limestone of bare rock. The Burren is also home to the world famous Cliffs of Moher, which of course we will visit.

From Clare our tour takes us north to County Galway and our base is in Clifden or better known as the "Jewel of Connemara" a pictures town that is steeped in traditional music.
From here will visit one of the largest of the Aaron Islands, Inishmore.
One of its main attraction is the 2,500-year-old fortress of Dun Aenghus, situated on the edge of a cliff 300 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. The walls of this mysterious Celtic Fort are 13 feet thick and 10 feet high.
The native language here is Gaelic and spoken by all of the native islanders, but they also speak English.
While in Connemara we will also visit the quaint and beautiful island of Omey. Walk along Ireland's only fjord; Killary Fjord and pay a visit to Kylemore Abbey.

The final part of our journey takes us to County Mayo; our accommodation is based on the outskirts of Westport. A town that has being designated by our tourist board "Failte Ireland" as a Heritage Towns. The town is situated in the shadow of Croagh Patrick and overlooking Clew Bay.

"Stony seaboard fair and foreign
Stony hills poured over space
Stony outcrop of the Burren
Stones on every fertile place.
Little fields with boulders dotted,
Grey-stone shoulders saffron spotted,
Stone-walled cabins thatched with reeds,
Where a stone age people breeds
The last of Europe's stone age race."
"John Betjeman"

ITINERARY OUTLINE

Day 1:
Distance: 3.5 km, 2 miles
Pick up at Shannon Airport at 13.00. From Shannon we drive north to the Burren, a strange lunar-like region of bare carboniferous limestone which occupies around one hundred square miles of County Clare. Below the surface of the Burren is the most remarkable assemblage of spectacular caves, streams, potholes and "turloughs" (vanishing lakes). We will make our way to Lisdoonvarna in County Clare and the Burren Region. Our first walk will be at the spectacular Cliffs of Moher. Leaving the bustling car park behind, we can enjoy relative solitude walking along the cliffs towards Hag's Head. On the grassy bank at the lower cliff look out for puffins. They make their nests on the grass. We can also hope to see and hear fulmars, guillemots, kittiwakes and if we're really lucky peregrine falcons. After dinner, we can venture into the village in search of traditional music in the pubs.

Day 2:
Distance: 16 km, 10 miles (option of 8 km, 5 miles)
After rising at a civilised hour and consuming a full Irish breakfast, we will be met by Maryangela, our local expert guide for the day. She will take us to sites of botanical, geological and archaeological interest. This will include walking in two separate parts of the Burren with a break for lunch. In springtime you will never see anything like the carpets of primroses, or the white flower of the blackthorn cascading over all the hedgerows. Rare and spectacular plants occur in abundance. Nowhere else in Ireland, Britain or even North West Europe can such quantities of the blue Spring Gentian, cream Mountain Avens or yellow Shrubby Cinquefoil be encountered. Orchids grow everywhere in the Burren and 23 out of the 27 Irish species are to be found here.

Day 3:
Distance: 14 km, 6 miles
Before leaving the Burren we will walk at its highest point, Slieve Elva. Leaving County Clare, we will then drive north to Co. Galway and the Connemara Region and Joyce's Country. Connemara can be described as a wild, rugged, unspoilt area with a ragged coastline and a superb group of inland mountains known as the Twelve Bens. Our base is Clifden: known as the "Jewel in Connemara", a small town with a lively atmosphere nestling in the mountains. We will be staying here for three nights.

Day 4:
Distance: 16 km, 10 miles (option of 11 km)
Today we will be visiting Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands. Our walk will take us along lanes, tracks, and green roads. We will be able to visit Dun Aengus, a massive semi-circular ring fort lodged on the edge of cliffs that drop 300 ft into the Atlantic. "Walking about the by-ways of Inis Mor, experiencing its barren rocks, shorn cliffs and rough seas so enchants that it cries out and claws at your soul. This isolated and untamed island quickly conquers and captivates your spirit".

Day 5:
Distance: 19.3km (12 miles)
This morning after breakfast we will take the morning ferry back to Rossaveal and then head on to Clifden in the heart of Connemara. If you wish, you can use this day as a rest day. Enjoy the shops and cafes in the pretty village of Clifden. My recommendation is to hire a bicycle for at least the afternoon and ride the "Sky Road", this is a very famous cycling / walking route. It is only 12 miles, (not too hilly) and you will be rewarded with fine views. Alternatively there will be a guided walk at Omey Island (5 miles). This is a beautiful little island located just off the Connemara shore and we can reach it by walking across the sand at low tide.

Day 6:
Distance: 10 km, 6 miles
Leaving Clifden today, we will stop for morning coffee at Kylemore Abbey. We'll have time to wander the wooded lakeside grounds and visit the abbey.
We then walk at Killary Harbour, not a harbour at all, but Ireland's only fjord and one of the most enchanting walks in Ireland.

Day 7:
We must say Goodbye to the western Ireland and return to Shannon Airport.

If you would like more information, 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 •