Client Reviews

Pre-Trip Service
I started searching and planning my trip months in advance. The hiking trip was only a portion of my holiday in Ireland and any and all questions I threw at Louise from general Ireland questions (such as bus and train schedules, recommended places to stay and eat etc.) to hiking trip specific (I'm a celiac, can this be accommodated?) were always answered quickly and very efficiently. All the help I received made me feel more comfortable choosing Wilderness Ireland for the hiking portion of my trip. As far as I am concerned there is nothing that could have been done better and you are lucky to have her as an employee.

Trip Comments
To tell the truth I was unsure exactly what to expect when I signed up as a single female for a hiking trip to Ireland with a company and other people I knew nothing about would turn out. All I can say is.... I'm sure glad I did!!!! From the first day to the last day I had a smile on my face the whole time. The scenery of the coastal route & Donegal was absolutely spectacular. I don't believe there is one view in Ireland that is not unbelievable and I enjoyed each and every one on my hiking trip. One of the highlights of travelling with Wilderness Ireland was not having to worry about anything.... from transportation, to where I would be staying, to where we would be eating... all I had to do was hike, relax and take pictures. What a holiday!!! The group of people that joined up for this hiking trip were all fantastic and Paul Quinn our hiking guide was fabulous. One of the highlights for me was the diversity in the ecosystems we got to hike through, from bogs to heather to sand dunes to mountains to oceans it was incredible. Each and every day on the hike had it's own beauty and I have and will be encouraging everyone I know to put Ireland on their bucket list, and if they like the outdoors in any way, shape or form to look into taking a trip with Wilderness Ireland. It was a blast.

Accommodation and Food
Every place we stayed at was fantastic. What was great also was that you didn't pack up your bags and move every day. My favorite place was the Murray Castle House because it was smaller and you got to talk to and know the owners. I also can't say enough how grateful I am for the places where we ate. I am a celiac and it is not easy to travel at times, and in particular finding good places to eat. The food was fantastic at every accommodation and restaurant. A BIG thankyou to Paul for always making sure I was okay at every meal and even going above and beyond for finding special snacks just for me. Very kind and thoughtful.

Your Guide
Can't say enough about how fabulous Paul was for our particular group. We were a mature (lol) group with a wide range of hiking capabilities. No one was ever not looked after from the fastest to the slowest of us. Paul would talk, laugh, educate, encourage and hike alongside each and everyone of us at various times along every route. He would always ensure everyone was okay and it was obvious he took his job seriously about trying to make our experience the best he could. I'm not even sure what would ruffle him as he even took a car accident in stride and just kept trucking right along with us. All I can say is if I ever get the chance to do another hike with you, it will be my pleasure any time, any where. Thank you very much.

The Bottom Line
I almost didn't go on this trip in the end even with months of planning in place. I am a single female, I am a celiac, I was hesitant to hiked with a group of people I had never met, and my father was going through very harsh cancer treatments at the time I was to leave for my trip. In the end it turned out to be one of the best trips I have ever had!!!! From the first questions answered by Louise to the fantastic care by Paul I would take another trip with Wilderness Ireland again any time. There was no problem travelling alone, the food was fabulous everywhere, the accommodations were unbelievable, and I met some fantastic people who I now call friends. What more is there to say except thank you very much, and I tell everyone I talk to that they should put Wilderness Ireland on their bucket list.

Pre-Trip Service
Louise was FABULOUS.. I booked the trip quite late, and she made it work for me!

Trip Comments
How do I start? Everything was meticulously planned!

Accommodation and Food
Each hotel was great..restaurant choices were top notch. I especially loved the Castle Murray Inn in Killybegs

Your Guide
Paul Quinn..fabulous, knowledgeable, patient and passionate about his work!

The Bottom Line
I did a trip the following week, and decided to wait til the end to say..
I will definitely book with Wilderness Ireland again and recommend it to friends!

Pre-Trip Service
Louise was extremely helpful. Answered all questions. Sent literature when requested. And stayed on top of everything.

Trip Comments
Gooe people, good hiking, beautiful, beautiful scenery and the freshest seafood ever!

Accommodation and Food
Most enjoyed the B and B in Baltimore. Good to have a restaurant attached.

Your Guide
He was fun and careful and made sure everyone had a good time. Knew the area completely so changing plans was no problem. Especially loved the “rest stops" that always included a story or a song! (Having Louise there too was an added attraction!)

The Bottom Line
I have now traveled with both WS and WI and find both companies run really well. Great guides, accomodations, food, etc. Scenery beautiful. Had a wonderful trip each time. Highly recommend!

Pre-Trip Service

Trip Comments

Accommodation and Food

Your Guide

The Bottom Line

Pre-Trip Service
Geoff dealt with staff but all the information was great & payment processes were smooth. Staff tried very hard to sort Garmin maps.

Trip Comments

Accommodation and Food
Fantastic

Your Guide
Both guides were great- knowledgeable, witty, very competent in lots of ways.

The Bottom Line
The route was great but seriously needs Garmin maps as there are many little roads that aren’t covered by paper maps without very extensive writing; bikes need fully packed back packs with tubes, levers, pumps etc even if guides are there to change tyres; daily debrief and briefing for next day would mean riders could be better prepared to leave on time. With such a small group it would be easy to facilitate. Route maps provided the day before ( we really appreciated that Andrew spent a lot of energy redoing them each night as they were incorrect) but for next time this should not be an issue.
Drop the boat ride to Arran island. Weather can be dodgy and we didn’t see anyth8ng as so much time was spent in the crossing. It also meant that we didn’t really ride the whole way from Mizzen to Mallen.
The support vehicle needs to carry a better supply of munchies such as energy bars, nuts, tablets for water bottles - long rides need food along the way. Lunch venues were really wonderful.
Absolutely recommend the trip to anybody with sound riding strength. Thanks for wonderful trip

Pre-Trip Service

Trip Comments
The whole experience was fantastic. The small group format really lent itself to flexibility and guest opinions were genuinely listened to not just given lip service

Accommodation and Food
Excellent accommodation and good options for meals

Your Guide
Pauls level of service was outstanding! His knowledge of both natural science and history was a real highlight. He is extremely personable and genuinely encouraging during some of the more difficult walks. He accommodated people's personal needs well and is an asset to the business

The Bottom Line
Would definitely recommend this style of trip to friends. At no stage did I just feel like a number as I have done on some other large tour groupss 10/10!

Pre-Trip Service
There was lots of information available though the exact route was not there until a week before - but this was because it was the first time that it had run. The payment information from Australia was confusing. The information was more applicable to EU/UK/USA and there were things there that Australian banks do not use. They are are particular to the US. The fees to pay you were quite expensive and it would have been good to get information on the best way to pay right at the start. Eg Fees for my first credit card deposit were about 50 Euros - there was a cheaper way to pay through a transfer and this should have been in the information.

Trip Comments
Ok here are the things that needed to be reviewed in my opinion:
1. The bikes were delivered in pretty ordinary condition. The chains and gearing were extremely dirty - this affected performance with chains slipping. Guides repaired them on the run but they needed to have a mechanic go over them before delivery. Especially for a longer ride.
2. Once bikes were cleaned and repaired they were great.
3. Bikes need a full puncture repair kit including pump and tubes and levers. I had three punctures which is to be expected and I could have fixed them myself in no time and been on the road but there was no equipment on the bike and I had to wait for guide with the equipment. This took the guide away from supporting the whole group or others who needed someone to change the tyre when they had a puncture. We should have the option of changing it ourselves.
4. The map notes were useless. I followed the gpx supplied by Wilderness Ireland on my garmin and that was much more effective. The only time I went off course was when the gpx was wrong. We spent a lot of time with people going in the wrong direction. For such a long and complex trip the only way to go is with a touring gps system on each bike with the route. There is no way on longer rides like this the group will stay together. All power to the guides they way they chased us around and fixed up the navigation problems.
5. The trip is supposed to be from south to north. I was disappointed by the two transfers on the bus as I wanted to cycle the whole way. This was the general consensus of the group. The trip to the Aran Islands was a waste of time as the only thing there was shops if you weren't staying. It would have been better to have an optional ride or transfer on this day. I understand that there were problems with one section where we were in the bus because of a lack of accommodation options. I think this should be looked at even if it means one extra day on the trip.

But having said the above I think these were minor compared to the value and how fabulous the trip was. I also think you should thank the guides - they went above and beyond to fix and smooth over the navigation and bike mechanical problems. This and the fact that the group were laid back and experienced cyclists meant that what could have been a major problem was more an irritant or embraced as a bit of a laugh that didn't detract from the day.

Accommodation and Food
run with what you had and recommendations for food from the guides were great.

Your Guide
Went above and beyond. Both guides were outstanding and we have done a lot of guided bike trips but never with your company.

The Bottom Line
The whole concept of south to north and along the Wild Atlantic Way was excellent. Accommodation was outstanding. Guides and personnel were fabulous. In general I would highly recommend this trip to others provided a few glitches were sorted.

Pre-Trip Service

Trip Comments
Beautiful walkingcountry and a knowledgeable and entertaining guide. Our guide ensured that there were enjoyable alternatives when weather prevented us from completing the activity scheduled for the day.

Accommodation and Food
The accomodations were excellent, aside fromt the beds at The Lodge in Kinmare, which were to soft.

Your Guide

The Bottom Line

Pre-Trip Service
Louise is amazing! All pre-trip interactions were courteous, prompt and, made us feel like we were in very good hands!

Trip Comments
Our trip with Wilderness Ireland was amazing. Beautiful hikes intertwined with music, culture and, history. Guided by Donncha we expereinced the wilds of Ireland to a soundtrack of crashing waves, raindrops, wind and Irish songs borrowed from another time. In a word; breath-taking.

Accommodation and Food
Casey's was incredible for its hospitality and convenience. This will is a place I will recommend and return to on my next Ireland adventure.

Your Guide
Donncha was an incredible guide- his knowledge of the trails and his love of Ireland was clear throughout each history lesson, Irish translation and song he graciously shared with us. Our trip felt seamless- each trail, meal and van ride unfolded softly and organically into a treasured experience of Ireland.

The Bottom Line
We had the pleasure and good fortune to have both Donncha and Louise on our trip. Louise was amazing and while I am sure she is treasured in the office- she would be a fantastic guide! Louise went above and beyond on our trip- ensuring all hikers were enjoying their Wilderness Ireland experience. I cannot express enough my gratitude for her help pre-trip and during the trip! Many thanks to both Louise and Donncha for their generosity of knowledge, culture and spirit on this trip.

Pre-Trip Service

Trip Comments

Accommodation and Food
The food provided and the recommendations for where to eat weere great. We felt the absence of firm beds in the second to last stay.

Your Guide
Donncha was informing and entertaining.

The Bottom Line
A lovely trip. Even though weather intervened on some of the planned activities, our guide came up with alternatives that pleased us.