Ireland’s West Coast

Day 1 – Hiking the Burren

Your island hopping adventure kicks off in Galway, the City of Tribes. Leaving the vibrant city behind, we head south on the Wild Atlantic Way to the craggy, alien landscapes of the Burren, a place said to be J.R.R. Tolkien’s inspiration for Middle Earth in Lord of the Rings. Keep an eye out for natural bouquets of wildflowers as we cross this strange stony landscape on our first hike of the trip. (L, D)

Hike Details: 5.5 km/ 3.5 miles | approx. 2-3 hrs.

Day 2 – The Aran Islands

For our first island hopping excursion, we’ll set sail to the least-visited of the Aran Islands. Inis Meáin (the middle of the three islands) is a bastion of Irish tradition. First settled about 7,000 years ago, the Aran Islands have since been home to centuries of settlers, each leaving an imprint of their history, heritage and tradition. Today’s hike follows quiet roads and trails around Inis Meáin. Sailing back to the mainland, pass under the Cliffs of Moher (the stand-in for the Cliffs of Insanity for the cult classic, The Princess Bride) for a unique view most who visit the cliffs never experience. (B, L)

Hike Details: 13km/ 8 miles | approx. 4-5 hrs.

Day 3 – The Cliffs of Moher & Garumna Island

This morning first destination is the nearby Cliffs of Moher, previously viewed from your ferry yesterday, today take a tour of the visitors centre and if time allows the options for a walk with your guide. In the heart of the Connemara Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking region), we continue our island-hopping adventure on a tiny peninsula where we’ll hike to the little-visited Garumna Island. Here the trail meanders through a series of local lanes and paths as you head towards the Trawbaun Graveyard with its neatly-preserved medieval church. Along Greatman’s Bay you’ll pass coral beaches and a rocky foreshore, but it is the views of Connemara’s Mamturk and Twelve Bens mountain ranges that really sets the scene. (B, L)

Hike Details: 8km/ 5 miles | approx. 4 hrs.

Day 4 – Inisbofin Island

Another day, another island! Today we head to Inishbofin Island, where you can take in some of the most stunning Atlantic Coast scenery. Your coastal hike winds along the island’s shores, offering jaw-dropping views of Inishbofin’s sea arch, blowholes, and sea stacks where the island’s seal colony reside. Further along, we’ll explore the Dún More Cliffs and Iron Age promontory fort ruins, the picturesque Trá Gheal beach and an old famine road. The track rambles over grass paths, turf banks and shingle beach pebbles. Back at the harbour, one of the west coast’s best pints of Guinness awaits before ferrying back to the mainland. (B, L)

Hike Details: 11 km/ 7 miles| approx. 3-4 hrs.

Day 5 – On the Shores of Killary Fjord

Certainly one of Ireland’s most spectacular coastal hikes, this gentle walk along Killary Fjord takes you past rocky outcroppings of sheep-shorn grass with distant ocean views spreading before us. Overlooking a necklace of white sand beaches along the shoreline, sharp eyes may spot pods of dolphins or diving seabirds on the surface of the island-dotted seascape. Delve into Irish history at a famine-era abandoned village as your guide brings to life the rich and ancient histories of this little-changing landscape. (B, L)

Hike Details: 11km/ 7 miles | 4 hrs.

Day 6 – Clare Island, A Pirate's Hideaway

Welcome to Clare Island, the final island on our tour. In the 16th century, the wild north Atlantic coast of Ireland was ruled by Grace O’Malley, a formidable Gaelic pirate queen, who ruled the seas of Northern Europe. The little-visited Clare Island guards the entrance to Clew Bay, the Pirate Queen’s former stronghold. Explore the Pirate Queen’s castle, the jagged cliffs, pristine beaches and wondrous ruins of this magical place. Our hike follows an old green road past abbeys and Neolithic ruins before winding upwards to the dramatically situated lighthouse on the island’s northern cliffs. (B, L, D)

Hike Details: 12 km/ 7.5 miles | 3-4 hrs.

Day 7 – Croagh Patrick, Ireland's Holy Mountain

The imposing silhouette of the pilgrimage site, Croagh Patrick Mountain, dominates the surrounding countryside. On our way past, we’ll take a short hike in the shadow of the sacred mountain, following sheep tracks through heathery bogland along the final miles of the traditional pilgrimage route to the foot of Croagh Patrick. We’ll stop at a beautiful Augustinian friary before finishing up in lively Westport town. (B)

Hike Details: 4km/ 2.5 miles | approx. 2 hrs.

*This itinerary is subject to changes and improvements. All hiking times are approximate.