Self Guided Cycling
The Wilds of Sligo

Day 1 - Strandhill & the Coolera Peninsula

Arriving at Sligo Train Station or Knock Airport, meet one of our team who will get you and your group settled at your first hotel – in the picturesque seaside town of Strandhill. They will walk you through each day’s routes, provide you with plenty of suggestions for places to eat and some of the most spectacular and unmissable spots along the way. After your bike-fit, you’ll head off to enjoy your first ride of the week. Pedal a local favourite, the loop of the Coolera Peninsula overlooked by the majestic Knocknarea Hill with its colossal and imposing cairn (said to be the burial place of an ancient warrior queen) before returning to the world-famous surfing village of Standhill. Enjoy a pint or a home-made ice cream at the beachfront cafe while watching the surfers and battle the waves in the shadow of Knocknarea. Strandhill has a small but great selection of delicious restaurants and superb pubs to choose from or alternatively, take a taxi to the nearby Sligo town for further dining options.

Bike Distance: 22km/ 13 miles | Ascent: 135 m/ 443 ft 

Day 2 - Lough Gill Loop

Heading inland today, the scenery changes from wild, open seascape to lush, green valleys overlooked by heathery mountain tops. You’ll cycle along the shores of Lough Gill, studded with tiny green islands and lined with old-growth native forest. Hugging the lakeshore, the 17th-century Parkes Castle is a plantation-era fortified manor house and a great place to get acquainted with a little local history. Your whole route today circumnavigates the lovely Lough Gill, taking in some of Sligo’s most charming woodlands, lakeshores and villages along the way. Back in Strandhill, you may be in luck in one of the local pubs with a traditional music night, worth checking out with a pint. (B)

Bike Distance: 40km/ 24 miles | Ascent: 240 m/ 787 ft

Day 3 - Glencar & the Glens of Leitrim

The Glens of Leitrim are the stuff of song. Today you’ll bike arguably the most impressive of them all – Glencar. Famous for its incredible waterfall that cascades from a hanging valley in the mountains above, you will have the opportunity to stop here to admire this magical panorama. Later your route tracks along quiet country roads, back towards the Atlantic coast, where the miles-long beach at Rosses Point provides you with the opportunity to breathe some sea air and perhaps enjoy an ocean dip. This evening, check into your hotel in Sligo town where there are multiple and varied delicious options for dinner not to mention an array of traditional local pubs to choose from. (B)

Bike Distance: 37km/ 23 miles | Ascent: 165 m/ 541 ft

Day 4 - The Ox Mountains

The granite hills of the Ox Mountains are some of the most ancient in Ireland – in fact, so ancient that they are geologically part of the Appalachian Mountains. Today you’ll pedal past the Wilderness Ireland office to enjoy some of our favourite lunchtime biking haunts in the foothills of the Ox Mountains. The scenery today will contrast with earlier in the week as you cycle through blanket bogland – of which Ireland has the most extensive areas of this delicate ecosystem in the world- and through heathery valleys. Your descent back towards base promises epic views across Sligo Bay and on a clear day, views all the way out to the Slieve League cliffs in Donegal. (B)

Bike Distance: 38km/ 23 miles | Ascent: 305 m/ 1,000 ft 

Day 5 - Lissadell & Mullaghmore Peninsula

Today, you’ll follow the Wild Atlantic Way as you head northwards to the wild and dramatic landscapes of north Sligo, a place dominated by the majestic silhouette of Ben Bulben, Sligo’s most iconic and imposing mountain. Your route meanders along the quiet lanes and byways hugging the winding Atlantic coast. Stop at Lissadell House, home of an Irish revolutionary, as well as the first woman ever elected as a Westminster MP. A comfortable descent brings you into Mullaghmore, a pretty harbour village where you’ll spend the night overlooking the ocean. (B)

Bike Distance: 40km/ 24 miles | Ascent: 220 m/ 721 ft

Day 6 - Glenade Valley & Eagle’s Rock

The wild raw beauty of north Sligo is revealed in all its glory today. You’ll pedal the second of Leitrim’s glens today but not before cutting under Ben Bulben’s jagged escarpment. This part of Ireland is steeped in myth – from the fairy people who live behind the cliff face to the ancient warriors who roamed the plains looking for love and adventure. This morning’s climb is rewarded with a perfect afternoon descent back towards the ocean. Your final ride encompasses the best of Irish cycling – windswept mountains, glorious ocean vistas, quiet country roads, Europe’s freshest air and of course the opportunity for a seaside pint and fresh, local seafood to round off a fantastic week. (B)

Bike Distance: 40km/ 24 miles | Ascent: 220 m/ 721 ft 

Day 7 - Depart

One of our friendly office team will meet you at your hotel this morning and transfer you back to Sligo where you can catch one of the frequent trains to Dublin. Alternatively, we will drop you at Knock Airport where there are multiple daily flights to many UK and European airports. (B)