Connemara & The Burren

Day 1 - The Cliffs of Moher

Meeting you at Galway Train Station, your soigneur (support guide) for the week will whisk you into the wild. After checking in at your hotel, meet your bike for the week – one of our top-class Trek bikes. After a quick fitting, it’s time to hit the road! Following an ocean-side route along the swirling Atlantic Coast, this afternoon loop will sweep you past the mystical Cliffs of Moher, one of Ireland’s most iconic sites. The picturesque Doolin village is your home for the next few days. Famous throughout Ireland for its traditional pubs, fantastic trad music and colourful facades. The best way to recover after your afternoon ride is by a roaring fire with a pint in hand, while your soigneur takes care of the bikes.

Bike Distance: 28km/ 17 miles | Ascent: 360m/ 1,180 ft

Day 2 - The Wild Burren National Park

Having explored the coastline yesterday, today’s route takes in the wild rolling interior of the Burren National Park. It’s easy to see how this exposed limestone landscape fed inspired JRR Tolkien’s Middle Earth in his fantasy masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. As you pedal along quiet roads lined with quaint limestone walls that weave through this limestone expanse, marvel at the stony crevices dotted with pockets of rare wildflowers. There are holy well sites here as well as mysterious neolithic tombs including one of Ireland’s largest dolmens. Want to learn more about this unique region? We recommend making time to stop at a perfumery that uses the landscape to inspire their fragrances as well as create the most delicious freshly-baked organic goodies. After all that cycling, you’ve earned a treat!  (B)

Bike Distance: 59km/ 36 miles | Ascent: 575m/ 1,886 ft

Day 3 - The Clare Coast

One of our favourite biking routes in the west of Ireland takes you from the village of Doolin along winding coastal roads and past the wild and windswept headland of Black Head. Here, the highest peaks of the Burren flank one side and the crashing waves of the Atlantic fall off to the other. For some of the Wild Atlantic Way’s best and uninterrupted views, stop at the historical lighthouse, manned until the 1970s. The village of Ballyvaughan is a perfect spot for a cosy picnic lunch with a view and after taking on the switchbacks at the short but accurately named ‘Corkscrew Hill,’ your day finishes with a long and gentle descent into Doolin town. Wrap up your day with a traditional music session at one of the local pubs for which Doolin is famous. (B)

Bike Distance: 55km/ 34 miles | Ascent: 360m/ 1,180 ft

Day 4 - The Spectacular Sky Road

This morning, your soigneur will transfer you northwards along the Wild Atlantic Way. If you’re looking for a little cosmopolitan liveliness, you have the option to stop in the famous west coast city of Galway. Soak up its vibrant atmosphere and spend a few hours wandering Galway’s cobbled streets. Part of the magic of Ireland is the sheer variety of landscapes – north of Galway, you’ll leave the windswept rocky expanses of the Burren behind for the heather-clad hills and craggy granite peaks of Connemara. Today’s route is a short local classic that is a favourite with cyclists. Cycling along Sky Road, expect a blast of fresh air and stunning sea views as you follow this rewarding loop. You’ll finish up back in the fantastic village of Clifden, your home for the next few nights. (B)

Bike Distance: 17km/ 10 miles | Ascent: 160m/ 524 ft

Day 5 - Connemara’s Southern Shores

A bike route around Connemara’s most picturesque coastline awaits you today. Pedal along the beautiful Coral Beach and Dog’s Bay and into the picturesque fishing village of Roundstone. Enjoy amazing views and a seaside lunch in Roundstone before heading back towards Clifden town via the ‘bog road’ – a long stretch that traverses the heart of the blanket boglands that are an ever-present feature of the Connemara landscape. In the distance, the peaks of the Twelve Bens and the Mamturks make an evocative backdrop to your Connemara route. We recommend dinner in one of Ireland’s best seafood spots that sources some of the best local Connemara produce. (B)

Bike Distance: 43km/ 26 miles | Ascent: 115m/ 377 ft

Day 6 - Connemara National Park

Circumnavigating Connemara National Park, wild and empty scenery awaits. History lovers may like to stop at the dramatic Kylemore Abbey to admire its fantastic neo-Gothic facade, dazzling interior and idyllic Victorian walled gardens. Continuing onwards, pedal along Connemara’s myriad of tiny lakes, heading for the pass between the region’s two prominent mountain ranges. Turn for home through the picturesque Inagh Valley where a Victorian fishing lodge makes for an epic rest stop. Sheep and the occasional fly fisherman are usually all you have for company on this stretch but keep an eye out for golden eagles that are enjoying a resurgence here. Finish the day with a final pint of Guinness in one of Clifden’s lively pubs. (B)

Bike Distance: 65km/ 40 miles | Ascent: 230m/ 754 ft

Day 7 - Depart

This morning, your soigneur will drop you at Galway Train Station where you can choose to explore this colourful city or continue onwards with your travel plans. (B)