Rugged yet relaxed, the rolling, windswept landscapes of Sligo greatly inspired W.B. Yeats’ beautiful poetry. For a window into Yeats’ inspiration, as well as an adventure for both mind and body, consider our biking tours from Sligo. 

Biking in the shadow of Knocknarea Mountain, Sligo

Sligo is a little-known county in the northwest of Ireland – and it is also one of the most laid-back regions of Ireland. For unique biking tours from Sligo, see our recommendations below. Although W.B. Yeats spent much of his life on the east coast of Ireland, he was consistently inspired by the weather-beat landscapes of his youth in Sligo. Mountains such as Knocknarea and Ben Bulben tower over Sligo, and the regions is a mecca of megalithic sites – it is not unusual to find ancient tombs dotting the landscape or cairns perched on mountain paths. Carrowmore, a collection of roughly 40 tombs, is of particular interest.

The beaches of Co. Sligo – notably, the beach at Strandhill – has some of Ireland’s (and Europe’s!) best surfing due to the position perched on the Atlantic Ocean and northwest location of the beach. Strandhill is also one of a coolest little villages of Co. Sligo.

This is one of the coolest regions to explore by bike, simply because it is relatively quiet compared to busier southern routes, it contains one of Ireland’s greatest food hotspots, and it packs a bundle in the way of history, legends, and landscapes.

To see what biking tours from Sligo are available, see below.

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If you don’t see any trips that interest you, check out other Wilderness Ireland biking trips, or other Wilderness Ireland active trips. Or, learn how to create a tailor made tour just for you!

These windswept landscapes inspired the famous poems of WB Yeats