Connemara Walking Experience
Self-guided walking trail in Connemara, Ireland

Connemara Walking Experience 
Independent walking tour

Daily itinerary:

DAY 1
Arrive in Leenane (we can help with arranging transfers), check in and relax.  Your route notes and maps will be waiting for you on arrival to go through.  If there is time we will meet you to go through your walking programme. 
DAY 2 - Famine Track
After breakfast a taxi will pick you up and bring you to the starting point of today’s walk which is the tip of Killary Harbour.  With your map in hand you will walk above the shore of Killary Harbour, Ireland's only fjord, along the "Famine Track", a now disused road built after the Great Famine (1848) to provide some employment for the once extensive population of Connemara.   You will continue along the Western Way to the village of Leenane where you return to your accommodation.
DAY 3 - Inishbofin
Today you will have an all day excursion to Inishbofin - one of three off-shore islands just off the coast of Connemara! A taxi will pick you up at your accommodation and bring you to Cleggan where you will take the ferry to Inishbofin to sample the unique “island life” and take in one of Ireland's unique attractions!  This island is an ideal spot for swimming, hill walking, cycling and angling.
Irish Traditional music takes Inishbofin to its heart and world-class musicians visit it regularly. On arrival your first glimpse of Bofin, will be the impressive "Cromwell's Barracks" - these are well-preserved ruins dating back to the 17th century.  There are also many kinds of unusual kinds of birds as well as colonies of seals on the island. For lucky visitors, there is also the possibility of sighting dolphins, whales and sharks! You return on the evening ferry to Cleggan where a taxi will pick you up and bring you back to Leenane. 
DAY 4 – Connemara National Park and Kylemore Abbey
A relaxing day today, with a visit of the Connemara National Park and Kylemore Abbey (inclusive of the Victorian Walled Garden – entrance fees are not included).  You will be picked up at your accommodation in the morning and brought to Connemara National Park.  The park covers 2,000 hectares of Connemara Mountain countryside and one of Irelands six National Parks.  There is lots of information in the visitor centre, with audiovisual theatre and walks. A transfer in the afternoon will bring you to Kylemore Abbey, which is one of Ireland’s top visitor sites and a very picturesque Abbey.  You can visit the Abbey, visitor centre and Victorian walled gardens as well as the restored Gothic Church and Mausoleum where the original owners are buried.  A taxi will pick you up at Kylemore and bring you to Renvyle where you stay in a hotel where dinner is included this evening.
DAY 5 – Tully Mountain and Renvyle Peninsula After breakfast you have a choice of doing a loop around the Renvyle Peninsula or possibly climbing Tully Mountain (356m).  It is an easy climb over rough terrain (no path), followed by walks along small boreen roads to Renvyle Castle, the ruined remains of a Norman castle (tower house). Return to your accommodation in the evening where again dinner is included.
DAY 6
Depart after breakfast.

We recommend that you perhaps add a day for a visit to Westport
The public bus (at own expense) will bring you to Westport and you will have the choice of climbing Croagh Patrick, the holy mountain of Ireland or browse in the many small shops and pubs.

For a more detailed programme, list of suggested equipment or any questions contact tours@killary.com

enquiry form | self-guided tours | guided tours | luxury tours |
horseback riding trails | family vacations | index of Tours | Killary Group |