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This is a moderate guided walking tour, which combines the most fascinating and beautiful areas of Ireland, and offers an authentic and unhurried Irish walking experience at an easy pace on the West coast of Ireland. | |
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DURATION: 8 days GROUP SIZE: min 6, max 12 participants ACCOMMODATION: Guesthouse For details and prices of our tours log onto the new website www.killarytours.com | ||
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Day 1 Arrive at Westport. Co. Mayo. We will arrange for you to be picked up if arriving by rail at the Railway station or at the Bud depot in Westport town, if coming by bus. Warm welcome and chance to settle in. Dinner at 7pm where you will be met by our guide who will introduce the tour with a briefing about the coming week's activity. Day 2 (7 miles) After breakfast you will get a 75 minute transfer to the North side of Clew Bay and visit Achill Island, Ireland's biggest offshore island. Your walk starts at the deserted village at Slievemore and follows a rough track before ascending to 269 meters (890 feet) across open moor with boggy sections. The walk finishes under the shadow of Croaghaun mountain. Day 3 (9 miles - low level walk) We begin our day with a visit to Kylemore Abbey*, now a girls boarding school run by Benedictine nuns whose order came here from Ypres in Belgium after the first world war. The house itself was built by a business man called Mitchell Henry who, while honeymooning in the area fell in love with the unspoilt natural charm of the valley and decided to build a home there. The chapel in the grounds is a miniaturized replica of Norwich Cathedral. Afterwards, we continue our ramble on the Western Way. The hike ends in Leenane village, famous as the location for the movie The Field starring Richard Harris and Tom Berenger. Day 4 (7 miles 1600 feet of ascent) Today you will be walking the wonderful quartzite coned mountain of Croagh Patrick which has been a sacred place for almost 5000 years. As far back as 3000bc our megalithic ancestors worshipped there. Croagh Patrick is Irelands holy mountain where Patrick our patron saint spent 40 days and nights praying and fasting in 441AD. The climb of 1600 feet is worth it as from the top there are spectacular views over Clew Bay and to the Connemara Mountains. Day 5 Free Day A day to enjoy the town or Westport or to catch up on some rest, some reading or some shopping. Westport town has some wonderful craft shops, potter as well as bookshops and art galleries. There is also Deep Sea fishing and golf available locally. | |
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Day 6 (8 miles) After breakfast in the morning you will be transferred for a short sailing to Clare Island. Clare Island is synonymous with Grace O' Malley, the formidable ruler of the Clew Bay district during the second half of the 16th century. Our walk to day takes us to the northern most end of the island before returning to the quayside for our return ferry. Day 7 (Killary Harbour Coastal Walk) We drive to the head of Ireland's only fjord and begin our walk on an old famine road that was built by the starving Irish peasantry during the great famine of the 1840's. We will return to Westport in the early afternoon, for a good rest before your final dinner in the evening. Day 8 Departure. You will be dropped to the railway station or bus depot. Price includes 7 nights accommodation with full Irish breakfast, 6 evening meals, 5 days packed lunch, 5 days walking with guide and transport and all transport to and from the days hikes. Please note that there is a fee for entrance to the abbey and gardens at Kylemore on Day 3. The free day is also the chefs night off so dinner is not included on this night (day 5). The programme given for this tour is strictly intended as a guide only and may not be fully adhered to. Climatic conditions, safety regulations and travel options may subject the programme to changes and / or modifications without due notice, at any time. In such case, Killary Tours reserves the right to make any necessary decisions. For further information, please
contact us at tours@killary.com | |
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Killary Tours Leenane, Connemara, Co. Galway Ireland | ||