Romantic Break in Connemara
Overview
Cycling Tours in Ireland
Our 'Luxury Romantic Escape in Connemara' is a wonderful way for couples to enjoy each other's company, while combining cycling and exploring the magnificent countryside of Connemara. Having spent your days in the fresh air, spend the evening relaxing in luxury accommodation. Enjoy romantic dinners in some of Connemara's best restaurants, hand picked for their passionate chefs skilled at creating innovative menus with the finest, locally sourced produce.
Quiet roads, spectacular scenery and friendly locals will help to make this the trip of a lifetime. While we cannot promise that the sun will always shine, the fabulous landscape and wonderful sense of achievement will more than make up for it. At the end of each day, you will stay and dine in wonderful luxury hotels, and manor house accommodations. Cosy fires, warm hospitality and comfortable surroundings will have you feeling relaxed and refreshed for your next day adventure.
Details
| Duration: | 7 days (6 nights) | |
| Tour Dates 2013: | ANY DATE (April - Oct) | |
| Level: | Gentle, some occasional hill, average of 35km daily with shorter and longer options available on most days. | |
| Bicycle: | TREK HYBRID | |
| Equipment: | Helmets, front handlebar bag, side panniers (if required), water bottles, bicycle repair-kit and lock. | |
| Accommodation: | Luxury Hotels and Manor House | |
| Meals: | Irish breakfasts, 4 evening meals (day 2,3,4,5) | |
| Transfers: | Taxi from Shannon or Galway to your hotel in Clifden on day of arrival. Luggage transfers and ferry ticket to Inishbofin. | |
| Miscellaneous: | Detailed route notes and maps | |
| Contact Point: | A Connemara Adventure Tours representative will be in touch with you either on the afternoon of your arrival or the following morning to answer any questions. | |
| Departure Point: | You depart from your last night’s accommodation in Clifden. If you need us to organise a taxi to your onward destination we will be happy to assist you. |
Visit our 'Getting Here' page for more transport information and options.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival - Ballynahinch
You will be collected from Shannon or Galway airport and will be brought to you hotel in Ballynahinch Castle where you will spend the first two nights. Route notes and maps for your tour will be waiting for you at your hotel. You will be met by a Connemara Adventure Tours representative this evening or tomorrow morning to allocate your bicycles and equipment.
Day 2 – Around Ballynahinch
You have a choice of relaxing in the wonderful surroundings of Ballynahinch Castle or taking a break from the bicycle and walking hand and hand in its wooded areas. Ballynahinch is steeped in a wealth of tradition and has been intertwined in the history of Connemara and its people for many centuries. From the days of the O' Flaherty Chieftains, to Grace O'Malley, the Pirate Queen of Connemara, to Humanity Dick Martin, founder of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and to H.R.H. the Maharajah Ranjitsinji, also known as the 'Ranji', Prince of Cricketers. There is also a lovely cycling route for you around the South Connemara Peninsula going via Cashel and Carna to Kilkerin returning on the bog road and through Ballinafad back to Ballynahinch.Tonight your dinner is included in the restaurant of Ballynahinch Castle.
Day 3 – Cycle from Ballynahinch to Lough Inagh Valley - 17 kms
From Ballynahinch you take a breathtaking cycling through the Lough Inagh Valley which has spectacular views over Lough Inagh with the Twelve Bens Mountain range on your left and the Mamturks on your right.
Your accommodation at Lough Inagh is located in a wonderful secluded valley in the Connemara Mountains. Your meal tonight will be in Lough Inagh Lodge, a rebuilt fishing lodge. On the shores of a freshwater lough, seafood and game is a speciality in the restaurant with delicious home-baked bread at all meals.
Day 4 – Cycle from Lough Inagh to Renvyle - 30 kms
Through the Lough Inagh Valley you make your way via Kylemore Abbey where a visit of Kylemore Abbey is worth a visit with its Victorian Walled Gardens, visitor centre and audiovisual theatre. It has a wonderful history where in 1862 Mitchell Henry, a wealthy Manchester merchant, inherited a fortune from his father with which he decided to build the Victorian Kylemore Castle, as a present to his wife Margaret. They had first seen Kylemore on their honeymoon in 1850. From Kylemore you continue your cycle to Renvyle where you stay in a wonderful hotel at the end of the peninsula.
Day 5 – Cycle from Renvyle to Cleggan and visit Inishbofin Island - 23 kms
Well fed and well rested, you will leave the mainland today to the Island of Inishbofin. Leaving Renvyle you will cycle to the small fishing village of Cleggan. Today Inishbofin has a population of about 200 people, but was chosen in 655 by St Coleman for the site of his monastery, as it was a place of tranquillity and peace. Several safe sandy beaches strewn with shells and with crystal clear water make swimming, snorkeling and diving a joy. You will be taken to “Bofin” on a ferry, where you will get a chance to settle into your hotel before sampling the islands wonderful pubs & hopefully one of their legendary music sessions.
Day 6 - Cycle from Cleggan to Clifden - 38 kms
You depart after breakfast you will take the morning ferry back to Cleggan. Today’s destination is Clifden via Claddaghduff (visit the island of Omey if the tide is out) and the Sky Road offering you fabulous views over Clifden Bay and the islands lying out in the Atlantic. This evening you will have a chance to discover all this vibrant charming town has to offer.
Day 7 - Departure
Breakfast, followed by farewell and departure!
Accommodation & Price
Price 2013
- €1375.00 per person sharing
All prices are in EURO, and based on per person sharing. Per person sharing means two people in one room.
Testimonials
''We are just writing to tell you what a wonderful time we had on our honeymoon tour. It was an excellent experience. We felt that everything was very well run, and while we were left alone to enjoy each day as we pleased, we felt that we were in good hands. We were thrilled with the accommodations, and received especially good service at the Buttermilk lodge in Clifden. We thought that the routes and suggestions for each day were well thought out and the long options allowed us to see the best parts of Connemara. All luggage transfers went without a problem, which was very reassuring. Ending off at Ballinahinch truly made it feel like a luxury tour! Our booklet of information was also a very nice touch, and a great souvenir of our trip.
We thank you once again and will suggest you to any future honeymooners!''
Chris and Devan
27 September 2010
''We had an AWESOME time. Thank you so much for your help in finalizing our details, and for your patience, flexibility and thoroughness.
In case you wanted some feedback... The detailed map and instructions were perfect. We enjoyed the accommodations and food. The front desk lady at the Louge Inagh Lodge Hotel was incredibly nice and very helpful in arranging a taxi to come and pick us up when we couldn't make it on the first day (we took the long option). We loved Ballynahinch and the fun crowd in the pub singing Irish songs. The grounds were gorgeous. We did take a detour from your map that let us ride the bog roads from Clifden to Ballynahinch, instead of the route suggested. It was beautiful and maybe only 3-4 cars. We enjoyed Inishmore, the fort and cliffs were great. Tony was a savior. Overall the trip was everything we expected and more. Especially with the warm weather, which I was very happy with. We came home with a tan!
Thanks again. We'll be in touch for our next adventure!''
Tom and Jennifer
" Great team, everybody was friendly and helping. We got answers very quckly to our questions, both before and during our tour. Everything went smooth and appeared very well mastered."
Cédric Voruz, 18th August 2011