FAQ 
Hike & Bike Connemara
Hike & Bike Connemara
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Follow in the footsteps of those who have walked this way over hundreds of years and discover their fascinating stories.
Compared to other scenic areas and urban centres, Connemara boasts low-traffic roads which are perfect for cycling in Ireland.
This is a great introduction to Irish history, geography, culture, tradition and custom for all ages and will hopefully have you returning to discover more.
Experience the unique scenery and lifestyle of a traditional island community existing on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, with a boat trip to Inishbofin island.
Chloé's favorite family moment:
For me, it has to be a moment spent together. I love paddling along the shores of the Killary Fjord in kayak, splashing each others and try to keep an eye out for the seels colony or dolphins even.
YOUR TOUR IN BRIEF
Tour Essentials:
This is a 7 day (6 night) tour starting every Tuesday from April to October.
The tour starts in Leenane and finishes in Clifden, both in Co Galway.
Your tour consists of gentle cycles, some occasional hill, average of 20km daily with shorter and longer options available on most days. The hikes will be on back roads and trails and accessible to all levels.
Equipment and information:
What's included:
- Touring bike
- Helmet
- Front handler bag with repair kit
- Lock
Bike uprades are available:
- Front-suspension bike: €70 extra per bike
- Pedal-assist e-bike: €240 extra per bike
- Turbo e-bike: €270 extra per bike
See our bikes section below to have more details about each type of bike.
Before your arrival, you will need to download our app ('Roadbook for Discovery') on which you will have all the details of your tour. Visit our FAQ to see how this app works.
Hospitality:
Your accommodation each night is provided in 3* hotels or approved B&Bs and guesthouses, where you will enjoy a full Irish breakfast on each morning.
Your luggage will be transferred every day to your next accommodation.
Extras:
Tours extras:
Alternative start days - €100 extra per person.
Tickets for the Killary Sheep Farm (on day 2), Kylemore Abbey and a half-day activities (kayaking and gorge walking) at our sister company Killary Adventure Centre (on day 3) - €125 per person.
Printed route notes + meet & greet - €125 per booking. Visit our FAQ to see what a meet & greet entails.
Tours add ons:
You can add some activities at the START of your tour before coming to Connemara:
- Visit the Cliffs of Moher by bus with 1 extra night in Galway - €355 per person.
- Visit the Aran islands (Inis Mor) and spend 2 nights there + 1 night in Galway - €550 per person.
- Visit the Aran islands (Inis Mor) AND the Cliffs of Moher (2 nights in Galway & 2 nights on Inis Mor) - €850 per person.
Please note that these options - for logistic reasons - can be added at the start of your tour only. In order to avoid paying the extra cost for alternative scheduling, you need to plan it so that your walking tour in Connemara starts on a Tuesday. Please don't hesitate to contact us before booking if you have any questions.
Tour Essentials
This is a 7 day (6 night) tour starting every Tuesday from April to October.
The tour starts in Leenane and finishes in Clifden, both in Co Galway.
Your tour consists of gentle cycles, some occasional hill, average of 20km daily with shorter and longer options available on most days. The hikes will be on back roads and trails and accessible to all levels.
Equipment and information
What's included:
- Touring bike
- Helmet
- Front handler bag with repair kit
- Lock
Bike uprades are available:
- Front-suspension bike: €70 extra per bike
- Pedal-assist e-bike: €240 extra per bike
- Turbo e-bike: €270 extra per bike
See our bikes section below to have more details about each type of bike.
Before your arrival, you will need to download our app ('Roadbook for Discovery') on which you will have all the details of your tour. Visit our FAQ to see how this app works.
Hospitality
Your accommodation each night is provided in 3* hotels or approved B&Bs and guesthouses, where you will enjoy a full Irish breakfast on each morning.
Your luggage will be transferred every day to your next accommodation.
Extras
Tours extras:
Alternative start days - €100 extra per person.
Tickets for the Killary Sheep Farm (on day 2), Kylemore Abbey and a half-day activities (kayaking and gorge walking) at our sister company Killary Adventure Centre (on day 3) - €125 per person.
Printed route notes + meet & greet - €125 per booking. Visit our FAQ to see what a meet & greet entails.
Tours add ons:
You can add some activities at the START of your tour before coming to Connemara:
- Visit the Cliffs of Moher by bus with 1 extra night in Galway - €355 per person.
- Visit the Aran islands (Inis Mor) and spend 2 nights there + 1 night in Galway - €550 per person.
- Visit the Aran islands (Inis Mor) AND the Cliffs of Moher (2 nights in Galway & 2 nights on Inis Mor) - €850 per person.
Please note that these options - for logistic reasons - can be added at the start of your tour only. In order to avoid paying the extra cost for alternative scheduling, you need to plan it so that your walking tour in Connemara starts on a Tuesday. Please don't hesitate to contact us before booking if you have any questions.
Further information on getting to/from Ireland can be found here
ITINERARY
We will collect you from Maam Cross on arrival. Your starting point of the tour is Leenane village in Connemara, to which we will bring you. Overlooking Killary Harbour, Ireland's only fjord, and nestled at the foot of the Maamturk Mountains, the village has one of the most scenic locations in Ireland. Your bikes and equipment will be waiting for you at your accommodation, giving you the chance to try them and make sure everything fits you perfectly before your adventure begins the next day!
So-called because it was built as a famine-relief project during the Great Famine of the 1840s, the greenway along the shores of Killary Fjord brought outlying communities closer together in the nineteenth century. When you hike along the path you cannot help but sense the history and lives of all those who have walked this way before you. With mountains rising out of the water on either side and few signs of civilisation along the way, this is a true escape and a rare find in the modern world. You will be transferred to the starting point and your walk will finish again in Leenane. A cold pint of Guinness in an authentic west of Ireland pub is just the thing to end the day!
You have the option to add a visit to the Killary Sheep Farm on your way - see the section "extras".
15 kms/80 m elevation/3-4 hours walking
Distance:
15km
After breakfast, your destination today is the Renvyle Peninsula, an area which juts out into the Atlantic Ocean and has been shaped by it over the years. Before you reach Renvyle you have the option to spend the morning kayaking along the Killary fjord at the Killary Adventure Centre, and to visit Kylemore Abbey (see the "extras" section). You will cycle on through a deep valley to emerge on the coast once more. Pristine white sandy beaches will provide the perfect location for a beach picnic before travelling on to your accommodation in Renvyle.
Distance:
25 km
Your taxi will pick you up from Renvyle this morning and bring you to the start of your walk in the National Park of Connemara. This is a relatively easy walk but a very rewarding one with stunningly beautiful views over Kylemore Abbey and lake. The summit also offers views onto the whole peninsula, the islands of Inishbofin and Inishturk to the west and north west, the Maamturk mountains and the Ben Choona mountain range to the south. You will be brought back to your accommodation on the Renvyle peninsula at the end of your hike.
Distance:
7km - 400m de dénivelé
After another delicious traditional Irish breakfast you take to the road with Clifden as your destination for today. Your journey will take you through Letterfrack and later through the small fishing village of Cleggan where you can stop off for lunch. Leaving Cleggan you will follow the coast and you will have the chance to cycle one of the most beautiful roads in the country, the Sky Road, before arriving in Clifden for your final night. Clifden is a lively spot where you will find good shopping, restaurants and traditional music.
Distance:
38 km
Today you will be transferred to the fishing village of Cleggan where you will take the ferry to Inishbofin island. Bofin or 'Inis Bo Finne' (Island of the White Cow) lies seven miles off Connemara’s coast in the Atlantic Ocean. It is estimated that it was inhabited as far back as 8000 – 4000 B.C. As you sail around the tower and signal light into the harbour, you will come upon a sixteenth century ruined barracks. This was used as a prison for Catholic priests from all over Ireland after the English Statute of 1585 declared them guilty of high treason. There are several looped walks around the island which you are free to explore, after which you might find yourself drawn into a cosy pub by the traditional music you can hear inside!
Depending on the availability of accommodation, you will either stay on Inishbofin or you will take the ferry back @5pm and your taxi will drive you back to Clifden for the night.
Choice of walks between 6 and 15 kms, elevation from 60 to 180m, from 1 to 5 hours walking
Distance:
Entre 6 et 15km
Breakfast and depart Clifden for your onward journey.
We will collect you from Maam Cross on arrival. Your starting point of the tour is Leenane village in Connemara, to which we will bring you. Overlooking Killary Harbour, Ireland's only fjord, and nestled at the foot of the Maamturk Mountains, the village has one of the most scenic locations in Ireland. Your bikes and equipment will be waiting for you at your accommodation, giving you the chance to try them and make sure everything fits you perfectly before your adventure begins the next day!
So-called because it was built as a famine-relief project during the Great Famine of the 1840s, the greenway along the shores of Killary Fjord brought outlying communities closer together in the nineteenth century. When you hike along the path you cannot help but sense the history and lives of all those who have walked this way before you. With mountains rising out of the water on either side and few signs of civilisation along the way, this is a true escape and a rare find in the modern world. You will be transferred to the starting point and your walk will finish again in Leenane. A cold pint of Guinness in an authentic west of Ireland pub is just the thing to end the day!
You have the option to add a visit to the Killary Sheep Farm on your way - see the section "extras".
15 kms/80 m elevation/3-4 hours walking
Distance:
15km
After breakfast, your destination today is the Renvyle Peninsula, an area which juts out into the Atlantic Ocean and has been shaped by it over the years. Before you reach Renvyle you have the option to spend the morning kayaking along the Killary fjord at the Killary Adventure Centre, and to visit Kylemore Abbey (see the "extras" section). You will cycle on through a deep valley to emerge on the coast once more. Pristine white sandy beaches will provide the perfect location for a beach picnic before travelling on to your accommodation in Renvyle.
Distance:
25 km
Your taxi will pick you up from Renvyle this morning and bring you to the start of your walk in the National Park of Connemara. This is a relatively easy walk but a very rewarding one with stunningly beautiful views over Kylemore Abbey and lake. The summit also offers views onto the whole peninsula, the islands of Inishbofin and Inishturk to the west and north west, the Maamturk mountains and the Ben Choona mountain range to the south. You will be brought back to your accommodation on the Renvyle peninsula at the end of your hike.
Distance:
7km - 400m de dénivelé
After another delicious traditional Irish breakfast you take to the road with Clifden as your destination for today. Your journey will take you through Letterfrack and later through the small fishing village of Cleggan where you can stop off for lunch. Leaving Cleggan you will follow the coast and you will have the chance to cycle one of the most beautiful roads in the country, the Sky Road, before arriving in Clifden for your final night. Clifden is a lively spot where you will find good shopping, restaurants and traditional music.
Distance:
38 km
Today you will be transferred to the fishing village of Cleggan where you will take the ferry to Inishbofin island. Bofin or 'Inis Bo Finne' (Island of the White Cow) lies seven miles off Connemara’s coast in the Atlantic Ocean. It is estimated that it was inhabited as far back as 8000 – 4000 B.C. As you sail around the tower and signal light into the harbour, you will come upon a sixteenth century ruined barracks. This was used as a prison for Catholic priests from all over Ireland after the English Statute of 1585 declared them guilty of high treason. There are several looped walks around the island which you are free to explore, after which you might find yourself drawn into a cosy pub by the traditional music you can hear inside!
Depending on the availability of accommodation, you will either stay on Inishbofin or you will take the ferry back @5pm and your taxi will drive you back to Clifden for the night.
Choice of walks between 6 and 15 kms, elevation from 60 to 180m, from 1 to 5 hours walking
Distance:
Entre 6 et 15km
Breakfast and depart Clifden for your onward journey.
ACCOMMODATION
B&B/3* ACCOMMODATION
When you select this tour you will have the chance to stay in either 3* hotels or Bed & Breakfast/guesthouse accommodation.
The 3* hotels that have been selected are all comfortable, well-appointed properties which also boast their own character and style. You may find yourself in a historic manor house hotel, one with a modern twist or get a 'room with a view' overlooking a shimmering lake or a golden beach.
Staying in B&B/guesthouse accommodation is a unique experience where very often you are staying in a family home, with your hosts being the owners of the property. You will receive a warm welcome and will have access to plenty of local stories. Best of all you will catch a glimpse into the lives of the local people of the areas through which you travel. Accommodation is warm, cosy and homely and breakfast is home-cooked by your host.
B&B/3* ACCOMMODATION
When you select this tour you will have the chance to stay in either 3* hotels or Bed & Breakfast/guesthouse accommodation.
The 3* hotels that have been selected are all comfortable, well-appointed properties which also boast their own character and style. You may find yourself in a historic manor house hotel, one with a modern twist or get a 'room with a view' overlooking a shimmering lake or a golden beach.
Staying in B&B/guesthouse accommodation is a unique experience where very often you are staying in a family home, with your hosts being the owners of the property. You will receive a warm welcome and will have access to plenty of local stories. Best of all you will catch a glimpse into the lives of the local people of the areas through which you travel. Accommodation is warm, cosy and homely and breakfast is home-cooked by your host.
TOUR DETAILS
ACCOMMODATION
LOW SEASON: April, May, September & October
HIGH SEASON: June, July & August
What's included
Meals
- All breakfasts
Transport
- All luggage Transfers from accommodation to accommodation leaving you free to explore at your ease.
- Taxi from Maam Cros to Leenane on arrival day.
- We will bring you to and from the start and finish of each walk as indicated.
Accommodation
- 6 nights accommodation (includes private en-suite)
Extras
- Touring Bicycle (Including helmet, small handlebar bag, pump, lock, tubes and repair kit)
- Tickets for Inishbofin ferry
BIKES
- Each bicycle is equipped with a bottle cage, small front handlebar bag, bike rack (with option to add pannier bags).
- Safety – we provide a helmet (various sizes) and a high visibility jacket for our customer’s safety on the road.
- Spare tube, repair kit with tyre levers, pump and bike lock are all provided.
- Cyclists are expected to be able to have a general knowledge of the function of bicycles, i.e. how to change gears, how to brake properly, replacing a slipped chain, changing a flat tyre. Please check out this link if you are looking for few tips.
| Sizes: | 17", 19", 21", 23" |
| Frame: | ALUXX aluminium, Fluid Formed |
| Fork: | CroMo rigid |
| Shock: | N/A |
| Handlebar: | Aluminium riser |
| Stem: | Adjustable ahead |
| Seat post: | Aluminium |
| Saddle: | GIANT Memory Foam |
| Pedals: | Steel with resin body |
| Shifters: | Shimano EZ Fire 50 24 speed |
| Front mech: | Shimano C051 |
| Rear mech: | Shimano Acera |
| Brakes: | Tektro linear pull |
| Brake lever: | Shimano |
| Cassette: | SRAM PG830 11-28 |
| Chain: | KMC Z7 |
| Cranks: | Shimano FC-M191 28/38/48 |
| Bottom bracket: | Cartridge |
| Rims: | Matrix 750 700c |
| Hubs: | Shimano RM40 |
| Spokes: | Stainless steel |
| Frame Material: | Aluminium |
| Frame Angles: | 71.5 head, 73.5 |
| Sizes: | 15", 17.5", 20", 22.5" |
| Colour: | Dark Blue |
| Fork: | RST CT-COM C4 |
| Rear Shock: | Not applicable |
| Brake Levers: | aluminum linear-pull |
| Handlebar: | aluminum, 2" rise |
| Stem: | aluminum threadless |
| Headset: | 1 1/8" threadless headset |
| Front Der: | Shimano C102 |
| Crankset: | Shimano FC-203 |
| Rear Der: | Shimano Alivio |
| Pedals: | Resin |
| Tires: | 700 x 35c Bontrager |
| Sizes: | SM, MD, LG |
| Frame: | SmartForm C3 Alloy, Internal battery |
| Fork: | Full carbon |
| Shock: | N/A |
| Handlebar: | Cannondale Riser, 6061 Alloy |
| Stem: | Cannondale 3 |
| Seat post: | Alloy |
| Saddle: | Cannondale Fitness Ergo Double Density |
| Pedals: | Cannondale Fitness |
| Shifters: | microSHIFT Advent X, 10-Speed |
| Rear mech: | Shimano HG201, 9-speed |
| Brakes: | Tektro M275 hydraulic disc |
| Brake lever: | Tektro hydraulic disc |
| Chain: | KMC E9T |
| Cranks: | Prowheel 38T |
| Bottom bracket: | Cartridge |
| Rims: | Shining, 32 hole |
| E-Bike Drive Unit: | Mahle ebikemotion X35 250W |
| E-Bike Battery: | Mahle ebikemotion X35 250W |
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
DIFFICULTY Easy
Represents a low level of activity with maximum 35 kms on the bike or 12 kms by foot per day – 3 hours physical activity
DIFFICULTY Medium
Represents a medium level of activity with maximum 50 kms on the bike or 15 kms by foot per day – 4 to 5 hours physical activity
DIFFICULTY Hard
Represents a higher level of activity with maximum 80 kms on the bike or 25 kms by foot per day – 6 to 7 hours physical activity
CUSTOMISE THIS TOUR
You can add extra days or shorten this holiday to suit your needs or schedule.
We are very fortunate to have hundreds of kilometres of magnificent coastal and scenic routes and paths to enjoy. So the options are endless.
We understand that the duration of this tour may not be the ideal amount of time for everyone so if you would like a longer or a shorter version, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will design a custom tour for you to suit your needs.
GETTING TO TOUR START POINT
You can take a Citylink bus or a Gobus directly from Dublin airport (or from Dublin city centre) to Galway (approx. 3 hours trip) and then a Citylink bus or a Bus Eireann bus from Galway to Maam Cross bus stop (Galway – Clifden line/50 minutes trip).
For this tour, which starts in Leenane, a taxi from Maam Cross to Leenane (30 minutes) will be organised and is included in your tour price (as long as you confirm to us your arrival time to Maam Cross one month prior to arrival).
Please note that the last Citylink bus leaving Galway to Clifden is at 5.30 pm.
Total journey time is approximately 5 hours.
Reviews
Alice
28 Jul 2018
5/5
Thank you again for your time during our stay that will leave us with fond memories (as the weather was with us, 10 days without rain should not be normal!).
Pamela
18 Apr 2018
5/5
Thanks to you, we had a wonderful stay and the return to Switzerland was difficult! Thank you very much for your excellent organization and congratulations for the weather. You very well planned with Madame Soleil.
Sylvie, Batiste and the kids
12 Jul 2017
5/5
Very nice escape, programme well organized and well thought out for parents and children (10 and 14 years old), wild and beautiful landscapes, warm Irish welcome, appropriate bikes, impressive breakfasts and very talented musicians in pubs!
ACCOMMODATION
LOW SEASON: April, May, September & October
HIGH SEASON: June, July & August
What's included
Meals
- All breakfasts
Transport
- All luggage Transfers from accommodation to accommodation leaving you free to explore at your ease.
- Taxi from Maam Cros to Leenane on arrival day.
- We will bring you to and from the start and finish of each walk as indicated.
Accommodation
- 6 nights accommodation (includes private en-suite)
Extras
- Touring Bicycle (Including helmet, small handlebar bag, pump, lock, tubes and repair kit)
- Tickets for Inishbofin ferry
BIKES
- Each bicycle is equipped with a bottle cage, small front handlebar bag, bike rack (with option to add pannier bags).
- Safety – we provide a helmet (various sizes) and a high visibility jacket for our customer’s safety on the road.
- Spare tube, repair kit with tyre levers, pump and bike lock are all provided.
- Cyclists are expected to be able to have a general knowledge of the function of bicycles, i.e. how to change gears, how to brake properly, replacing a slipped chain, changing a flat tyre. Please check out this link if you are looking for few tips.
| Sizes: | 17", 19", 21", 23" |
| Frame: | ALUXX aluminium, Fluid Formed |
| Fork: | CroMo rigid |
| Shock: | N/A |
| Handlebar: | Aluminium riser |
| Stem: | Adjustable ahead |
| Seat post: | Aluminium |
| Saddle: | GIANT Memory Foam |
| Pedals: | Steel with resin body |
| Shifters: | Shimano EZ Fire 50 24 speed |
| Front mech: | Shimano C051 |
| Rear mech: | Shimano Acera |
| Brakes: | Tektro linear pull |
| Brake lever: | Shimano |
| Cassette: | SRAM PG830 11-28 |
| Chain: | KMC Z7 |
| Cranks: | Shimano FC-M191 28/38/48 |
| Bottom bracket: | Cartridge |
| Rims: | Matrix 750 700c |
| Hubs: | Shimano RM40 |
| Spokes: | Stainless steel |
| Frame Material: | Aluminium |
| Frame Angles: | 71.5 head, 73.5 |
| Sizes: | 15", 17.5", 20", 22.5" |
| Colour: | Dark Blue |
| Fork: | RST CT-COM C4 |
| Rear Shock: | Not applicable |
| Brake Levers: | aluminum linear-pull |
| Handlebar: | aluminum, 2" rise |
| Stem: | aluminum threadless |
| Headset: | 1 1/8" threadless headset |
| Front Der: | Shimano C102 |
| Crankset: | Shimano FC-203 |
| Rear Der: | Shimano Alivio |
| Pedals: | Resin |
| Tires: | 700 x 35c Bontrager |
| Sizes: | SM, MD, LG |
| Frame: | SmartForm C3 Alloy, Internal battery |
| Fork: | Full carbon |
| Shock: | N/A |
| Handlebar: | Cannondale Riser, 6061 Alloy |
| Stem: | Cannondale 3 |
| Seat post: | Alloy |
| Saddle: | Cannondale Fitness Ergo Double Density |
| Pedals: | Cannondale Fitness |
| Shifters: | microSHIFT Advent X, 10-Speed |
| Rear mech: | Shimano HG201, 9-speed |
| Brakes: | Tektro M275 hydraulic disc |
| Brake lever: | Tektro hydraulic disc |
| Chain: | KMC E9T |
| Cranks: | Prowheel 38T |
| Bottom bracket: | Cartridge |
| Rims: | Shining, 32 hole |
| E-Bike Drive Unit: | Mahle ebikemotion X35 250W |
| E-Bike Battery: | Mahle ebikemotion X35 250W |
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
DIFFICULTY Easy
Represents a low level of activity with maximum 35 kms on the bike or 12 kms by foot per day – 3 hours physical activity
DIFFICULTY Medium
Represents a medium level of activity with maximum 50 kms on the bike or 15 kms by foot per day – 4 to 5 hours physical activity
DIFFICULTY Hard
Represents a higher level of activity with maximum 80 kms on the bike or 25 kms by foot per day – 6 to 7 hours physical activity
CUSTOMISE THIS TOUR
You can add extra days or shorten this holiday to suit your needs or schedule.
We are very fortunate to have hundreds of kilometres of magnificent coastal and scenic routes and paths to enjoy. So the options are endless.
We understand that the duration of this tour may not be the ideal amount of time for everyone so if you would like a longer or a shorter version, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will design a custom tour for you to suit your needs.
You can take a Citylink bus or a Gobus directly from Dublin airport (or from Dublin city centre) to Galway (approx. 3 hours trip) and then a Citylink bus or a Bus Eireann bus from Galway to Maam Cross bus stop (Galway – Clifden line/50 minutes trip).
For this tour, which starts in Leenane, a taxi from Maam Cross to Leenane (30 minutes) will be organised and is included in your tour price (as long as you confirm to us your arrival time to Maam Cross one month prior to arrival).
Please note that the last Citylink bus leaving Galway to Clifden is at 5.30 pm.
Total journey time is approximately 5 hours.
Reviews
Alice
28 Jul 2018
5/5
Thank you again for your time during our stay that will leave us with fond memories (as the weather was with us, 10 days without rain should not be normal!).
Pamela
18 Apr 2018
5/5
Thanks to you, we had a wonderful stay and the return to Switzerland was difficult! Thank you very much for your excellent organization and congratulations for the weather. You very well planned with Madame Soleil.
Sylvie, Batiste and the kids
12 Jul 2017
5/5
Very nice escape, programme well organized and well thought out for parents and children (10 and 14 years old), wild and beautiful landscapes, warm Irish welcome, appropriate bikes, impressive breakfasts and very talented musicians in pubs!
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
To secure your booking, we will request 30% deposit per person. Please note this is a
non-refundable payment. The balance payment is due 30 days before the tour starts.
If your tour start date is within 30 days of booking, the full, non-refundable payment is required upon booking.
We do not organise travel to/from Ireland. However there is plenty of useful information on our Getting to Ireland page.