The Connemara Tour
Walk With me offer this classic motor tour over one or two days to this most spectacular part of rural Ireland. Travel writers have correctly considered Connemara to be one of the most beautiful and unspoilt places on the planet. The combination of mountains, lakes and coastal terrain amidst constantly changing light emphasises the sheer beauty of this remote landscape that is Connemara.
Within the area that is Connemara there are two classic drives that need to be experienced over two days, The Lough Inagh Drive through the heart of Connemara and the coastal drive from Clifden to Roundstone and on to the City of Galway. Your Connemara Tour can begin at Shannon International Airport or elsewhere in Ireland.
Walk With Me has also included a visit to The Cliffs of Moher and The Burren National Park as part of this once in a lifetime trip into The West along The Wild Atlantic Way.
Itinerary
Day One Shannon Airport to Connemara
8.00am (flight arrival): An early morning visit to Ireland’s most visited natural attraction, The Cliffs of Moher. The Cliffs rise to 700 feet at their highest point and attract over one million visitors each year.
10.00am: Continue on our way to Galway through the Burren National Park on the scenic Black Head driving route visiting such sights as the Cistercian Abbey at Corcomroe, the Neolithic Poulnabrone Dolmen, the Celtic Crosses at Kilfenora and the mystical Burren Perfumery at Carran in the heart of The Burren.
2.00pm: After lunch at Monk’s Bar in Ballyvaughan or Paddy Burke’s in Clarinbridge we will continue on to Oughterard and the Gateway to Connemara. A visit to The Quiet Man Bridge followed by the classic Lough Inagh Drive through The Maumturk Mountains and the Twelve Bens to your overnight in Kylemore or Tully Cross. The drive through Lough Inagh’s bogland in splendid isolation is a unique and mystical experience that will take your breath away.
Day Two Kylemore to Galway City
9.00am: After breakfast we will depart Kylemore and visit the 19th century monastic home of the Benedictine Order at Kylemore Abbey including the Neo-Gothic Church, The Victorian Walled Gardens and the Abbey.
11.00am: Our next stop will be Connemara National Park Visitor Centre in Letterfrack to tour the Exhibition Centre that in a very simple and informative way tells you exactly what Connemara is all about and what it should hold for the casual visitor.
1.00pm: We will have lunch in Clifden, the main town in the Connemara region
2.00pm: After lunch we will set out on the coastal route to Ballyconneely and visit the Alcock & Brown 1919 landing site of the first non-stop east to west transatlantic flight.. We will visit The Connemara Smokehouse before we continue on the coastal route to Roundstone, Ballynahinch Castle.
4.30pm: Arrive in Galway City to include The Spanish Arch, The Claddagh, Eyre Square and some light shopping on Shop Street and dining on Quay Street before over-nighting in Galway.
Walk With Me recommend the following accommodation in the Galway & Connemara area.
Ballinahinch Castle
Park House Hotel, Galway City
Abbeyglen Castle Hotel, Clifden
Other Accommodation
Renvyle House Hotel
www.renvyle.com
Maol Reidh Hotel
www.maolreidhhotel.com
Abbeyglen Castle Hotel
www.abbeyglen.ie
Kylemore House B&B
www.kylemorehouse.net
Other accommodation in Galway City:
Harbour Hotel
www.harbour.ie
The Galmont Hotel Galway
www.thegalmont.com
Within the area that is Connemara there are two classic drives that need to be experienced over two days, The Lough Inagh Drive through the heart of Connemara and the coastal drive from Clifden to Roundstone and on to the City of Galway. Your Connemara Tour can begin at Shannon International Airport or elsewhere in Ireland.
Walk With Me has also included a visit to The Cliffs of Moher and The Burren National Park as part of this once in a lifetime trip into The West along The Wild Atlantic Way.
Itinerary
Day One Shannon Airport to Connemara
8.00am (flight arrival): An early morning visit to Ireland’s most visited natural attraction, The Cliffs of Moher. The Cliffs rise to 700 feet at their highest point and attract over one million visitors each year.
10.00am: Continue on our way to Galway through the Burren National Park on the scenic Black Head driving route visiting such sights as the Cistercian Abbey at Corcomroe, the Neolithic Poulnabrone Dolmen, the Celtic Crosses at Kilfenora and the mystical Burren Perfumery at Carran in the heart of The Burren.
2.00pm: After lunch at Monk’s Bar in Ballyvaughan or Paddy Burke’s in Clarinbridge we will continue on to Oughterard and the Gateway to Connemara. A visit to The Quiet Man Bridge followed by the classic Lough Inagh Drive through The Maumturk Mountains and the Twelve Bens to your overnight in Kylemore or Tully Cross. The drive through Lough Inagh’s bogland in splendid isolation is a unique and mystical experience that will take your breath away.
Day Two Kylemore to Galway City
9.00am: After breakfast we will depart Kylemore and visit the 19th century monastic home of the Benedictine Order at Kylemore Abbey including the Neo-Gothic Church, The Victorian Walled Gardens and the Abbey.
11.00am: Our next stop will be Connemara National Park Visitor Centre in Letterfrack to tour the Exhibition Centre that in a very simple and informative way tells you exactly what Connemara is all about and what it should hold for the casual visitor.
1.00pm: We will have lunch in Clifden, the main town in the Connemara region
2.00pm: After lunch we will set out on the coastal route to Ballyconneely and visit the Alcock & Brown 1919 landing site of the first non-stop east to west transatlantic flight.. We will visit The Connemara Smokehouse before we continue on the coastal route to Roundstone, Ballynahinch Castle.
4.30pm: Arrive in Galway City to include The Spanish Arch, The Claddagh, Eyre Square and some light shopping on Shop Street and dining on Quay Street before over-nighting in Galway.
Walk With Me recommend the following accommodation in the Galway & Connemara area.
Other Accommodation
Renvyle House Hotel
www.renvyle.com
Maol Reidh Hotel
www.maolreidhhotel.com
Abbeyglen Castle Hotel
www.abbeyglen.ie
Kylemore House B&B
www.kylemorehouse.net
Other accommodation in Galway City:
Harbour Hotel
www.harbour.ie
The Galmont Hotel Galway
www.thegalmont.com
