11-Nights Hiking Ireland North to South

Londonderry (Derry) is a city of contrasts, culture, and heartwarming hospitality. Protective walls erected in 1614 present a good image of what the town’s fortification looked like more than 350 years ago and offer a splendid view over the roofs and buildings. The city’s architectural legacy retains many elegant reminders of fortunes gleaned from trade. Discover the grandeur of Georgian terraces and the ornate facade of the building that once housed the shirt and collar industry. The city offers history and heritage. Major attractions are the 17th-century cathedral and the neo-Gothic guildhall. The town square has been known since the 17th century as the Diamond and lies at the junction of the four principal streets, still following the medieval plan. Derry provides a convenient base for exploring Donegal County, one of the country’s most scenic areas in glorious wilderness. Located outside Londonderry, Dunluce castle is famous as the former residence of the great O’Neills clan. The Grianan of Aileach - which dates back to 1700 B.C., was originally a temple of the sun.

Near the town of Bushmills, the Giant's Causeway is one of the most famous and dramatic sights in Northern Ireland. This UNESCO World Heritage site is 50 mi/80 km north of Belfast, and legend holds that the 37,000 hexagonal basalt columns jutting out of the sea were put in place by the giant Finn MacCoul. He needed a way to visit his love, a towering beauty who lived on an island. Scientists propose the less romantic theory that volcanic upwelling and cooling 60 million years ago did the deed. Whichever story you choose to believe, the causeway can be reached either by shuttle bus or a half-mile/kilometer walk from the visitors center. (The walk is downhill on the way there, uphill on the way back.) Wear comfortable shoes, especially if you want to take a more challenging walk along the high cliffs overlooking the Causeway—recommended for the spectacular views. Also take time to visit the nearby ruins of Dunluce Castle. In the summer months, visitors are encouraged to take a shuttle bus (and discouraged from driving their own private vehicles) because of the number of visitors. Plan for at least 2-3 hours there. http://www.giantscausewayofficialguide.com.

Mayo is a county with an astonishing variety of scenery, an unspoilt natural environment and innumerable places of interest. Here, people have lived in harmony with their surroundings for over 5,000 years. The county has charming picturesque towns and tiny atlantic fishing villages, bustling market towns and the Marian Shrine at Knock. Natural amenities abound - Bountiful rivers and lakes, islands of all shapes and sizes and a long complex coastline ranging from jagged sea sculptures and majestic cliffs to safe golden strands and hidden coves. If it's scenery you're after, we've got it all. For the sports minded Mayo is a paradise. Sea, lake and river fishing, watersports, equestrian pursuits, golf (links and parkland), hill & trail walking...the list is endless. Then of course, there's Mayo's people and culture. Traditional pubs spilling over with Irish Music. Welcoming faces with friendly smiles and a hint of mischevious wit brimming beneath the surface. It's all waiting for you.

Galway is a city, a county, and an experience to be savoured and remembered. The historic city of the tribes dances to a beat uniquely it's own. There is a certain chemistry and vibrancy to this friendly university city, which many delight in, and few forget. Music, festivals, horse racing, pubs, restaurants, shops, theatres and most of all -Galway people, combine to create this atmospheric medieval city of culture. From this pulsating heart the rest of the county flows. Galway Bay, immortalised in song, its beauty unchanging. Scenic Gaeltacht areas including the Aran Islands. Connemara, with the picturesque town of Clifden as its capital. Mountains, castles and stone walls, banks of turf, long sandy beaches, clear lakes, joyful leaping streams and flowing rivers. The mighty Shannon, delightful countryside punctuated by pretty villages, traditional pubs. Photo used with permission from Joe Desbonnet, www.galway.net

Excursions

Inishmore, Aran Islands - 8 hours Full Day

On the very edge of Europe, is an Island rich in the language, culture and heritage of Ireland, unique in its geology and archaeology and in its long tradition of gentle hospitality. Here is a place to sense the spirit of Gaelic Ireland, to touch the past, but with all the comforts and facilities of the present. Aran will take you back to an Ireland of Celts and Early Christians. This is an island of great peace and tranquility, but it is also an island of great fun and activity. A timeless land in an endless sea, weathered monuments on awesome cliffs, great labyrinths of limestone, meandering walls, patchwork fields, quiet beaches and a welcoming island people.

This morning we will depart from Galway and take a ferry to Inishmore, the largest of the three islands, the other islands being Inishmaan and Inisheer. The Islands are located off the West Coast of Galway about 18km out from Rossaveal Harbour in Connemara. Inishmore is approx. 13km long, and contains 3,092 ha. with a native population of about 900. Kilronan the chief center and port.
Landing in Kilronan on Inishmore, you are met by your driver in a horse drawn buggy for a guided tour of the Island and visiting one of its more impressive stone forts called Dun Aonghasa. It is semi-circular structure, resting on the edge of a perpendicular cliff rising 100 meters out of the ocean. The fort consists of an inner court 50 meters across surrounded by a wall six meters high and five meters thick at the base.

Visit the Aran Islands Interpretative Centre which highlights the unique history, spirit and landscapes of the Aran Islands. The center details the geology, history and present lifestyle of the islands. See how the legendary currachs, those open-topped, often tar-coated, boats that skim over the waves, are made. Also on display are details of the fish species off the islands and how the islanders have long used seaweed to create patches of soil that could be cultivated for crops, in between the dry stone walls that crisscross the islands and divide its tiny fields. The islands' other craft traditions, including weaving of the famous Aran sweaters, are also documented.

Duration: 8 hours

Included:
Enjoy a pub lunch on Inishmore

Departing the island by ferry you return to Galway City.
Note: it is also possible to fly to Inishmore.

Pricing: Please inquire

The Dingle Peninsula is a top destination among tourists for all its attractions and activities. The Peninsula offers sandy swimming beaches, excellent surfing, walking trails, fine dining, and a variety of festivals. Families will enjoy visiting the Oceanworld Aquarium and Fungie, Dingle's most famous dolphin resident. The peninsula is also home to the highest concentration of archaeological sites in Ireland.

Developed by Lord Kenmare as a tourist town in the 18th century, Killarney is now the major tourist centre and accommodation base in Kerry. It is the centre for the Ring of Kerry tour, the focal point for the Killarney National Park and the Kerry Way Walking Trail.

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