This tour explores the beautiful region of Connemara. This land of Irish myth and poetry is famous for its rugged granite landscape and stunning beautiful lakes and rivers. This tour offers some breath-taking rofutes, where an incredible variety of scenery is on offer each day. In the morning you can be cycling along beautiful coastline while in the afternoon you could be on a quiet bog road with stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
DAY 1 GALWAY CITY
Once you have arrived in Galway, make your way to your accommodation. Check-in is available anytime after 3.00pm. Afterwards, you can enjoy an afternoon of exploring in this bustling medieval city. We will send your full accommodation details and the necessary contact details for the tour closer to your departure date. A folder containing your route details will be waiting for you at the guesthouse and any rental bikes will be waiting for you in a local bike shop.
DAY 2 TRANSFER TO CLONBUR CYCLE TO WESTPORT 38 miles / 60 kms
The first ride on the tour will take you north, along quiet back roads and through rolling green fields full of grazing sheep, before descending down and leading you to Lough Mask, where a pleasant cycle ride along the shores of the lake awaits you.
After lunch, and still will fairly fresh legs, you will take on the biggest climb of the week that will take you over the Partry Mountains. Afterwards you will cycle along a quiet back road, with stunning views of the surrounding landscape, all the way to colourful village of Westport.
DAY 3 WESTPORT TO LEENANE 33 miles / 52 kms
This ride will take you between Croagh Patrick and the beautiful Clew Bay, with its many small islands. Later you will continue to the village of Louisburgh where we stop for lunch.
In the afternoon you head south. Now you can drink in one of the highlights of the week, the stunning Delphi Valley with its beautiful lakes overlooked by Ben Bury, the highest mountain in Connemara.
Tonight we stay in the small village of Leenane which looks out over Killary Harbour, Ireland’s only fjord.
DAY 4 LEENANE TO CLIFDEN 35 miles / 58kms
Today you cycle into the heart of Connemara, a stunning setting where you will find yourself overlooked by the Twelve Bens mountain range and visit Kylemore Abbey, a wedding gift from a wealthy Liverpool businessman to his wife in 1868.
You then cycle along quiet backroads past small fields with grazing cattle to the seaside village of Cleggan where you can stop for lunch. In the afternoon you follow the scenic coast road to Clifden where you can watch cars travel across the beach to Omey Island only accessible when the tide is out! Clifden, the capital of Connemara , where you spend the next two nights is a pretty and bustling town of art galleries, cafes, pubs and restaurants established 200years ago at the whim of John D’Arcy
DAY 5 REST DAY IN CLIFDEN
The day can be spent in rest and relaxation or you can take part in a variety of activities including walking, golf or horse riding.
The town itself is a nice place to spend time visiting the museum, art galleries and book shops and cafes. In the evening there are a number of bars which have traditional music sessions.
DAY 6 CLIFDEN TO ARAN ISLANDS 35 miles / 58 kms
You cycle out of Clifden along beautiful waterside roads crossing extensive wild bogs with freshly cut peat waiting to be harvested against a backdrop of the Twelve Benns Mountains.
The afternoon cycle takes you through Gaelic speaking areas to the ferry in Rossaveel which will bring us to Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands where you will spend the night.
DAY 7 ARAN ISLANDS TO GALWAY 22 miles / 35kms
The day can then be spent touring the unique landscape of the island with its wealth of ancient stone forts and monastic sights.
In the late afternoon you return to the mainland and take a transfer back to Galway city for a final night on the town together before going our separate ways the following morning.
Total Distance: 265km Approx.
Over All Difficulty: Challenging
Start Point: GALWAY CITY
The roads are all tarmac and the route is designed to ensure that you spend most of the week on quiet back roads, away from the main tourist routes. The emphasis of our cycling holidays is to give you the freedom to fully enjoy Connemara and its beautiful landscape at your own pace whilst having the security of knowing there is a support van there if you might ever need it. During the day you can be an independent traveller, genuinely experiencing all the sights and sounds of hidden Ireland on routes most tourists never get to see, while in the evening over a delicious meal you can share your days experience with a group of like-minded people from all over the world.
Route Map (For guidance only):
Routes maybe subject to change or alteration. All route notes, maps and day-by-day information will be given to you upon arrival at the first hotel or at the welcome meeting. GPS/GPX Files are available for most our the cycling holidays we offer. Please ask us for details.
Visa requirements
If you hold an EU passport you only need to make sure your passport is valid for the period of your stay.
All other nationalities require a passport that is valid for 3 months beyond the intended length of stay. Most nationalities including the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand do not require visas for Ireland and receive an automatic 90 day visitor’s visa on arrival. If your nationality is not mentioned here you should check with your travel agent or consular office.
Inclusions
Not Included
About the Rental Bikes
This cycling holiday uses quality crossbar and unisex hybrid bikes. Quality Shimano components and puncture-proof tyres are among the components that will ensure you have an enjoyable cycle tour.
You will also receive a handlebar bag and map holder for easy navigation while. Prices advertised on the website include standard bike hire (unless stated). Colour and specification may vary from the image shown.
Unisex Bike (Colour may vary)
Rental Bike PLUS
E - Bike (Colour may vary)
Accessories
If you would like GPX files for a suitable device, please request them at the time of booking. Devices are not provided. Please ensure you bring any fittings required to attach the Garmin (or similar) to the handlebars. You might want to download maps onto your phone to avoid data charges when roaming.
All bikes are provided with standard flat pedals. You can bring your own cycling pedals but ensure that you have the correct tools to remove the pedals if the tour does not have a welcome meeting. You may also not be able to travel through airports with the tools if you are carrying hand luggage only.
You can rent a men's bike with a crossbar, unisex/female bike with a sloping tube or an electric bike for a supplement.
Gearing information available on request.
Frame Sizing
When you make a booking with us, we take your height(s) and the appropriate bike size is matched up accordingly. Unisex frame 21-gears with freewheel. Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 / 43 cm. Unisex 7-gears-bikes with back pedalling brake. Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 cm. Men’s speed bikes 21-gears with free wheel and crossbar. Sizes: 64 / 60 / 56 "sloping" cm. Helmets are not provided, and you will need to bring your own to use.
We always recommend wearing a helmet when on your cycling holiday!
Bike Hire Insurance
This cycle tour benefits from bike insurance against rental bike theft and damage in the holiday price. Please make sure you lock up the bike, leave it where told by the hotel, and treat your hire bicycle as if the bike was your own. Any negligent treatment of the bike will exempt you from cover. We advise you to ensure that you have adequate travel insurance for your cycling holiday prior to arrival.
Electric Bike Hire
Why not upgrade your cycling experience to an E-Bike (Electric Bike)? Using a power assisted bike is a great way to go on a cycling holiday and will help you smooth out inclines or longer days in the saddle. Each E-Bike features an LCD display, removable batteries for easy charging, and assistance up to 25 km/h. They have a range of around 120 km for each full charge.
E-Bike upgrade prices vary per tour, but if you require any more information about bike hire and electric bikes, please get in-touch with us on 0161 703 8161.
This cycling holiday stays in good quality hotels with private facilities carefully selected for their proximity to your cycle route and comfort. If you wish to know specific information about the hotel facilities, Wi-Fi and upgrades used on the holidays, please contact us on 0161 703 8161 for more information.
You will receive your final hotel list approximately 4 weeks prior to your arrival date detailing the hotels used on your cycling holiday. If you wish to know more about the hotels prior to completing a booking form, please contact our Customer Services team via email or by phone.
You can find out more about this cycling holiday by calling 0161 703 8161 to speak to one of the team.
Season | Date | Prices per person | Arrival Day |
Season 1 | 01.04 – 30.06 | 01.09 – 30.09 | £855 | Daily |
Season 2 | 01.07 – 31.08 | £905 | Daily |
Single Room Supplement | All | On Request |
Bike Type | Price |
Rental Bike: | ÂŁ80 |
Electric Bike Upgrade: | ÂŁ185 |
Location | Price DBL/BB | Single Supplement Price SGL/BB |
Galway | On Request |
Date From | Date To | Price |
01 April 2022 | 30 September 2022 | ÂŁ0 |