8-day Walking Tour Through the Burren National Park and Western Ireland
Join Keith, a certified mountain guide, on this sublime 8-day walking tour through Burren National Park and the rest of wild western Ireland.
Group
8 Days
May - Sep
Intermediate
Highlights
* Explore Ballycroy and Burren National Parks.
* Visiting Kylemore Abbey and Gardens.
* Hike to the top of Cliffs Of Moher.
Description
Join me for this exciting 8-day walking tour through the lush scenery of western Ireland!
We begin our adventure with a quick stop in the village of Foxford, which is chock-full of traditional Irish arts and crafts. Afterwards, we move on to the cliffs at Black Head, which have spectacular views of the North Atlantic, and then go off to explore Céide Fields, the most extensive Stone Age site in the world!
Our next stop is Inishkea Island, where we will spend the day taking in the lovely coastal scenery. Then we are off to Ballcroy National Park, where we will learn about the history of the bog lands, before crossing a bridge and spending the night on Achill Island.
We then pass by Clew Bay, which is home to 365 islands, en route to Westport. Here we will enjoy some amazing pubs, before hiking up to Croagh Patrick, where St Patrick spent 40 days and nights at the summit. We will have fabulous views from the top.
As we make our way south, we will head to the secluded and usually tourist-free Doo Lough to enjoy one of the region’s hidden gems, with spectacular views of the lonely lakes and majestic mountains. In the afternoon, we will take in some more history as we take the “famine” walk to the Killary Fjord.
Next we head to the Inagh Valley where we will tour the Kylemore Abbey, staying in Leeane for the night where we take in a bit of traditional music at one of the pubs.
From Leeane, we move on to the bohemian city of Galway for a quick tour before heading to the cliffs at Black Head and getting some great views of the coastline. Afterwards, we delve into the karst limestone landscape of Burren National Park, which some say looks like it could be located on the moon!
Finally, we will head to the Cliffs of Moher and hike along them. In October, the 40-foot Aileen’s Wave occasionally crashes along these cliffs, which is a spectacular sight to behold. Then we will head back to Dublin with a few quick stops at Bunratty castle and Blarney Woollen Mills along the way. Once in Dublin we will say our goodbyes.
So what are you waiting for? Book now for this enchanting 8-day walking tour through the wilds of western Ireland!
If you like the look of this trip then we also think you will enjoy our 15-day walking tour of Ireland and Northern Ireland!
Price includes
- Accommodation included
- Guiding fee
- Transport during the trip
- Permit and entrance fees
Price details
Price includes breakfast, but does NOT include lunch, dinner or drinks. Please also note that price reflects shared accommodations. There is an extra fee of €280 for a private room.
Itinerary
Day 1: Belmullet Peninsula
We will meet and make our way out of Dublin toward the Northwest of the country. We will stop on the village of Foxford and pass by the cliffs at Black Head before arriving at our first destination, Belmullet.
Day 2: Inishkea Island
We will explore Inishkea Island as well as hike along the sea cliffs of the peninsula on which we are staying.
Day 3: Ballycroy National Park and Achill Island
We will explore Ballycroy National Park, learning about its history and hiking through some of the bogs. Later, we will walk across a bridge to Achill Island where we will spend the night.
Day 4: Croagh Patrick and Stay Westport
After leaving Achill Island, we will head south toward Westport where we will look around and have lunch. Afterwards, we hike up Croagh Patrick.
Day 5: Connemara and Killary Fjord
We will drive through some of Ireland’s most stunning valleys today, including a visit to the secluded Doo Lough. In the afternoon we will hike the “famine” walk to Killary Fjord.
Day 6: The Inagh Valley
We will walk through the Maumturk Mountains and down into the Inagh Valley. We will also visit Kylemore Abbey.
Day 7: The Burren National Park
We will head to the bohemian city of Galway and then on to the Black Head coastline and into the lunar-landscape Burren National Park.
Day 8: The Cliffs Of Moher
On our last day, we will walk along the Cliffs of Moher before heading back to Dublin with quick stops at Bunratty and Blarney Woollen Mills along the way.
About the guide
Keith
4.00
(1)
Mountain Guide
I have been a guide for over 10 years in Ireland, Asia and Europe. I have extensive experience with individuals and groups. I can cater for any size group and also have a fleet of coaches to take you to your destination.
Mountains have always been part of my life and it is there that I feel most comfortable and content.
Mountains in my hone country are incredible, challenging but there are routes for all levels of walkers or climbers.
Languages
French | English
Certificates
UIMLA
What people are saying about Keith
Amy
4.00
Keith had a last minute family event so he wasn’t our guide. It was a little disjointed because we had two different guides that switched halfway. While they were both wonderful, they weren’t as familiar with the routes. There were errors with our hotel bookings, we should have had one single, one triple and one double but that wasn’t how the rooms were booked. Once we only had two rooms. I also feel like the name should be changed to hiking tour of Southern Ireland rather than walking and there should be more detail on the website about the lengths of the walks, elevation gain etc. it is posted as easy for the occasional walker but many of the hikes were intense and required a good degree of fitness. My mother ended up spraining her knee as she wasn’t in good enough shape for the intensity. The hikes and Ireland were beautiful.
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