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| Galway / Mayo Guided Walking Tour Day 1: Arrive Westport. Your accommodation is the Clew Bay Hotel, James St, Westport. Please note that the earliest check in time is 3 pm Meet your guide at 4.30 in the Hotel lounge for a briefing of the coming weeks activities. Information regarding the hotel is as follows:- Tel: + 353 98 28088, email is info@clewbayhotel.com and web is www.clewbayhotel.com For anyone who wants some musical entertainment, Westport is a veritable mecca for traditional music with a member of the famous Chieftains owning a bar in the main street less than a five minute walk away. Traditional sessions can also be heard in the hotel's bar.
Day 2: Depart the hotel at 09.15 - A 60 minute transfer south to Connemara where you will visit Kylemore Abbey (please note a small fee of about Euro 8.00 applies to enter the Abbey and Cathedral.) with its completely restored Victorian Gardens, The Abbey, now a girls boarding school, is run by the Benedictine nuns whose order came here from Ypres in Belgium after the first world war. The house itself was built by a business man called Mitchell Henry who, while honeymooning in the area, fell in love with the unspoiled natural charm of the valley and decided to build a home there. The chapel in the grounds is a miniaturized replica of Norwich Cathedral. The tour, which is self guided, should take no longer than two hours. A 15 minute drive takes you to Connemara National Park which is located in Letterfrack A well defined trail takes us to the summit of Diamond Hill. At 1500 feet the views from the top are wonderful. Walk Details: 5 miles, 1500 feet of uphill on a good track. Time 3 hours approx. Day 3: Depart the hotel at 09:30 - The wonderful quartzite coned mountain of Croagh Patrick has been a sacred place for almost 5000 years. As far back as 3000 BC our megalithic ancestors worshipped there. Before the birth of Christ, the festival of the god Lugh was held on its slopes. Lugh is the god whose name gives us the Irish word Lughnasa for August, and it would seem that there is a connection between the pagan worship which took place at the end of the summer and the date fixed for the present day Christian pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick. Croagh Patrick is Ireland’s holy mountain where Patrick, the patron saint, spent 40 days and nights praying and fasting in 441AD. While on the summit Patrick was tormented by blackbirds which surrounded him and in later stories became demons and serpents. Ancient chroniclers say that Patrick threw his bell at them and banished them into the hollow known as Lug Na Deamhan, which is located on the North side of the mountain. It is a common belief that this is why no poisonous snake or reptile can be found in Ireland today. The plain iron bell said to belong to the patron saint is preserved in the National Museum. Walk Details: 8 miles, 1750 feet, uphill climb on a loose stoned, pilgrim track, small section of bog and country lanes. Time 6 hours approx
Day 4: Depart the hotel at 10am - Take a short sailing to Clare Island this morning. Clare Island is synonymous with Grace O’ Malley, the formidable ruler of the Clew Bay district during the second half of the 16th century. One of the most interesting places on the island is the remains of the late 12th century Cistercian Friary, founded by the Monks of Abbeyknockmoy in Co Galway. According to local folklore, following the death of Grace O’ Malley in 1603, her remains were interred in the decorated O’Malley wall tomb in the Friary. The Chancel Vault was once covered in wall paintings, patches of which remain. The walk will take you to northernmost end of the island before returning to the quayside for the return ferry. (Please note that the crossing to the island is subject to wind and weather conditions and may, in some cases be taken earlier in the week at the discretion of the guide.) Walk Details: 8 miles on good level surface on back country roads and old track - some uphill. Day 5: Today is your Free Day. Some of the many things you can do are golfing, fishing and horse riding but they need to be booked in advance and transport organized to get there and back. It also gives you the opportunity to catch up on your emails and laundry. Dinner tonight is left to your own choice and in Westport there is a wide range of ethnic restaurants to choose from. Day 6: Depart at 09.30am: We journey South once more to Connemara. Our hike today starts in the Inagh Valley. Beginning on the Western way. the trail travels through a bog track for the first 5 miles then through a pine forest with excellent views of the quarzite 12 Bens mountain range. The final 3 miles are on an elevated section with great views down Killary fiord. The walk ends in the village of Leenane - famous as the location for the film The Field which starred the late Richard Harris and Tom Berenger as "The Yank". Leenane has a very small population but don't worry it also has two pubs for you to slake your thirst in. Walk Details: 12 Miles. Ascent 300 feet on bog track, and forest paths.Time approx 5 hours Day 7: Depart at 09.30am = Today is a half day: For our last walk of the week we head to the North side of Clew Bay and walk the foothills of the Nephin mountain range which is a huge wilderness area. You will see peat or turf cutting as we go along. By mid afternoon, around 2 pm approx we will return to Westport in time for you to catch up on some last minute shopping. Walk Details: 7 Miles, Ascent 300 feet on a good quality bog road. Day 8: After breakfast, Please check out by 10am. If you are planning to return to the USA on Saturday please be advised that continental breakfast is served in your hotel at 7am with bus transfer to the airport at 07.30 sharp.Please do not schedule your flight before 1:00pm. Please Note that the itinerary may be changed at the discretion of the guide and that the walk's listed may not always take place in the sequence indicated as determining factors such as weather conditions, tides may prevail. Included in this tour: * 7 Nights Hotel Accommodation * 4 Evening Meals * 5 Pack Lunches * 5 Days Walking * Services of a walking Guide & Driver * Tranfer to / from Shannon Airport at 11am sharp * All Associated transport to / from days walking * Ferry to Clare Island Departure Dates For This Tour in 2009 May 9 May 23 June 20 July 4 July 25 August 8 August 22 September 5 September 12 Total 9 Departures Price: €995.00 per person sharing - Single Supplement €250.00 |
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