Walking Boots Tours, Exploring the heart & sole of Ireland. Carefully choosen hiking, walking& special interest vacations tours throughout Ireland.

Island Hopping Adventure along the West coast of Ireland.

Tour Dates:  9 Day Tour 2013.


Cliffs on Clare Island, splashed with purple heather.

Q. Why Island hopping?

This isn’t quite the Greek version of island hopping. We are in Ireland and it’s not always that hot!Yet, it is a journey like no other.Island life has its own unique and sometimes quirky qualities. Mainland life simply cannot compare.There are stunning opportunities for walking along rugged and wild coastline, wandering quiet island lanes or walking along delightful beaches and washing your worries away.This tour promises a relaxed walking holiday with a flexible itinerary. I’ll take care of all of the arrangements, allowing you to rest, unwind and completely restore your spirit in nature.

Tour Costings: 1565 euros per person.  Single supplement: 140 euros extra.

Included: All accommodation, lunches, 5 meals, ferries to the islands, all transport, collection at Shannon and return, guiding services of Maeve pre and during the trip.


Not included: 2 meals in Clifden. Instead you eat in one of the local restaurants, items of a personnel nature, airfare.


Itinerary:


Day 1:

Arrival at Shannon airport. I will meet you here to start our magical adventure along the Atlantic seaboard.We will drive north to the Achill Islands in County Mayo, stopping off to eat lunch along the way. These islands will be our home for the next two nights. You’ll have some time to settle into the guesthouse and stretch your legs on the nearby beach. Breathe deep. You made it! Let the fun begin!

Overnight at Bervie Guesthouse with evening meal included.


Day 2 :

Our destination is the highest sea cliffs in Europe. This is what they say in Achill but don’t tell Donegal people. They believe their cliffs at Slieve League are the highest. But hey! You’ll have a spectacular walk no matter who is in the right. Achill is a place steeped in history and stories of the land and the sea. This island was once a vibrant fishing community and gentle giants such as basking sharks have been caught off its shores.Walk: 4-5 hours, rough terrain over bog and heather, steep cliffs,

Overnight at Bervie Guesthouse with evening meal included.

Jim Mc Cormack & Joan Barth they just keep coming back! (This year is trip no.4)

On Achill cliffs 2007.

Day 3 :

We depart this magical island after breakfast.We can stop to explore the vibrant town of Westport if you like. On our journey to Clare island we will see Clew bay. The novelist Thackery imagined all the islands in the bay to be like dolphins and whales basking in the golden sun.

Afterwards, we will head west towards the village of Louisburgh where we will catch the late-morning ferry to Clare Island. Twenty minutes later, we will land on this little piece of heaven on earth.

We’ll drop our bags at the guesthouse and head for the hills for the rest of the day.

Later on, we’ll enjoy some of the local nightlife. The pubs often don’t come to life until 11pm so a late-afternoon nap might be called for. 

Walk: 2-3 hours mixed terrain, island road, beach.

Relaxing after the walk on Clare Island.

Overnight with evening meal included Clare Island. 

Day 4 :

We’ll enjoy a leisurely breakfast followed by some quiet time to ourselves. Explore your surroundings and relax. Pass the time chatting to the locals. Immerse yourself in your holiday reading. Take it easy.We’ll meet again for our day’s walk in the late morning. Clare Island is famous as the location of the castle of Grace O’Malley, Ireland’s Pirate Queen. Today’s walk will take us to her castle and teach us all about her daring deeds on the high seas. Did you know that she was the fiery controller of trade between Galway and the continent in medieval Ireland?

Walk: 4-5 hours, cliffs, mountain, bogs, island roads, for the fit we will climb the highest mountain Knockmore on the island on route.

Overnight with evening meal included Clare Island.

Mary Mc Evoy my assistant guide on Clare Island Cliffs.


Day 5 : We leave Clare Island after breakfast and return to Louisburgh and the mainland. We will take a beautiful drive through the mountains of Connemara, under the slopes of Mweelrea Mountain and through the spectacular Doo Lough valley. We will walk the shoreline by Killary fjord and pass by the famous Kylemore Abbey.


Option for a harder walk in the Twelve Bens,( dependant on group fitness level & weather)

Walk then 4-5. hours

Overnight  at Clifden with eveing meal not included.

Day 6:

A day trip to the island of Inishbofin or the Island of the White Cow as legend has it.The Rough Guide to Ireland says of the island: ‘a mellow, balmy place, quite different from the mainland. It is more fertile with sheltered sandy beaches and there is a general softness to its contours.’ Now, doesn’t that sound like a wonderful place to visit? There are plenty of beaches to explore and swimming spots to enjoy. We’ll walk and talk for a few hours, unwinding and enjoying life in the real slow lane.

Overnight at Clifden, with evening meal not included.

Day 7 :

Goodbye to Clifden and hello to the Aran Islands.

We will drive from our guesthouse to the ferry at Rossaveal. We’ll set sail for Inishmore, one of the largest of the Aran Islands.

It’s also the busiest of the three islands but don’t worry, we’ll stay well away from the main tourist areas!Today’s walk will take us along the eastern shores of the island, visiting many archaeological sites en route.

Walk: 3-4 hours along island lanes, limestone.

Overnight on Inishmore with evening meal included.

Walking the cliffs on Inishmore,Arrain Islands.

Day 8:

Exploring the island.

We will start at the famous cliff fort that is Dun Aengus and walk from there along the stunning cliffs to the end of the island. The fort, which dates to the Iron Age (approx 600BC), has a truly dramatic setting. In fact, the island is dotted with interesting archaeology. But how did people eke out a living here on this barren and rugged island? How did they live here for hundreds of years?We will contemplate this as we walk the cliffs and through the country lanes back to the guesthouse. 

Later on, if the sun obliges, we might even enjoy the spectacle as the sun sets over the magnificence of the Connemara landscape. It will be the perfect end to a superb week spent exploring Ireland’s wild Atlantic seaboard.

Walk 5-6 hours along the cliffs, limestone uneven, rough under foot unstable at times, island roads.

Overnight on Inishmore with evening meal included 

Day 9:

Farewell.

We will have an early breakfast at 7.30am and depart the island on the first morning ferry at 8.15am. There will be a drop off at Galway Train Station for those travelling to Dublin. There will also be a drop off at Shannon Airport at midday.