Discover Ireland North

Introduction
Northern Eastern Ireland Ireland
During the eight days of the Undiscovered Ireland North hike we cover 80 miles and four counties in this corner of the green isle. Along the way we discover stone circles at Cooley Hills, a ride along the restored railway at Finntown, and hiking along the highest cliffs in Europe at Slieve Lieve. We also encounter the romantic Kylemore Abbey and spend nights enjoying evenings filled with traditional Irish music.

Our nights are spent in quaint Irish towns including Carlingford, a magical village full of character and considered one of the best preserved medieval villages in Ireland. We stay a couple nights in Kilcar, a small village in Donegal, and also Clifden, a coastal town in Galway. There is no better way to discover every nook and cranny than by foot, so come see Ireland like you’ve never seen it before!

Tour Highlights
- Medieval village of Carlingford
- Stone circles & great views from the Cooley Hills
- Old restored railway at Finntown
- Highest sea cliffs in Europe at Slieve League
- Visit to the Aran Islands
- Visit to the magnificent Kylemore Abbey
- Stunning Connemara landscape
- Traditional music most nights

Accomodation

Accommodations
This is a progressive tour so nights will be spent in different locations.

Description
All our accommodations have been carefully selected and are approved by the high standards of the Irish Tourist Board. We have chosen locations of outstanding natural beauty, so that you can enjoy the best of Irish rural life and scenery. You will enjoy top quality accommodation in small, family run guesthouses and hotels whilst being charmed by the hospitable and friendly hosts.
We stay in small hotels, guest houses, farmhouses, B & B's and occasionally castles.

Accommodation Itinerary - subject to changes based on availability
Night 1 & 2: Accommodation in Carlingford
Night 3 & 4: Accommodation in Donegal Town
Night 5: Accommodation in Westport
Night 6 & 7: Accommodation in Clifden

Room Occupancy
All rooms are en suite twin, double or single. Singles are available on request for a small supplement.


Meals:
All meals are included in your package except from dinner on Day 6 & 7.

Each morning, in addition to the famous full Irish breakfast, there are alternative options available. Everybody loves the Irish soda bread, with creamy Irish butter. But for the more health conscious, you can be assured of plenty of fruit, juice, yogurts and cereals.

We take packed lunches for our lunch breaks during our walks. These are provided from our accommodation or from local delis.

Our evenings are a time for reviewing the day's activities and shared experiences on the hills. Evening meals are taken either in the places where we are staying or in local restaurants. You will be pleasantly surprised at the fine quality meals you will enjoy on your tour.

Riding

This holiday, guided by someone who really knows and cares for Ireland, is the best way to see this enchanting country; imagine yourself hiking (or walking) over Irish mountains, pausing by Irish lakes, drinking in Irish pubs and listening to traditional Irish music.

These hiking trips show you the best of Ireland, its picturesque scenery, the grandeur of its mountains, the warmth and hospitality of its people and the magic of their music. Call it an Irish walking holiday; a hiking vacation in Ireland; even a sabbatical - maybe you're researching Ireland, perhaps for a thesis or book; or perhaps you want to see the Ireland of your Irish ancestors. Call it any or all of these, but treat yourself to a tour of Erin's Isle anyway.
Our hiking tours of Ireland are fully escorted by experienced, professional guides. We travel through Ireland in groups of no more than twelve people. We will escort you on hikes through Ireland's most scenic trails, walk through undiscovered routes lined with extraordinary vistas.

Ireland has a lot to offer the walker: dramatic sea cliffs, high mountain ridges, quiet green roads, butter roads, fuchsia-lined lanes, heath and moorland, sweeping expanses of beach. And then there are the sleepy villages, oak woods, sky-blue lakes, torrential waterfalls and babbling brooks.
Ireland's climate ideally suits the walker as generally it rarely gets too hot to be uncomfortable. Rain and cloud-formations are what bring the interesting light patterns and rainbows. The Western coast and islands are known for magnificent sunsets.

Don't be surprised at the very few people you will meet whilst walking, after all, the entire population of Ireland is only around four million! Ireland is a birdwatcher's paradise with many rarities such as the corncrake. It is also a great place for botanists, especially the area of the Burren, Co. Clare.

Maybe the best attraction of all is the people, you'll never find another place like it for hospitality, friendliness, warmth, generosity, humor, love of life and love of the land.

Hiking Level
It is important that you are fit and at least a regular hiker / walker. When we do half day walks the distance covered could be from 4 to 9 miles, when we do full day walks the distances covered could be 6 to 13 miles. The pace is relaxed with time to enjoy your surroundings, take pictures, watch the birds, etc. Generally the terrain comprises of combinations of tracks, lanes, moorland, heath, coastal paths, beaches and mountain paths. You may choose not to walk on certain days, it's your holiday, there are always alternatives. You may prefer to relax at our accommodation, draw, paint, read, think...
Generally after a day of walking we can help ourselves to complimentary tea and coffee at our accommodation. We allow for some relaxation time before dinner. We have an official "Diary" which has been kept by previous groups and you may choose to make a contribution at the end of your day. After dinner there is nearly always the option of visiting the local pubs for some traditional music and dancing.

Itinerary

Sample itinerary - subject to changes

Day 1: Meet at Dublin Airport, Travel to Carlingford
You will be met with a warm welcome at Dublin Airport. Then we travel north to the pretty fishing village of Carlingford in County Louth. There are lovely views across the lough to the Mountains of Mourne, and the village backdrop is the mighty mountain of Slieve Foye. We will take a walk along the lower slopes of Slieve Foye in order to be rewarded with stunning views back over Carlingford Lough. Carlingford is steeped in medieval history and there are many sites of interest to wander around, including an ancient castle and an abbey ruin.
Terrain: quiet lanes and mountain path | Elev Gain: 300 ft.
Walking Distance 3 miles (4.8 km)
Overnight: Carlingford, County Louth
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Hike the Cooley Hills and Black Mountain
Our first full day walk will be at Ravensdale forest and the Cooley Hills. We will encounter an ancient stone circle along the way and learn about the legend of the Cattle Raid of Cooley. After climbing gently over heath and moorland on the lower slopes of the Black Mountain we will enjoy fine views of Newry, Rostrevor and the Mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland. We will finish this walk early enough in the afternoon for you to enjoy another wander around Carlingford Village.
Alternative Walk Options: shorter option of walking just three miles. Or relax and visit the pretty medieval village of Carlingford with its quaint shops and cafes.
Terrain: lanes, mountain track, moorland | Elev Gain: 1400 ft.
Walking Distance 8 miles (12.9 km)
Overnight: Carlingford, County Louth
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Travel to Donegal, hike in the Bluestack Mountains
A visit to Donegal is like a trip back in time: beautiful day-walks and spectacular sunsets are promised along the rugged Donegal coastline. Our driving journey today will take us across Ireland to Donegal stopping briefly on the way for a break at Aughnacloy, County Tyrone. Then we will stop to hike in the Bluestack Mountains of County Donegal for a wonderful walk at near Letterbarrow. Finally making our way to an award-winning guest house / restaurant on the edge of Donegal Town where we can relax for the next two nights.
Terrain: lakeside track, pine forest trail | Elev 500 ft.
Walking Distance 5 miles (8 km)
Overnight: Donegal Town, County Donegal
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4: Hike Magnificent Slieve League
We head for Europe’s highest sea cliffs at Slieve League (2000ft) today. In many people’s opinion Slieve League is Donegal’s piece de resistance and one of the most stunningly beautiful sights on earth. The cliffs are three times higher than the Cliffs of Moher, but less well known due to their remote location. On a fine day, the vista is incredible. An isolated gentle green road brings us out onto the most majestic views of the Atlantic Ocean. This walk is truly an unforgettable one! We will return to our guest house in Donegal for another fine meal.
Alternative Walk Options: there is a shorter option of walking just 4 miles, or spending time in Donegal Town, one mile walk from the guest house.
Terrain: grassy mountain paths, open heath, muddy / rocky track | Elev 1600 ft.
Walking Distance 9 miles (14.5 km)
Overnight: Donegal Town, County Donegal
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5: Hike Slish Wood and Lough Gill, travel to Westport
This morning we travel south to County Mayo. Mayo has a landscape of high cliffs, lonely mountains and fuchsia hedges. En route we stop in County Sligo for a walk at Slish Wood and Lough Gill. A warm welcome awaits us at our guest house in the wonderfully pretty Westport Town.
Alternative Walk Options: take an easy stroll around Sligo Town.
Terrain: Town walk, causeway to the island, quiet lanes
Walking Distance 7 miles (11.3 km)
Overnight: Westport, County Mayo
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6: Hike at Killary Fjord and visit Kylemore Abbey
On now to Connemara: a wild, rugged, unspoilt area with a ragged coastline and an impressive group of mountains – the Twelve Bens. Our walk today will be at Killary fjord which forms the natural border between County Mayo and County Galway. The view to the north looks out across the fjord to Mweelrea, western Ireland’s highest mountain. Later we will stop to visit Kylemore Abbey: western Ireland’s most famous landmark. Nestled at the base of the mountains in the heart of Connemara, Kylemore is regarded as one of the most beautiful buildings in Ireland.
Alternative Walk Options: the full walk is 6 miles long, there is an alternative option of just 2-3 miles available.
Terrain: waterside paths, rocky tracks | Elev Gain: 100 ft.
Walking Distance 6 miles (9.7 km)
Overnight: Clifden, County Galway
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 7: Ferry to Inishmore, the Aran Islands - Visit Dun Aenghus
We’ll take an early ferry to Inismore, the largest of the three Aran Islands in Galway Bay. The first part of our walk today takes us up to visit Dun Aenghus, a massive semi-circular ring fort lodged on the edge of cliffs that drop 300 ft into the Atlantic. Gaze out from the cliff tops across the wild Atlantic Ocean (next stop Newfoundland!). Our walk consists of much varied terrain, beginning with a fabulous trek across the rocky flagstones of the northwestern shore of the island. We then travel on along quiet grassy tracks with fine views lined with endless stretches of dry stone walls.
Alternative Walk Options: the full walk is 8 miles long, there is an alternative option of just 2-3 miles available.
Terrain: quiet lanes, grassy tracks, rocky shore
Walking Distance 8 miles (12.9 km)
Overnight: Clifden, County Galway
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 8: Departure Day
Time to say Goodbye today. We will drop you at the Galway City Bus / Railway Station at approximately 12 noon. From here it is very easy to get a direct bus or train back to Dublin or Shannon for your flight home. The journey from Galway to Dublin takes approx 4 hours, the journey fro Galway to Shannon takes 1.5 hours.
Meals Included: Breakfast


Note: Many clients come on a tour who wish to do very little hiking. Every day there are alternative options such as sight-seeing, relaxing, reading, painting, listening to Irish traditional music, and generally just soaking up the Irish atmosphere. You can opt out of the hiking on any day! All our accommodations are based in scenic locations, so you are very welcome to just remain “home” for the day.

Rates and Dates for Discover Ireland North

Dates Note:

Other Info
Meeting: Dublin Airport
Airport: Dublin Airport
Transfer: Dublin Airport

Climate:
                                                    Donegal area

The following items are essential:
- Good strong waterproof hiking boots
- Waterproof jacket
- Comfortable hiking trousers (jeans are not recommended at all as they are too hot in fine weather and too heavy if they get wet)
- Small day rucksack for lunch, drinks, coat etc.
- Water Bottle
- Gloves (even in summer it can get really cool in some hilly and coastal areas)
- Warm Hat
- Personal toiletries and medication
- General warm clothing such as sweaters, track suit bottoms (sweat pants), fleece jacket, etc.
- Sun cream / sun block / after sun cream
- Spending money in Euros (due to the remote nature of our accommodations, it is sometimes difficult to get to banks and cash machines).
- Credit cards are accepted everywhere.

The following items are suggestions:
- Shorts
- Waterproof trousers
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Flask (Thermos)
- Walking pole / stick
- Torch (flashlight)
- Book
- Alarm clock
- Drawing / painting equipment
- Swimsuit
- Insect repellent
- Your favourite remedy for blisters. (I highly recommend a product called “Compeed” which is available in most pharmacists. In the USA and Canada it may be sold under a different brand name. It is manufactured by Johnson and Johnson) 

(Note: Only one suitcase per person please) 

Cell phone rental is available and can be pre-booked through www.rentaphone-ireland.com

 If you are travelling from the USA you may wish to check out unlocking your cell phone to use and Irish SIM card. Check out www.unlockitfree.com or  www.bilemo.com/unlock